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!

Week 3

This week has flown by. Most of the week has been comprised of going into the office and working on my project. Ive had meetings with my advisor, and I have meetings with people all over to pick up their brains about what they know. I love going into the NIST office; they are very welcoming people and provide advice as well as some much-needed fun. I’m very happy with my placement here at NIST and wouldn’t have it any other way.
Another potluck this week. Bailey and I wanted to make pulled pork sandwiches but after the pork was chunkier than we had hoped, we turned it into a pork stir fry.
On Friday, Bo and I went to the first screening of a new documentary called “The Endless Frontier”. It was about what science research is happening across the globe and how it impacts the technologies we enjoy today. It concluded with addressing the current science budget cuts affecting the nation. Then, to my surprise, they had a panel afterward of the director and the scientists featured in the movie. It was so moving seeing the scientists talk about their current troubles with the state of science funding.
On Saturday, Jack took some of us to the NOI orchestra. Not only did we see some amazing pieces of music, we also were able to meet some of the funders of the program that had careers paths similar to those that we aspire to.
This weekend was very eventful, and I think encapsulated what this internship is about, seeing new things and working hard. See you next week.

Week 4

Halfway done!!!! This has been an eventful and fun week. I started off on Tuesday when we went on the AIP dinner cruise!
All the interns sat at one big table with the CEO of AIP, Micheal Moloney. I got the chicken and it might have been the best chicken and potatoes I’ve ever had. We also got to walk around and take pictures on the deck with DC in the background. At the dinner, we had the honor of witnessing Brad receive the Worth Seagondollar award for his work with SPS and AIP. CONGRATS!
On Wednesday, we got a tour of NIST (I already work there so it was more for the others). We also got tours of a neutron imaging lab and a ballistics lab which was really fun and interesting. Wednesday was also my birthday, so a group of us got together to celebrate. I am very grateful for the people here.
Working for NIST is such a fun experience. It is scary to think that in 5 weeks I must present my project to a wide range of scientists and the like, but I know that if I keep working hard it’ll work out all right.

Week 5

Recently, I have learned that quite a few people blog from back home. Hi Notebooms and shoutout Horseheads NY!
For our weekly potluck on Wednesday, Bailey and I made meatloaf and mashed potatoes which turned to beautifully might I add. I always look forward to these because it’s an excuse to make cool meals and have leftovers for lunch.
This week, the NIST interns got a tour of the Eisenhower Building adjacent to the white house from the Office of Management and Budget. We got to hear from Nate Ginty about his work on AI policy and learn about his career path. They gave us some presidential chocolates which I definitely plan to keep as long as possible, some cool memorabilia.
On Friday, the American Institute of Physics drove all of us to Baltimore to have Dinner at the Four Seasons with their Board of Directors. First, I have to say it was an amazing experience being able to meet such a wide variety of people who have successful Physics careers. What I find also interesting is those who do not have a direct physics degree who participate and serve AIP. I have come to understand that science is very interconnected, and while you may study one field, your ability to add to another field is always expanding. It was a pleasure meeting the Board. Secondly, THE FOOD! We had seafood, filet mignon, fine wine, and desserts. I have never had such an amazing dinner. I want that to sound as incredible as I can because it was such an amazing meal. We may have got home late (like midnight), but the networking and the meal were both amazing, once in a lifetime experience.
Next week is fourth of July weekend so I am very excited about the fireworks. Till next time!

Week 6

HAPPY FOUTH OF JULY!!!
Not too many weeks are left. It’s astonishing how fast this summer is going by. I don’t mind it too much though as I’ve been so busy it’s hard to notice its going by.
This week the interns got a tour of the Niels Bohr Library and Archives (Bohr is a famous physicist). The library is owned by the American Institute of Physics and houses thousands of international science catalogues and repositories. We got to see special documents stored in temperature-controlled vaults as well as a book freezer. I didn’t know books are better kept in freezers.
Potluck this week, as always. I made Shepards pie with chicken. Anyway....
FOURTH OF JULY. We got to see the fourth of July 250 fireworks. If you’re going to be anyplace for the 4^th, the Capital is the best place. The fireworks did get delayed until midnight which was a bit disappointing as I have an old man bedtime, but we managed to stay up.
The end of the internship is coming up fast. The abstract for our final report is due next week, which is crazy. So, it’s time to think about wrapping up and figuring out how I want to present what I’ve done. That’s all for now. See ya next week!

Week 7

DC is a place for sure. One the one hand, I love being able to get places without having to park or drive. I like being near the Smithsonian’s and outdoor spaces to enjoy. There is always stuff happening around you, so it’s easy not to be bored or get stuck inside. On the other hand, though, it’s really loud. I recently took the metro out of the city, and we walked around this neighborhood (It had some nice shops and restaurants) and I had forgotten how peaceful a non-city is. It doesn’t help that our apartment is next to the hospital, so several times a day we get to hear sirens. Also getting groceries is so annoying without a car. Traveling with like 3-4 bags of food on the metro for 40 minutes can be daunting. I’ve definitely gotten better at optimizing my grocery hauls. DC is a place for sure. I could get used to living here for a while, but in the long term I cannot live in a city.
Two weeks from Friday and I’m out of here. Crazy! Currently I’ve begun working on the final report. It will be posted to YouTube (I’m pretty sure) for those who won’t be there. I have enough time, so I’ll give you all a good show.
My Girlfriend came into town this week, so we have been metroing around and exploring the DC area even more than I already have. A very underrated museum is the postal museum. It doesn’t sound very cool, but I promise it is a hidden gem, and we loved it very much. We also saw the union station and completed an escape room. We are going to a comedy show tonight. See! I told you that DC has everything.
That’s all for this week. Two blogs are left. See you next week!

Week 8

Ok NOW its setting in that we are in the home stretch. I’ve submitted my abstract and now I’m working to get my presentation done for practice next week. I feel as though this final presentation is the most important part of this opportunity. Getting the chance to show off not only your work throughout the summer, but also the strengths you possess and proving your public speaking skills all to potential future employers is a chance you do not get twice. So I will be sure to put every strength I have into this presentation.
HI Uncle Harold! Thinking of you all!
I mentioned how DC has a bunch of hidden gems. Well, this comedy show is one of them. It is just a room (the place is called Room 808) and holds maybe 40 people on a good day. They have upcoming performers and performers on tour, which is an aspect I really enjoy. The best part? The shows are free on Monday and Tuesdays! I love small community things like that. I plan to go back and buy a shirt because this place deserves it.
I’ve gotten really into cooking recently. I think finally having my own kitchen and my own cookware/ingredients has bolstered this love. I’ve been going crazy on some stir frys and pasta dishes. I’ll attach some pictures because I want to brag.
I went to the National Zoo yesterday. It never aligned for me to go until now but It was so relaxing. We went in the morning while it was still a little cool. I’ve never seen a Sloth Bear in person before, and they might be my new favorite animal. They look so.... silly...... in a good way.
OK. Two weeks left. I got this. See you all Next week!

Week 9

I have been trying to complete the DC Experience. I went to a coffee shop to do my work this week. Sunday, I took a stroll to the Lincoln memorial to watch the sunset. We keep trying to go to trivia at this one place near our apartments, but even if we show up 1.5 hours before it starts, we still cannot get seating, so that was a bust.
This week we got a tour of the Air and space museum from someone who used to work for the American Institute of Physics. They showed all of the very interesting space exhibits. I hadn’t gone because I knew we were getting a tour and it was very worth it. I highly recommend it.
I wish I could say I had a more interesting week. Slowly goodbyes are being said. My office had a very heartfelt meeting where we exchanged gratitude for everyone’s knowledge and experience. There aren’t many opportunities for goodbyes as we prepare for the symposium next week.
It is very easy to embrace DC culture. While cities may be daunting, it is easy to understand the best ways to go about life and how to make the most of such an expanse. I could definitely see myself living in such an environment again, although not the rest of my life 😊.
I need to start packing up my things to move out. We have to leave by 10am on Saturday, but I’ve arranged to be out by 7 am. It’s a six-hour drive and I want to be home ASAP.
ONE MORE WEEK! See you then.