Project Title:  TBD

Location:  Collins Aerospace, Windsor Locks, CT

Start/End Dates: TBD

Brief Description:  TBD

Desired Job Requirements:  TBD

Number of Students:  1

Project Title:  STEM Special Projects Expansion (K-12)

Location:  CIC Office Location 20 Church Street. 22nd Floor. Hartford, CT (with some remote or off-site work)

Start/End Dates: 5/30/2025 – 8/30/2025

Brief Description: The Connecticut Invention Convention is seeking two interns to support a variety of program and expansion initiatives designed to expand program models to serve thousands of low-income and/or historically underrepresented students across the state. In particular, these interns will help the CIC in its deployment of several new STEM summer learning initiatives, including its innovation-focused summer camps. In addition, interns will support the CIC in its ongoing efforts to improve the accessibility of its overall programs, and better ensure that historically underrepresented populations are provided critical access to innovation programming.
This internship will provide hands-on experiences supporting student education, the opportunity to meet and coordinate directly with business and tech executives from around the state, and an ability to help guide the direction of programs being supported. Core responsibilities to include:
-Assistance with the CIC State Finals Follow Up- Including all necessary post event programming.
-Assistance in partnership events with key stakeholders including planning, event prep, and follow up.
-Development and organization of inventory list for various summer learning experiences.
-Lesson design, prep and instruction for the New Britain Summer Learning experience program, SPARK Summer Program, and/or other similar programs.

– Review of statewide institutions as prospective partners for the CIC.
– Independent outreach initiative towards our annual fundraiser including research, external outreach, and internal communication of results to key team members

Desired Job Requirements: Full-time students enrolled in a CTSG academic affiliate college/university. Pursuing a degree in a STEM field, Social Services, or in Education, with an interest in working with and supporting K-12 learners.

Strong preference will be placed on applicants who are able to work in a hybrid environment and/or be present onsite at program locations within a one hour drive for at least half of their internship. All mileage to be reimbursed above and beyond standard salary.

Number of Students:  2

Project Title:  Programs Intern

Location:  CT Science Center, 250 Columbus Boulevard, Hartford, CT 06103

Start/End Dates: 6/2/2025 – 8/22/2025

Brief Description: Summer interns will collaborate with Connecticut Science Center staff to conceptualize, develop, and deliver educational STEM gallery programs for families and youth. These programs will feature fun, hands-on activities that create awareness around STEM careers and ignite a passion for learning. They have the potential to cover a variety of science topics and will reach a public audience, including families, adults, and children. Additionally, interns network and collaborate with STEM industry and community partners, shadow and interview employees of the Science Center, and plan and execute events. This internship is incredibly customizable, and the Science Center team encourages interns to develop content and pursue enrichment experiences that align with their academic and professional interests.

Desired Job Requirements: Full-time students during Spring 2025 term enrolled in an academic affiliate college/university with a minimum cumulative 3.0 GPA. U.S. Citizenship. Occasional evening or weekend work.

Pursuing a degree in a STEM field or in Education, and an interest in working with children.

Number of Students:  2

Project Title: OPM Engineering Intern

Location:  Oxford Performance Materials, South Windsor, CT

Start/End Dates: 5/26/2025 – 8/22/2025

Brief Description: Using its proprietary OXPEKK® technology, OPM is leading the way in additive manufacturing in industries from energy to medical implants. OPM is looking for an intern to join their engineering and operations groups. The intern may participate in everything from R&D, manufacturing, quality and compliance, and product logistics.

Desired Job Requirements:Students enrolled in engineering or engineering technology fields would be the best fit for this position. Applicants must be detail oriented, strong communicators, and ready to be an integral part of a growing company.

Experience in the following preferred:

– Microsoft Suite
– 3D design/modeling
– Background knowledge in anatomy and physiology helpful but not required

Number of Students:  1

Project Title:  Novel drug discovery for traumatic brain injury (TBI)

Location:  Synovel Laboratory LLC, 375 Morgan Lane, Unit 204, West Haven

Start/End Dates:  6/16/2025 – 8/22/2025

Brief Description:  Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a critical health concern that results in significant morbidity, mortality, and financial cost worldwide. In the US alone, TBI accounts for approximately 2.5 million emergency department visits, 280,000 hospitalizations, and 52,000 deaths annually. Neuronal death contributes to neurological deficit after TBI, and thus is a reasonable therapeutic target. Ferroptosis is a recently described regulated cell death pathway that results from accumulation of lipid oxidation products. We reasoned that PE peroxidation and ferroptotic death is an important pathogenic pathway in TBI.
In this project, we will be using De Novo design and molecular modeling to design and synthesize novel ferroptosis inhibitor with overall good activity and drug-like properties including brain penetration. Compounds with suitable properties will be tested in an in vitro TBI cell assay and an in vivo mice animal model for TBI.

Desired Job Requirements: Currently enrolled, full-time student enrolled in an CTSGC academic affiliate college/university. Must have a strong academic record. Must be a U.S. citizen.

Some experience in organic synthesis.

Number of Students:  1

Project Title:  Discovery of Small-molecule LRRC8A, ion channel inhibitor for treatment of cardiovascular diseases

Location:  Synovel Laboratory LLC, 375 Morgan Lane, Unit 204, West Haven

Start/End Dates:  6/16/2025 – 8/22/2025

Brief Description:  Volume control is vital for a cell to respond to its environment. Without volume regulation, vertebrate cells are at the mercy of osmotic imbalance, a property utilized at extremes for biochemical cell lysis. However, by exporting or importing osmolytes in response to environmental or intracellular cues, cells can withstand osmotic stresses and actively regulate volume during cell growth, migration, and death.
Vertebrate cells respond to hypotonic environments by opening channels for chloride and other anions, permitting exchange of diverse osmolytes and requisite water across the membrane to alleviate osmotic imbalance (Jentsch, 2016). The underlying channels, termed volume-regulated anion channels (VRACs) have variable selectivity and conductance between cells, but are similarly activated by osmotic stimuli. While apparently ubiquitous in vertebrate cells, these channels lacked a molecular identity until 2014, when leucine-rich repeat-containing family member 8A (LRRC8A, also named SWELL1) was identified as a required component of VRAC in cells.
In this project, we will discover a novel specific LRRC8A small molecule inhibitor for the treatment of multiple cardiovascular diseases including stroke and heart failure. The researcher will be responsible for the design and synthesis of new compounds focusing on potency and drug-like properties.

Desired Job Requirements: Currently enrolled, full-time student enrolled in an CTSGC academic affiliate college/university. Must have a strong academic record. Must be a U.S. citizen.

Some experience in organic synthesis.

Number of Students:  1

Project Title:  TBD

Location:  Westport Astronomical Society, 182 Bayberry Lane, Westport, CT 06880

Start/End Dates:  TBD

Brief Description: TBD

Desired Job Requirements: TBD

Number of Students:  1