The INSET program is hosted by the California NanoSystems Institute (CNSI), a collaborative effort established by the State of California, situated on the campuses of UC Santa Barbara and UC Los Angeles. CNSI targets the scientific and technological possibilities of working at the molecular scale.

It is an integrative venture that calls upon expertise from a very broad scope of disciplines, including biology, chemistry, physics, engineering, materials science, computation, and media arts. The research at CNSI begins with nanostructure building blocks and determines new ways of seamlessly integrating those building blocks into new materials, devices and systems. By ‘mixing and matching’ components having different electronic, magnetic, optical, and structural properties, our ultimate goal is to create ‘designer materials’ and designer systems that will have capabilities far exceeding those found in nature.

INSET had a long standing collaboration with the Center for Nanotechnology in Society (CNS), a National Science and Engineering Center to study the societal implications of nanotechnology. Through this collaboration, until 2013 there have been two to four social science research projects associated with the INSET program each summer. These internships have allowed students to explore the societal impacts of Nanotechnology. Please see the CNS website for more information.

Over the course of the INSET program, the Materials Research Laboratory (MRL) Education Programs have partnered with CNSI to sponsor two INSET interns each year in materials research projects. For more information on other MRL programs please visit the MRL website

The INSET program was developed with support from the National Science Foundation (NSF) from 2002-2014. Current funding for the INSET program comes from the UCSB California NanoSystems Institute.

•     INSET 2016 Program Dates: June 20 to August 12, 2016
•     Interns are paid $3,500 for 8 weeks. Interns are not allowed to hold other jobs or attend summer courses during the internship.

Students from under-represented backgrounds and with disabilities are encouraged to apply.