Stony Brook University President Andrea Goldsmith delivered the keynote address at the Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL) Summer Internship Closing Ceremony on August 7. The event, held at BNL’s Berkner Hall, recognized over 250 interns from across the United States who participated in research projects during the summer.
The ceremony was organized by BNL’s Office of Workforce Development and Science Education. It featured a symposium and poster sessions where interns presented their work completed at Brookhaven Lab.
Goldsmith, who also serves as co-chair of Brookhaven Science Associates—the organization that manages BNL for the U.S. Department of Energy—reflected on her own early experiences in research. She described her first exposure to research at Bell Labs, noting the excitement she felt working alongside talented colleagues.
“I feel incredibly lucky to have chosen a profession that is so gratifying, and it all started for me as a summer intern at a prominent research lab,” Goldsmith said. “We are so lucky to have places like Brookhaven National Lab that not only advances discovery but also inspires the next generation of STEM researchers through internships programs like the one you have all experienced.”
Goldsmith recounted her unconventional path into science and engineering, including taking junior college classes and participating in a language program in Europe before pursuing an engineering degree at UC Berkeley. She spoke about working as a waitress to pay for school and being one of few women in her program.
She highlighted how meeting algebra professor William Arveson and his teaching assistant Elizabeth Strauss became pivotal moments for her academic journey. Strauss was the first female graduate student in STEM Goldsmith had encountered at Berkeley.
“This is the power of mentorship,” Goldsmith said. “And it’s also why I believe that world-class public institutions — laboratories like Brookhaven National Lab and universities like Stony Brook University and all those in the SUNY system — are so essential to the future of scientific knowledge. They help create space for any and all motivated young scholars—regardless of gender or background—to see what’s possible. In fact, to see themselves in the future of STEM.”
Goldsmith encouraged graduates to continue learning and pursue their interests: “Soak up all the knowledge and experience you can,” she said. “Foster unique experiences and cherish those people — those mentors and guides — who show you new ways of thinking and being. They are more important than you can imagine.”
Brookhaven National Laboratory offers several summer education initiatives designed to support development in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics fields through partnerships with organizations such as the Department of Energy Workforce Development for Teachers and Scientists program.
