Charting New Waters: Three Mines Graduates Embark on Naval Research Summer Internships

June 11, 2025

Three recent graduates from South Dakota Mines are spending the summer at Department of the Navy laboratories through the Naval Research Enterprise Internship Program (NREIP), gaining hands-on experience in a real-world setting.

Brandilyn Ukena, Kamden Bryant and Alyssa Robinson, all who graduated in May with their bachelor’s degrees, are part of the 10-week program that gives academically talented college students, graduating seniors and graduate students pursuing STEM careers the opportunity to learn about Naval research and technology while receiving first-class mentoring by top scientists and engineers. Brandilyn Ukena, a recent Mines graduate, is spending the summer at Department of the Navy laboratories through the Naval Research Enterprise Internship Program, gaining hands-on experience in a real-world setting.

NREIP is a competitive program with more than 800 placements in 62 laboratories around the country in which many participants go on to careers within the Navy. Interns are selected based on academic achievement, personal statements, recommendations, and career and research interests.

“This is going to be an amazing opportunity,” said Ukena, who graduated with degrees in both chemical engineering and chemistry, and is at the Naval Air Weapons Station in China Lake, Calif. "I have already listened to people present their work as well as discuss a potential problem with my mentor.”

Ukena will be working on reactor design for energetic materials, something that aligns with future goals. “I want to do research on energetic materials so this opportunity will be really good for future jobs,” she said. “Not only will it look good on my resume, but it will also give me experience in research beyond Mines and will also give me experience working under the DoD.”

Bryant, who graduated with a bachelor’s degree in chemistry, is currently stationed at China Lake, working in Kamden Bryant, a recent Mines graduate, is spending the summer at Department of the Navy laboratories through the Naval Research Enterprise Internship Program, gaining hands-on experience in a real-world setting. the chemistry division of the Navy’s weapons program. Originally from Kearney, Nebraska, he hopes this internship will open doors in the energetics field and prepare him for graduate studies at Purdue University, where he plans to pursue a Ph.D. in materials science and engineering. “Some things I can learn from this experience in particular is using waste, like biomass, to make existing things,” he said. “This would really help the environment by getting a lot of pollutants and harmful chemicals out of the existing manufacturing processes.”

Robinson, who earned her bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering, is also hoping her internship experience at the Naval Surface Warfare Center in Indian Head, Md., will better prepare her for her doctoral studies at Purdue. She will be working in the center’s Energetics Manufacturing Department which is the Navy’s sole provider of cartridge and propellant actuated devices used in aircraft ejection systems, emergency escape mechanisms and other critical equipment used by the warfighter.

All three credited Mines and Dr. Lori Groven, professor in the Karen M. Swindler Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, with helping open doors to opportunities like NREIP. Alyssa Robinson, a recent Mines graduate, is spending the summer at Department of the Navy laboratories through the Naval Research Enterprise Internship Program, gaining hands-on experience in a real-world setting.

“Mines prepared me for this next chapter by teaching me the foundations of my field and matching me with an advisor that helped get me into this career path and find opportunities like these,” Robinson said.