Next-Level Impact: Growth Takes Center Stage for U.S. NSF LCCF Interns

Meet the second U.S. National Science Foundation Leadership-Class Computing Facility (NSF LCCF) Internship cohort! Over a 20-week period, six interns received training on cutting-edge computing resources, workplace readiness, and team-building opportunities. Read about their experiences, lessons learned, and why these interns recommend that others apply to the NSF LCCF Internship.

Erik Rivera-sanchez

Mentorship Group: Web and Mobile Applications Team

Mentor(s): Tracy Brown, Jake Rosenberg, Sal Tijerina, Frank Netscher

Why did you apply for the NSF LCCF Internship?

I wanted to gain hands-on experience in software development. I’ve always been curious how things work in a professional setting, and this opportunity perfectly aligned with my interests and career objectives.

What project(s) did you work on during your time as an LCCF Intern?

My main project has been a knowledge graph that contains all the datasets in the DesignSafe Portal, providing a foundation for faster and more intuitive searches on the website. I also worked on smaller features on the website that help users navigate the portal and provide extra information.

What did you enjoy most about being an LCCF Intern?

I enjoyed being around knowledgeable, passionate people. This environment made every day a learning opportunity and helped me not just grow as a developer, but as a professional.

How will the LCCF Internship help you move forward in your career?

The internship taught me problem-solving and team communication skills that I can take with me anywhere I go. I feel more confident in my ability to contribute to hands-on projects, communicate ideas clearly, and adapt to different technical challenges.

How did your background prepare you for this opportunity?

Before this internship, most of my technical experience came from Texas State University, where I studied computer science and had completed several programming and system classes. I also worked on side projects to sharpen my skills in areas I was curious about. While I didn’t have formal industry experience, my school background and side projects gave me a solid foundation.

Why should others apply to the program?

If you’re looking for a career change or want to expand your knowledge and skill set in your field, you should apply. This internship lets you gain experience on projects with meaningful impact and you get to meet people who want to see you succeed.

Kaylee Scanlin

Mentorship Group: Scalable Computational Intelligence (SCI)

Mentor(s): Juliana Duncan, Luke Smith

Why did you apply for the NSF LCCF Internship?

I have participated in many TACC programs such as Cyberinfrastructure for Social Change and ACSC, and wanted to get more involved. When I learned that this internship would let me be more involved in TACC’s research programs, I applied. I thought it would be an avenue to pursue my research interests in AI and HPC while getting hands-on experience with machine learning engineering.

What project(s) did you work on during your time as an LCCF Intern?

I worked on a generative AI project that converts research papers into visual abstracts with backend and frontend functionality. I also contributed to a data science project that tracked CO2 emissions in real-time—something that had never been seen before. This allowed researchers to identify and respond to potential spills more efficiently.

What did you enjoy most about being an LCCF Intern?

Working as a data science intern was a great opportunity to bridge the gap between theory and practical application. One of the most rewarding aspects of the internship was turning raw data into meaningful insights that drive change.

How will the LCCF Internship help you move forward in your career?

As my first professional internship, this experience taught me about machine learning, engineering-specific tools and software kits that I need to be ahead of the curve while also instilling the mindset of a data scientist and engineer.

How did your background prepare you for this opportunity?

I received research experience through my time in Research Experiences for Undergraduates at UT Austin. This experience provided the foundational machine learning skills and scientific inquiry that I needed to succeed in the research/engineering hybrid role that I was placed in at TACC. I also founded and ran a nonprofit while enrolled at my community college, which gave me the discipline and project management skills to create and manage my own trajectory.

Why should others apply to the program?

TACC is a wonderful place to work and is open to everyone—whether you’re an undergraduate student, a new grad, or a professional returning to the workforce. My cohort utilized their unique backgrounds to contribute to a wide range of projects in different ways. I loved this experience.

Shin Garbrecht

Mentorship Group: Enterprise Software

Mentor(s): Akhil Seth, Adam Gaither

Why did you apply for the NSF LCCF Internship?

This program provides a wonderful opportunity to build a career in technology. I had learned to code but did not have much relevant work experience. The internship actively welcomed career changers and encouraged applicants from different professional and academic backgrounds, valuing a wide range of perspectives and experiences.

What project(s) did you work on during your time as an LCCF Intern?

I worked on developing an application programming interface (API) for TACC Allocation Resource Management. This required rebuilding an existing REST API using a Python web server framework called FastAPI and a communication protocol called GraphQL, a new type of technology that allows flexible queries. I gained many skills because of this project, and it helped me to grow my skills as a professional software engineer.

What did you enjoy most about being an LCCF Intern?

Throughout my project, I learned new technologies and was given the space to research and study, so that I could apply my skills effectively. There were also regular professional training sessions which covered topics like interviewing, conflict management, resume writing, and more. I also took advantage of job training workshops and a machine learning workshop.

How will the LCCF Internship help you move forward in your career?

This program allowed me to work with a professional software team on practical enterprise software. I now have firsthand experience in the processes and technologies used to develop enterprise software, along with specialized skills in backend development. Thanks to this internship, I gained the skills and confidence needed for a career in technology.

How did your background prepare you for this opportunity?

Prior to joining this program, I participated in a software engineering bootcamp and worked on websites for companies. I did lots of self-study in various languages like Java, SQL, Python, Javascript, HTML, and CSS. Having some coding experience was helpful, but what’s most important is having a passion for learning. If you want to learn and grow, you will be successful in this program and in technology.

Why should others apply to the program?

TACC has exciting, advanced technology and the friendliest people to work with. The program is built to help you grow and get hands-on work experience. This internship will build your confidence and capabilities, and you will grow in a short amount of time. If you are interested in technology, there is not a better internship program out there.

Chris Benevich

Mentorship Group: Scalable Computational Intelligence

Mentor(s): Juliana Duncan, Skye Li, Luke Smith

Why did you apply for the NSF LCCF Internship?

I worked at a highly ranked AI firm to raise the quality, logic, and ethics capabilities on more than 10 multimodal artificial intelligence, agentic and robotics products, all of which have been deployed. With that task completed, I wanted to learn how to build an AI system.

What project(s) did you work on during your time as an LCCF Intern?

I rebuilt a retrieval-augmented generation system to function as a chatbot teaching assistant using a container on the Frontera supercomputer.

What did you enjoy most about being an LCCF Intern?

Dedicating myself to increasing my AI engineering skills on HPC in machine learning, Python, CLI, VIM, Linux, LangChain, PyTorch, and more has been a special time. I’ve spent my career exceeding expectations in my roles while learning new skills and earning certifications.

How will the LCCF Internship help you move forward in your career?

I received a job interview, was invited to speak at an AI conference, was approached by a UT computer science professor to advise him on teaching AI, and complimented by an internship professional development facilitator on my leadership and mentoring in action. Thanks to this internship, there’s high demand for my AI adoption abilities.

How did your background prepare you for this opportunity?

I began this internship with a sense of continued responsibility to contribute to more ethical and successful AI. Even the most powerful leaders of the most pervasive AI systems cannot explain how it works. I trained, tuned, gave original conceptual frameworks to, and rigorously defined logical and ethical standards for AI and robotics products for developer, product, trust, and safety teams.

Why should others apply to the program?

You’ll be enriched in many ways by the program.

Joshua Tallas

Mentorship Group: Cloud and Interactive Computing Group

Mentor(s): Joe Stubbs, Smruti Padhy

Why did you apply for the NSF LCCF Internship?

This Internship aligns with my career goals and my desire to use technology to improve the well-being of tribal and rural communities. As a member of the Navajo Nation, I’m drawn to opportunities that empower underrepresented communities through technology. The LCCF Internship stood out because of its technical focus and its emphasis on leadership, mentorship, and social impact. I wanted to challenge myself, grow professionally, and build a network of like-minded peers and mentors who are passionate about computing.

What project(s) did you work on during your time as an LCCF Intern?

Through my CloudSec project, I built a policy analyzer tool that helps detect misconfigurations in cloud environments and recommends security best practices.

What did you enjoy most about being an LCCF Intern?

I enjoyed growing professionally in a supportive and inspiring environment. Collaborating with mentors and peers who share my ideals made this experience meaningful.

How will the LCCF Internship help you move forward in your career?

The internship gave me hands-on experience working on real-world computing challenges. Beyond the technical skills, the internship helped me grow in areas of public speaking, project planning, and teamwork. Presenting my work, collaborating with mentors, and receiving feedback helped me become more confident and focused. It also connected me with a community of peers and professionals who are passionate about making a difference through technology.

How did your background prepare you for this opportunity?

I’ve worked as an IT technician and graphic designer, where I developed problem-solving skills, attention to detail, and the ability to communicate complex ideas. As a student at Navajo Technical University, I gained academic training in computing and developed a deep interest in using technology to serve underrepresented communities.

Why should others apply to the program?

The internship helps you grow both professionally and personally. You get the chance to work on important projects and connect with mentors who are invested in your success. Whether you’re trying to build your skills, gain confidence, or figure out your career path, this program gives you the tools and support to move forward.

Monica Arboleda

Mentorship Group: Education & Outreach, Visualization Services

Mentor(s): Anne Bowen, Rosalia Gomez

Why did you apply for the NSF LCCF Internship?

I wanted to gain hands-on experience working on research projects that utilize HPC and large datasets. I also wanted to enhance my data analytics skills, learn from TACC experts and mentors, and build workplace readiness for future technology roles. The program’s flexible schedule made it an ideal fit, allowing me to balance the internship with other commitments.

What project(s) did you work on during your time as an LCCF Intern?

I contributed to the development of a role-based data dashboard for analyzing, maintaining, and archiving data from various TACC Education and Outreach programs. My work focused on gathering requirements, preparing and structuring the data—standardizing, cleaning, and organizing it to prepare for the dashboard’s next development phases. Additionally, I designed the solution architecture, the dimensional data model, and a phased execution plan, laying a strong foundation for implementation.

What did you enjoy most about being an LCCF Intern?

I enjoyed collaborating with others while working on a meaningful project. Whether it was mentorship sessions, technical training, professional development workshops, or collaborative meetings with the Education and Outreach team, each interaction made the experience more engaging.

How will the LCCF Internship help you move forward in your career?

Working on data projects strengthened my ability to structure and manage complex datasets. Collaboration gave me valuable insights into problem-solving and data organization. The experience helped me build confidence in my skills and prepared me for future roles in data analytics and technology. I’m excited to apply what I’ve learned as I move forward in my career.

How did your background prepare you for this opportunity?

My master’s degree in Data Analytics and Information Systems provided a solid foundation. During my senior year, I began working in research projects analyzing education data—a role I continue today. I also designed data models and worked on data extraction and loading, which gave me a deeper understanding of structured data systems.

Why should others apply to the program?

The NSF LCCF Internship program offers a unique opportunity for students and early-career professionals to gain hands-on experience, mentorship, and professional development. Interns engage in experiential research projects, collaborate with HPC experts, and refine their technical skills while learning new ones. The program helps interns build confidence, foster connections, and equips them with skills for career advancement in technology fields in a supportive learning environment. This internship is an excellent stepping stone for those looking to grow in cutting-edge technology careers.