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George Mason University College of Engineering and Computing mechanical engineering student Peter Pringhayune and alum Jaden Newman were accepted into the highly competitive Naval Research Enterprise Internship Program (NREIP) for the summer of 2025. This prestigious program offers students the opportunity to engage in cutting-edge research at Department of Navy laboratories, working alongside top scientists and engineers.
The NREIP is a 10-week summer internship designed to provide undergraduate and graduate students with hands-on research experience in a Navy laboratory. Participants are selected based on their academic achievements, personal statements, recommendations, and career and research interests.
"The NREIP is an incredible opportunity for our students to gain practical experience and make meaningful contributions to naval research," said Leigh McCue, chair of the Department of Mechanical Engineering. "We are proud of Newman and Pringhayune’s achievements and look forward to seeing the impact they will make in the field."
Newman, currently earning a master’s in aerospace engineering at Virginia Tech (VT) and working as an unmanned drone researcher at the VT National Security Institute, attributes his success so far, including his acceptance into the NREIP, in part to his undergraduate senior capstone experience creating an autonomous underwater vehicle and presenting his work at the 2024 Advanced Machinery Technology Symposium.
"I am confident and ready to show the industry the skills I've built over the years,” said Newman. “I know I will be a valuable asset to any team I'm a part of."
Pringhayune likewise attributes his acceptance to working on his senior capstone project.
“I do a lot of the computer-aided design and finite element analysis for my team, which translates well into one of the labs in the [Naval Surface Warfare Center] Carderock facility,” said Pringhayune. “I am most excited to apply this to the real world and see the overall impact it has on an entire system.”
Newman and Pringhayune’s acceptance into the NREIP highlights the quality of education and training provided by George Mason’s mechanical engineering department.