NIST Professional Research Experience Program (PREP)

NIST’s Professional Research and Experience Program (PREP) provides valuable laboratory experience and financial assistance to community college students, graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, academic affiliates or faculty, post master’s degree holders, and post-bachelor’s degree. This official collaboration between participating universities and NIST aims to provide research opportunities to students and graduates. 

Researchers from various academic departments apply for PREP appointments. In return, NIST researchers have access to students, recent grads, postdocs, senior researchers, and faculty who bring new ideas and experiences that can strengthen the agency’s research programs. 

The purpose of this program is to:

• Develop and train a diverse, world-class pool of scientists and engineers to support NIST's mission in measurement science and standards research.
• Increase the recruitment, retention and graduation rates of undergraduate and graduate students pursuing STEM degrees.
• Recruit and retain historically marginalized groups (women, minorities, and persons with disabilities) in STEM.
• Assure continued growth and progress of a highly skilled STEM workforce in the U.S.

Colleges and Universities 

If your accredited institution offers a two-year or four-year degree in academic science, technology, engineering, or mathematics, you can apply to establish and manage a research relationship with NIST labs in Boulder, Colorado, Gaithersburg, Maryland, or Charleston, South Carolina. PREP is a five-year cooperative agreement. Calls for application to the next award will be posted in March 2027.

See our Notice of Funding Opportunity for more information. 

Participating PREP Universities

PREP Boulder

• Colorado School of Mines

• University of Colorado - Boulder

• University of Colorado - Denver Consortium

  • University of Colorado - Denver

  • New Mexico State University

PREP Gaithersburg 

• The Johns Hopkins University - Morgan State University HBCU Consortium

  • Morgan State University

  • Johns Hopkins University

  • The State University of New York Binghamton

  • Bowie State University

  • University of Maryland Eastern Shore

  • Coppin State University

  • Tuskegee University

  • North Carolina Agricultural and Technical University

• Georgetown University

• Michigan Technological University
• George Washington University

• University of Maryland College Park

• Montgomery College 

Prospective Researchers 

When NIST has an opportunity and funding for a researcher, we partner with PREP university to advertise and recruit for those roles. PREP researchers must be affiliated with a participating university. 

Eligibility

PREP is open to U.S. citizens and foreign nationals with the appropriate visa to work at NIST.

If you are interested in a PREP opportunity you can apply through an advertised vacancy. 

Apply to PREP Researcher Opportunities 

Visit the websites below to view available PREP openings. 

Gaithersburg Campus:

• The John Hopkins University - Morgan State University HBCU Consortium
  • Morgan State University
  • Johns Hopkins University  
  • The State University of New York Binghamton
  • Bowie State University
  • University of Maryland Eastern Shore
  • Coppin State University
  • Tuskegee University
  • North Carolina Agricultural and Technical University
• Georgetown University
• Michigan Technological University
• George Washington University
• University of Maryland College Park
• Montgomery College

Boulder Campus

• University of Colorado Boulder
• University of Colorado Denver Consortium
  • University of Colorado Denver
  • New Mexico State University
• Colorado School of Mines

Learn More

• PREP Program FAQs 
• E-mail us at prep [at] nist.gov