My internship

 

At the Dayton Regional STEM School we are required to complete a 72 hour intership. The summer between my Sophmore and Junior year I found an opportunity to complete an intership for N.A.S.A (National Aeronautic and Space Administration). This amazing opportunity took me 435 miles to Huntsville, Alabama to work at Marshall Space Flight Center. Once there I worked in a large industrial work bay in which welding and work friction stir welding was completed for the cryogenic tanks that would be used on one of NASA's next missions.

 

My role in this work place was to test welds at cryogenic tempatures. This meant I had to fill out forms to request what welds needed to be tested on each day. I would then proceed to the labs in which the welds I had previously requested would be pulled apart while submerged in liquid nitrogen, to see how much force each weld could withstand as well as weak points in the weld that would later be identified and changes would be made to how the weld was created to prevent these weak points from being created again.

 

My main take aways from this work was accuracy and professionalism. I being the youngest person in the work place needed to be professional at all times to insure I was being taken seriously especially since I was working with people who had completed welds on the International Space Station that are still holding up to this day. I had to be accurate on all forms and paperwork I completed as to not cost the organization more money than needed.

 

A new connection I made was with Keirsten Dutenhaver my main mentor for my time while I was in Alabama. I had met her once previously but had not met anyone else before. I am still in contact with her today. She and I still discuss my career path and strides I can be taking to achieve my goals.