Ethan Raupers, 2026 NIST Policy Intern
Biography
SPS Chapter: University of Rochester
Hello, my name is Ethan Raupers. I am a rising senior at the University of Rochester, currently studying physics and astronomy. I am from a small town in upstate New York, and I am excited to spend the summer in DC working on science policy at NIST, Office of Advanced Manufacturing.
At school, I am the captain of the men’s club rugby team, a team leader at the Georgan Athletic Center, and vice president of the Alpha Delta Phi. Outside of school you can find me playing video games, working out, and reading. I am thrilled to be a part of the SPS internship program and connecting with a new and diverse community.
Internship
Host: NIST, Office of Advanced Manufacturing
Internship Blog
Week 1
Wow, six hours of driving and I arrived in D.C.! I have never lived in a city before, so this has been a surprising but welcomed culture shock. I still marvel at the intricate yet simple metro system that I have ridden every day and still don’t quite know where I am going (thank god for traveling in groups).
Living in D.C. has been more fun than I anticipated. It started off slow as the GWU’s (George Washinton University) gym was unexpectedly closed on Memorial Day, shocker I know, but as I’ve gotten to know the area, I have come to appreciate it more and more. We live so close to so many monuments like the Lincoln memorial, Washington monument, and so many more.
This week has been full of meeting new people. From AIP, SPS, and NIST (don’t worry, there are only more acronyms to come), I have met the coolest people from all backgrounds and all fields, and I am so excited to work with them (shoutout Brad for being so helpful).
Speaking of great people, I couldn’t have asked for a better office. Everyone that I have met that I will be spending the next ten weeks with has been so welcoming and helpful. I didn’t know much about NIST before starting, and they have been so helpful in navigating me through the ins and outs of the organization.
For the summer I am working on a cumulative project which I am extremely excited for. What I want out of this internship is something concrete that I can be proud of, so hearing about my project has left me overjoyed and ecstatic to start.
Outside of work has been so fun as well. My fellow interns have been a blast to meet and hangout with. My roommate Bailey has luckily dragged me out of the dorm the first few days and I have met some very awesome people ( I can be pretty introverted). We have so many plans that we want to do it feels like ten weeks isn’t enough. I know that for me personally I want to visit as many Smithsonian’s as I can (totally not because I am a broke college student and they are free 😊).
All in all, this week has been loads of fun and has only bolstered my excitement for the weeks to come. Even work has me excited to see what I can accomplish. More next week!
Week 2
I cannot believe that I’ve only been here for 2 weeks. Adapting to the city was not as hard as I suspected it to be. Taking the metro, walking everywhere, managing the busy streets and massive crowds isn’t so bad (I’m from a small town, can’t you tell).
This week has been much steadier. It’s been mostly devoted to diving into my project and getting a feel for what needs to be done at what time. The commute to NIST is a killer, 70 minute each way! It’s not so bad though, finally gives me time to read the books I always claimed I would read but never did.
The interns held a potluck this week between the 13 of us. Bailey and I made a homemade mac and cheese, it slapped. The potluck turned out well, we ended up having too much food, but I didn’t complain. Free leftovers! Having something grounding during the week like a potluck isn’t something I thought I’d enjoy so much, but it certainly made me feel at home.
Also, this week our boss, Brad, took us to the Department of Energy (DOE)! I told you that you cannot escape the acronyms. Some of our colleges try to challenge each other with acronyms they are supposed to know as they have worked in the field for years. So don’t worry, it seems like it never gets easier. But anyway, on Thursday we headed down to the DOE and got a tour from one of Brad’s colleagues. They were able to tell us about how the DOE operates, information that helped me advance my project, and life advice into starting a career. It was so valuable that I cannot thank them enough (Thank you Brad and Nebiat!!).
On Saturday, Bo took his LSAT, so we (mostly Daniel) got him a cake and desserts. We all surprised him outside his door with the cake. It was a nice surprise and hopefully relieved everyone of some stress.
All in all, this experience is something that I can say confidently, this early in, will be extremely valuable to my knowledge of physics, being in the workforce, and how to navigate opportunities life throws at me. See ya next week!
