Student Internships / Research

Katelyn S. — McCormick

During summer 2018, I worked as a Quality Assurance intern at McCormick & Co. in their Spice Mill located just outside of Baltimore, Maryland. I completed two projects that were quite different, giving me the opportunity to collaborate with many different teams. The first project was to automate the process of conducting a raw material hazard analysis. The process is done at every McCormick facility in the US and can take over a week of work when done manually. By automating this process, I was able to reduce the time to do this to under an hour for each facility. My second project was more hands-on and involved working with technicians to standardize the process for cleaning product totes. I expanded the scope of my project to address a safety hazard that I had identified in using the totes. In doing so, I developed a rollout plan for a half million-dollar quality improvement in the Hunt Valley Plant, helping to improve overall safety within the facility. 

Working in the Quality Department gave me the opportunity to network with all levels of the company - I formed strong connections with upper level management while also working daily with line technicians, helping to further develop my leadership skills. I also improved my communication skills immensely as one of my projects included working with third parties. Due to my success in my assigned projects and in working with multiple cross functional teams, I am confident going into Senior Design and in entering the workforce after graduation.  I would recommend for students to always be on the look-out for a career opportunity as you never know when an opportunity will come along; I had not anticipated to find a job at the time that I did but it was the right decision for me.

"I fell into this internship completely by accident as I had been looking for an environmentally focused company. However, after seeing McCormick's presentation at the Biosystems Pre-Gallery Meet and Greet, I was excited by the many initiatives McCormick is working on for sustainability and diversity - two things that I value most in an employer."

Jacob D. — NASA

During Fall, 2017 and Summer, 2018 I interned at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas. I worked as part of the Exploration Exercise team in ER3, the Flight Systems Branch within the Engineering Directorate.  For my first internship, I worked on multiple projects relating to wearable sensors used to collect physiological data during exercise.  Firstly, I developed and tested a biofeedback model with MED-2 (Miniature Exercise Device-2).  This model implements changes to the device’s resistance during a rowing exercise based on the user’s heart rate, transmitted via Bluetooth from the Hexoskin wearable sensor.  Secondly, I developed a model which calculates caloric and macronutrient expenditure from a user’s heart rate profile.  Both models required extensive literature review and discussions with NASA physiologists, nutritionists, and engineers.  In the future, models like these will be coupled with on-board exercise systems to better inform crew members during long duration missions to the Moon and Mars.

Summer, 2018 I developed a method of visualizing the complete data output of the Hexoskin wearable sensor suite (heart rate, respiration rate, and tidal volume) in three dimensions.  To supplement this, I researched machine learning algorithms that could be used to extract information about the user’s physiological resilience from these representations.  I also lead a team of interns working to support ER3’s experiment on NEEMO23 (NASA Extreme Environment Mission Operations-23), a week-long analog mission in an underwater habitat off the coast of Florida.  As part of this, I managed the intern team’s efforts, wrote crew procedures, and trained crew members on the lab’s exercise systems in preparation for the mission.  NEEMO23 will also feature the biofeedback and caloric/macronutrient expenditure models I developed in my previous internships.

My previous research mentors suggested that I investigate opportunities such as this, and with their help I applied online through NASA’s internship website.  After interning Fall, 2017 the ER3 branch decided to have me back for another internship summer, 2018.

"Students should start looking for opportunities as early as possible.  I worked alongside interns ranging from high school seniors through graduate students while at NASA.  I encourage students to follow their passions and apply for positions that require active use of their unique talents and interests."

Sydney S. —  E. & J. Gallo

Spring semester of 2018 I traveled to Modesto, California for 6 months to work as a Production Engineering Intern at E.& J. Gallo Winery. When all the interns arrived for the first day of work, I found out there were other students from MSU. I worked in the bottling room and many of my projects were related to manufacturing. My favorite experience overall was getting the opportunity to move somewhere that I have never been before. My roommates and I did a lot of hiking at places like Calaveras Big Tree State Park (photo to the right) and Yosemite National Park. 

I have always been interested E.&J. Gallo Winery and decided to talk to their recruiters during the Engineering Pre-Gallery. I began looking for internships very early in the year and attended every engineering career fair. I had a great experience working here. E.&J. Gallo Winery is an awesome company and I would recommend this experience to everyone.

"I gained a lot of professional experience during this internship that is very useful. I learned things like how to send a professional email and how to schedule meetings to how to tackle projects. I have many favorite memories and these all involve my supervisor, other engineers, and all the interns I worked with."

Morgan H. — DePuy Synthes

I co-oped for three rotations with DePuy Synthes in Warsaw, Indiana, beginning my second semester of sophomore year and ending the summer after my junior year. I supported the knee research and development team, and aided full time engineers with their projects and deliverables. My favorite experiences while I was at DePuy were attending multiple cadaver labs where I was able to assist world renowned surgeons during mock surgeries with our products. I found my co-op through networking with my peers and at career gallery, so it sometimes is all about "who you know." My favorite memory at DePuy is presenting my achievements at the close of my last rotation, because it really brought to light how much I learned in my time there and how much I was able to accomplish.

" This co-op helped develop my professional skills by providing me with an example of what the field of engineering in R&D is like, along with helping develop my soft skills by working with a multitude of different teams and people."

Emma H. — Meijer

In summers 2016 and 2017 I had Supply Chain and Manufacturing internships with Meijer.  In 2016 my internship focused on process engineering and continuous improvement, where my project was to optimize a new production line, complete the business case on my final solution, and present my proposal at the end of the summer.  It was truly exciting to see this solution implemented during the school year, and the products on Meijer shelves by the following summer.  In 2017, my internship focused on product development, and I drove a new beverage product from concept to in-plant production in 10 weeks.  I then had the opportunity to present my work and finished product to senior leadership. Both projects presented endless opportunities to develop as a young professional, leverage my academic background in a cross-functional role, and clarify my passions for full-time work.My favorite experience was the scale-up production trial that I had the opportunity to plan and help execute in my summer 2017 internship.  To go all the way from initial product concept to production preparations, and then be able to see your product be manufactured in real-time is an incredibly exciting experience.  I was blown away to have this sort of opportunity as an undergraduate!

“I have been trained in professional etiquette, communications, and networking.  I have not only learned about my studies' interactions with the Supply Chain and business world, but also clarified my passions for full-time work.”

Chris R. — Nexteer Automotive & Schreiber Foods, Inc. 

While at MSU I have had two different experiences. Last summer I interned at Nexteer Automotive in Saginaw, MI, working in the manufacturing engineering department. My responsibilities included tool rebilling, creation of safety lockout placards, and manufacturing repeatability analysis on a lathe machine. This summer and fall, I am working at Schreiber Foods, Inc. in Green Bay, WI. I am working in the process engineering department and my responsibilities include, package and building design using AutoCAD, process flow analysis on cheese piping for multiple domestic facilities (Monett, MO & Logan, UT), and communicating with vendors to obtain quotes on bid packages.

"I learned career and resume building skills, such as CAD design, excel data analysis, and creating process flow spreadheets, that will help me succeed professionally in the future." 

Matthew S. — EnSURE

This summer, I worked for Dr. Medina in her Food and Health Engineering Lab. I would mainly run experiments, but occasionally I would work on conveying the results of the experiments through data analysis, technical writing and poster presentations. The specifics of my project involved the determination of tart cherries effect on cholesterol oxidation in liposomes. I used a variety of techniques to do this including UV-Vis and gas chromatography. My favorite experience was the poster presentation at the end of the EnSURE program. It was neat to see the progression that all us students made throughout the program.

I reached out to a faculty member wondering if they had or knew anyone that had an research opportunities for undergraduates. I was directed to Dr. Medina and began to volunteer in her lab during the semester. We both agreed that it would be good if I continued to work over the summer, and we came across the EnSURE program. I think it is important for first semester freshman to look for research opportunities or internships and attend career fairs. Getting into research allows for application of the information you learn in class to problems beyond the textbook. In terms of internships, although it can often be discouraging for a freshman, early experience with a career fair increase your comfortability in that sort of setting. Freshman can also make connections with employers during these types of events, which could be helpful in the future.

"Not only did the EnSURE program challenge my technical skills such as chemistry, biology and math, but it also taught me a variety of professional skills as well. Weekly professional development meetings taught us how to effectively perform literature reviews, how to enhance our technical writing and presentation skills, how to effectively communicate with co-workers and engineering ethics. All of these things will be beneficial as I continue my career as an engineer."

Renee S. — Kellogg Company & PepsiCo

I have had two excellent internship experiences. Last year, I worked in Barrington, IL, at PepsiCo in the Quaker department, focusing on rice cakes. My work involved creating new formulations for rice cakes and hands-on experience in the pilot and full-scale food production plant. This summer, I interned for Kellogg in Battle Creek, MI, where the majority of my work has been the development of a cooling model for crackers. I also had a few side projects such as seasoning containment, mapping out bakery lines, and developing a data collection protocol.

“My internships taught me about how to succeed as a professional, what is expected in the work place and how to professionally interact with team members as well as cross functional departments. I gained experience leading and presenting at meetings which significantly improved my confidence in projecting a strong professional presence.”  

Nathan M. — Quincy Street, Inc. & Perrigo Pharmaceuticals

Last summer I interned with Perrigo Pharmaceuticals in Bronx, NY, completing a site wide chemical inventory, creating a medical waste operational plan, and performing noise monitoring and dosimetry on the production floors. This summer I interned with Quincy Street in Holland, MI, conducting line evaluations and analysis to reduce labor costs and down-time. I also created a template for procedural guides. Each day at my internships I learned something that can’t be taught in the classroom.

“Being in a professional setting such as a meeting or just an office for your first time while surrounded by co-workers and company management teaches you respect quickly.”

Taylor K. — Anuvia Plant Nutrients

My internship experience was with Anuvia Plant Nutrients Corporation (“Anuvia”) in Zellwood, FL, assisting in research and day to day operations of the new manufacturing facility. This opportunity provided me with a broad exposure to full scale plant operations as well as analytical practices and research programs.  I assisted in the analytical lab, the research team and manufacturing operations. Anuvia just launched operations, so I worked with operators on pilot plant operations; assisted research, engineering, and operations teams; assisted in plant maintenance set-up; and executed CMMS and preventative maintenance programs. Utilizing my expertise in Biosystems Engineering, I worked with the commercial and operations teams to document and record sustainability actions and practices.

“This internship did  a lot for my professional development. I now have work experience and marketable skills for my resume and several contacts within and outside the company. I can prove that I’m competent and self-directed in a lab setting and able to cross-communicate with all sorts of people within a company.”

Philip S. — MSU EnSURE & Professorial Assistant

In the Engineering Summer Undergraduate Research Experience (EnSURE) I worked under Dr. Jeong and Dr. Marks on their research dealing with inactivation modeling of Salmonella in low moisture foods. Specifically, my project dealt with the effect of water activity and product structure in inactivation of Salmonella by X-ray irradiation. My favorite experience I gained through the EnSURE program was the opportunity to learn more about data analysis and modeling, and being able to apply techniques I had learned on the data I gathered.

“These experiences have given me the chance to learn and practice important professional skills such as data analysis, general lab skills and methodologies, professional writing, literature review, and communication of work to those in other fields. I prepared and presented a poster summarizing my research at the MidSure poster session and the International Association for Food Protection 2016 Conference.”

Davis R. — MSU EnSURE & SRG Global

Last summer I worked in the Advanced Development Department at SRG Global. While at SRG I carried out materials testing on a variety of plastics to be used in the new Active Grille System the Advanced Development Team had designed including stress analysis in thermal chambers, impact testing at room temperature and -40C, and detailed measurements of system dimensions. As part of a research team, I also worked a competitive analysis where we would deconstruct and reassemble competitors’ Active Grille systems and determine their design strengths and weaknesses.

In the Engineering Summer Undergraduate Research Experience (EnSURE) I worked under Dr. Safferman and Irrigation Specialist Steve Miller. My main focus was on soil moisture sensors which I installed in producers’ fields of varying crops and soil types. I collected soil samples for analysis in the lab and ran them through pressure plate analysis to determine the soil moisture release curve.

“My favorite experience this summer has been getting a more in depth understanding of crop production. Research is a learning process and not everything will go exactly as planned.”

Hanna Miller

SULI Intern, Pacific Northwest National Laboratories, Sequim, WA    May – Aug. 2011

Marine Sciences Laboratory, Biotechnology

• Constructed DNA vectors to transform diatoms
• Verified functioning of transformed enzyme using FRET microscopy techniques

Summer Intern, Sandia National Laboratories, Livermore, CA  May – Aug. 2010

Biotechnology and Bioengineering Department, Detection and Diagnostics Laboratory

• Tested pH of microfluidic biosensors under various conditions to improve detection and diagnostics
• Completed tests using a confocal microscope and spectrophotometer

"For me, it definitely made me decide that I wanted to pursue a graduate degree.  I really enjoyed the research, but I enjoy the applied nature of the research so that made me decide to continue with an engineering graduate degree. And it also opened up my eyes just so I could see some of the possibilities after obtaining a graduate degree in research at the National Lab and also how it connects to industry as well as other possibilities."

Watch Hanna's story below:

 Jessica during her internship

“This experience was wonderful and gave me a great look at what real engineers in the food industry do.”

Jessica Emery - Nestle Nutrition

Experience:
Six month internship with Nestle Nutrition’s Product Technology Center (PTC) in Fremont, Michigan as a process-engineering intern from January to August 2011

Jessica Emery, now a senior, had a six month internship with Nestle Nutrition’s Product Technology Center (PTC) in Fremont, Michigan as a process-engineering intern during the spring and summer semesters of her junior year. Jessica said that her internship experience was phenomenal. She feels that Nestle is a fantastic company that knows how to do business and keep its employees happy. Jessica said of her internship experience, “I was given the opportunity to work for the biggest food company in the world and it gave me a great appreciation for the management and organization within the company.” Jessica was also impressed with the culture and diversity of employees from different backgrounds at PTC Fremont, which was something that she was not expecting.
Jessica got her internship opportunity through Dr. Marks, a Biosystems professor at MSU. Dr. Marks gave Jessica the contact information of a full-time engineer that worked at PTC Fremont. After contacting the employee, she was scheduled to visit the site to meet some of the other engineers and tour the facilities. After meeting with them, they offered her an internship position.

PTC Fremont is the Research & Development (R&D) center that supports the global baby food business. This is where a lot of new food products are “born” and a majority of what is done is trying out different products in a process. During her internship, Jessica was a process-engineering intern working on two main projects. Her first project involved leading her own trials to test new equipment in order to qualify it, or ensure that it was working according to its original design. Her second project was scaling one of the R&D processes up to a full-scale system to be implemented in the Fremont Factory. Jessica said about her projects, “Each of these opportunities gave me a glimpse of what my future will hold as a process-engineer. I was given a lot of responsibility and regard, even as an intern.”

Jessica said about her internship, “There were a lot of great things I did during my experience so it’s difficult to pick just one.” Jessica was able to narrow it down to two things that she did during her internship that stood out to her: the chance she was given to interact with upper management and the opportunity to work with corporate engineers. She chose to work with another engineering intern to improve the internship program by creating an internship manual with all of the “how-to’s” of an internship at Nestle R&D. This was a side project Jessica and the other intern decided they wanted to do on their own and the support behind them was wonderful. They were even asked to speak to the head of the PTC about how to get their internship manual implemented. Another part of Jessica’s internship that stands out to her was her chance to work with corporate engineers and share her knowledge. Jessica was able to attend a two-day off-site meeting about the design phase of the project at the Fremont Factory. At the meeting, she presented her findings about the work she had been doing which was focused on the number of tanks needed in the process. Jessica felt that she was treated with respect by the other engineers and was asked for follow-up meetings to better explain everything that she had done.

How Jessica prepared for her internship opportunity
“Since I was a freshman, I knew I wanted to do a 6-month internship. So, I planned my class schedule out that would allow me to take the spring semester of my junior year off. In other words, I took the typical junior BE spring courses (BE 350, BE 385, BE 360, etc.) my sophomore spring. This was a little bit of a challenge, but the professors in our department were very supportive and willing to help me with any questions I had. Even though I took a semester off, I will still be able to graduate in May 2012 with the same people I started in BE 101 with. Not everyone is as much of a planner as I am, and that’s OK! I really recommend doing a 6-month internship if you can make it work. It gave me a lot of time to gain in-depth experience and really help the engineers to take some of their workload off.”

Jessica’s advice for students going through the process of finding an internship
“DON’T GIVE UP. I was very blessed to only have to interview once and be offered a position. Not everyone is as lucky; many of my friends have had to interview with multiple companies multiple times. Take each interview as a great opportunity to practice your skills and learn more about yourself. And, don’t set your heart on one company and/or internship program and ignore all others. I never thought I would end up with Nestle, but I am SO thankful I did!”

How Jessica’s experience influenced her thoughts about her future career path
“I was assured I’m right where I need to be. Biosystems Engineering is right for my future and me. I have been asked to intern at PTC Fremont again next summer and they have offered to pay for my graduate school. So, my future career path will continue with Nestle as a process engineer; I couldn’t be more excited!”

Mike working in Dr. Liao’s lab

 
“I gained a deep understanding of both the recent developments and challenges related to the production of biofuels.”

Mike Zanotti - E-Biofuels

Experience:
Four month internship working for E-Biofuels at Michigan State University from May to August 2011 as a research intern

Mike Zanotti, now a senior, had a four month internship working at Michigan State University for E-Biofuels from May to August 2011 as a research intern during the summer semester of his junior year. Mike said that working for E-Biofuels proved to be an invaluable learning experience.

Mike got his internship opportunity through his BE 360 class (microbial process engineering). The professor teaching the course, Dr. Liao, has collaborated with E-Biofuels on bioenergy related projects in the past. Mike jumped at the opportunity to work in both an academic and industry setting.

E-Biofuels is a biodiesel production company based in Middletown, IN. They produce biodiesel from a variety of sources such as animal fats and tallows as well as from refined soybean oil. E-Biofuels also funds a variety of research projects related to the creation of biofuels from agricultural wastes and non-food sources, such as the production of bio-jet fuel using fungal-based oils. “As an intern at E-Biofuels, I was impressed by their commitment to research that could have both an immediate impact on their daily operations, as well as have future implications for the industry as a whole; particularly as it pertained to the environmentally sustainable production of biofuels.”

During his internship Mike worked in Dr. Liao’s bioenergy lab on the campus of Michigan State University as a research-assistant on an E-Biofuels funded project. The research investigated how well a particular fungus could produce oil when grown in sugars extracted from the non-edible portions of a corn stalk. Mike’s primary duties on the project included analyzing sugar samples in the fermentation broth, determining the composition of fungal biomass, and extracting lipid (oil) from the fungus. Mike says of his internship, “I gained valuable experience working with a variety of different laboratory equipment, and became proficient in a number of different analytical techniques.” At the end of the summer Mike had the opportunity to be named as second author on a research paper that is currently under review for publication.Mike feels there were many rewarding experiences during his summer internship but his favorite thing was seeing the end product of his research, which was the creation of biodiesel (on a very small scale) from the fungal oil that he had extracted. Mike said of his project results, “It’s pretty amazing to think that what started out as ground up corn stalks and fungal spores would wind up as a fuel that you could use to run a car or truck. ”

How Mike prepared for his internship opportunity...
“There wasn’t really a whole lot I did to prepare for my internship, I largely learned on the job. I did however spend the first few weeks reading as much background information related to my research project as I could. Often, when I finished one journal article I would find the articles it referenced and read those as well. This process continued throughout my internship. ”

Mike’s advice for students going through the process of finding an internship...
“Be open to every opportunity that comes your way. You may have your mind set on a particular concentration in Biosystems, but don’t hesitate to explore other avenues.

How Mike’s experience influenced his thoughts about his future career path...
“Working for E-Biofuels has been the highlight of my time here at Michigan State. I was able to gain a much deeper understanding of the issues surrounding the biofuels industry, something that my courses could only scratch the surface of. My time as a research assistant cemented my commitment to continue my education into graduate school, which, before this experience I had not really given much thought to. Currently I am still a part of Dr. Liao’s lab, working on research that is closely related to the experiments that I helped carry out over the summer. ”

Adrienne with Tony the Tiger

"Networking is such an important piece of the puzzle; you never know who you are going to meet, where you will meet them, and how you will be able to benefit each other in the future.”

Adrienne Bunce - Kellogg

Experience:
Four month internship with the Environmental Stewardship Department of the Kellogg Company in Battle Creek, MI from May to August 2011 as an environmental intern

Adrienne Bunce, now a 5th year senior, had a four month internship with the Environmental Stewardship Department of the Kellogg Company in Battle Creek, MI from May to August 2011 as an environmental intern during the summer semester of her senior year. Adrienne said that her internship experience was great! Adrienne said of the Kellogg Company culture, “I had previously interned for Kellogg before and knew that Kellogg was a great culture fit for me.” Adrienne really enjoyed the department that she worked for but she found it hard to connect with people because she was constantly traveling to different plants.

Adrienne got her internship opportunity through a contact that she had made from her previous co-op in Omaha, Nebraska. Her contact forwarded her resume on to one of the Directors of Kellogg and that is how she got her internship.

During her internship Adrienne traveled to different plants to assist the environmental coordinators with different environmental projects. Some of the projects included conducting a wastewater study, writing standard operating procedures (SOPs), and helping to conduct an internal audit. Adrienne’s favorite thing she did during her internship was traveling to Utah, Nebraska, Tennessee, Illinois, and Indiana. Adrienne traveled to Nebraska and Tennessee twice, and Chicago three times.

Adrienne’s advice for students going through the process of finding an internship...
“People are always watching so be on your best behavior, work hard, and be humble. Networking is such an important piece of the puzzle; you never know who you are going to meet, where you will meet them, and how you will be able to benefit each other in the future.”

How Adrienne’s experience influenced her thoughts about her future career path...
“My experience definitely affirmed my desire to work for a food company in an environmental role. As time goes on companies are realizing and are forced to change their production habits to better help and protect the environment. I would like to be a part of doing that. I also hope to work for Kellogg when I graduate. Kellogg is definitely a stellar company that I would love to continue to be a part of!”
 

Steven in the Environmental Quality Company lab
 

“I think this experience really helped me become a better-rounded future engineer.”

Steven Archer - Environmental Quality Company

Experience:
Three month internship with the Environmental Quality Company in Belleville, MI from June to August 2011 as a Lab Intern

Steven Archer, now a junior, had a three month internship with the Environmental Quality Company in Belleville, MI as a Lab Intern during the summer semester of his sophomore year. Steven said that his internship experience was great! Steven said of his internship experience, “It was very hands on and I felt like I was given a good amount of responsibility for me to work independently as well as work side-by-side with others.”

Steven got his internship opportunity through networking. Steven had networked with a friend’s parent who works for the Environmental Quality Company and knew that Steven was interested in the environmental aspect of engineering.

During his internship Steven was a lab tech and entry level chemist. He had the overall responsibility of some house cleaning type duties, such as glassware and book keeping, but that only took up about an eighth of his day. Steven said, “For the bulk of my day I had the chance to observe and learn the day to day operations of the chemists.” Steven describes the day of a chemist working for the Environmental Quality Company as processing the paper work to check in trucks and setting up tanks for the waste to be treated. There is also a lot of hands on work done with samples, such as finger printing them and doing small scale tank tests. Steven did a lot of TDU analytical tests, which involves figuring out the value of oil sludge based on its chemical make-up.

Steven’s favorite thing he did during his internship was work in the waste water lab. He found working in the waste water lab extremely interesting. Steven was also surprised that many of the things done in waste water lab are things that he had learned about in class, such as testing for COD and total solids. Steven also got to see the reactor where some of the waste water is treated by microbes.

How Steven prepared for his internship opportunity...
“I had applied to four different locations as chemists working for the Environmental Quality Company. I was turned down by the first three but having all those interviews really taught me a lot. Each interview I got a tour of the location, some history about the company, and a unique description of what they needed done as well as their day-to-day operations. The fourth time around I was asked if I knew anything about the company and by then I really did and I think that impressed my interviewer.”

Steven’s advice for students going through the process of finding an internship...
“Be open-minded and sell yourself. My internship was for a chemist and I convinced them that I had an adequate scientific background experience to fulfill what they were looking for as well as a genuine desire to learn more.”

How Steven’s experience influenced his thoughts about his future career path...
“I learned a lot about what it is like to work in a lab. Now I know that that is a possible path for me to go down. I still want to get more experience with as many different companies as possible.”