Nuclear regulatory commission honors program

Originally from Michigan, Mertz chose BU Law to pursue his goals in part because it was an area of the country in which he had never lived, and he could explore. One of the things that stuck out when he visited the school was how much the students he spoke with enjoyed it there—something he valued given the amount of time he expected to spend on campus.

Ultimately, he could picture himself at BU Law studying the law as it relates to nuclear power. Now an honors program fellow with the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Mertz works with the Office of the General Counsel and practices nuclear regulatory law. BU Law spoke with him recently to learn about his experience in law school and how he feels it prepared him for government work. A : I had a lot of influential courses and professors. I talked to her very early on about her experiences working for the government, and that really helped direct my interests in government work as opposed to a private law firm in the nuclear area.

Additionally, Professor Jack Beermann made his administrative law course incredibly interesting and entertaining. The class confirmed that government practice was the best area of law for me, and a lot of what I do today is directly related to what I learned in that class. I currently work for the Nuclear Regulatory Commission NRC in the division of high-level waste, fuel-cycle, and nuclear security within the Office of the General Counsel.

I have attended meetings where we used the same language or looked at the same requirements that I learned in that administrative law class. That internship confirmed for me that I wanted to work in the government because I really liked the way government work differed from law firm jobs. I worked on projects assigned to me by the attorneys with whom I was working. They would meet with clients, such as one of the agencies within the Department of the Interior, and assign me a sub-question to answer within a larger issue.

I researched case law and past administrative findings and wrote memos trying to answer those questions. The following summer I was an intern at the Nuclear Energy Institute. That internship gave me initial experience with nuclear regulations and types of administrative documents that I deal with at the NRC.

Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Government Honors applications are typically due late-summer or fall semester the year before you graduate, e. Government Honors Handbook : These handbooks have deadlines and application information for internships and post-graduate government honors programs nationwide. You will need your AU log-in information to access the Handbook.

They are frequently updated so check back often! Presidential Management Fellows Program : This selective program is a great entry point into policy-making decisions. Prospective fellows must be enrolled in a graduate or professional program and be nominated by their academic institution.