College of Engineering News Room
Engineering students experience a world of opportunities through summer internship
Department of Biomedical Engineering
Hannah Caldi
Major: Biomedical Engineering with a minor in Applied Mathematics
Company: Medtronic
Hannah Caldi is a senior majoring in biomedical engineering with a minor in applied mathematics. Her summer internship is with Medtronic in their Cardiac Ablation Solutions Department, where she's serving as an ACE (Associate Clinical Experience) Intern.
Some of Caldi's work at Medtronic includes completing 40 hours of clinical observation in various Tampa area hospitals within their Electrophysiology (EP) Labs. "This is where physicians do cardiac ablations to treat various cardiac arrhythmias," said Caldi. Medtronic's Clinical Engineers serve as vendors and representatives to inform end-users (like doctors or nurses) how to use and prep their devices.
Caldi is specifically interested in learning more about Medtronic's catheters: "The more knowledgeable I am about the functionality of these devices, the better I can assist a physician during the procedure." She has also enjoyed learning more about working within a hospital and in a clinical setting - her knowledge of electrophysiology, particularly, has grown.
Her experience as an intern at Medtronic has been insightful and rewarding. "It's like a 1000-piece puzzle, and every week I get to place more and more pieces together, which is very satisfying," said Caldi.
Sydney Sharp
Major: Biomedical Engineering
Company: Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt (DLR), also known as the German Aerospace Center.
Sydney Sharp is a senior majoring in biomedical engineering. Currently, she's interning at Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt (DLR), also known as the German Aerospace Center. Here Sharp works under the Institute of Aerospace Medicine in the Human Factors and Sleep Team, supporting new and ongoing studies and helping with data analysis.
"My analysis focuses on eye-tracking data collected from parabolic flight studies during docking simulation tasks. Along with data processing, I have helped collect data for the Spaceflight-Associated Neuro-Ocular Syndrome Countermeasures (SANS-CM) bed rest study. Also, I am helping to organize our MATRIX fMRI Docking Simulation study." said Sharp about some of her responsibilities at the DLR.
Sharp is completing her internship abroad in Germany and hopes to gain a better global perspective in addition to technical and professional skills. She emphasizes her enjoyment of the DLR work culture: "Everyone I work with wants me to succeed; they are always happy to answer my questions and teach me new things." said Sharp
Department of Computer Science and Engineering
Frank Crouch
Major: Information Technology
Company: Publix
Frank Crouch is a senior majoring in Information technology, and his summer internship is with Publix in their Digital Payments and Quality Assurance team. Some of his responsibilities during his internship include ensuring that payment systems at Publix work correctly "I test the Publix website and app to make sure transactions are processed and stored properly. I get to work with all sorts of Publix equipment in our lab. From ATMs, registers, and self checkouts, I help make sure they all work." said Crouch
During his internship, Crouch enhanced his knowledge of writing in programming languages like #C, automation of web browsers using Selenium and with agile software development.
While on his Publix team, Crouch has even managed to test his knowledge while adding some humor: "I've really enjoyed making fake transactions to test the payment systems. Sometimes I'll ring in hundreds of pounds of bananas or potatoes to keep myself entertained while working."
Overall, Crouch has found his internship experience with Publix to be a great experience as he's made new friends and connections while gaining valuable experience for his future career.
Animesh Nighojkar
Major: Computer Science
Company: Dropbox
Animesh Nighojkar is a computer science PhD student and is in his fifth year of studies. Currently, he is interning with Dropbox, and this is his second summer interning for Dropbox. Nighojkar is tasked with working on video inpainting and improving object removal tools for photos and videos – so that users have better control over editing.
Nighojkar is working on getting his editing tool into production and delivering a final product. He finds enjoyment in building a tool that many people will find helpful “The chance to work on something that is new and exciting, as well as see my code be a part of a product that at least thousands of people will use, is delightful and satisfying.”
Last summer, he helped Dropbox build a summarization of video scenes and files, which is in active use today.
Omar Alkhawaldeh
Major: Computer Engineering
Company: Bank of America
Omar Alkhawaldeh is a senior majoring in computer engineering and is interning this summer at Bank of America in Charlotte, North Carolina. As a software engineer intern within the Receivables and Card Processing Services team, he assists with automating and evaluating manual processes in ways that can approve efficiency. "The current task I'm working on is a webpage connected to a database which business analysts can use to fill in client information, eliminating the manual experience," said Alkhawaldeh.
Alkhawaldeh has three primary goals for his time at Bank of America - improving technical skills and communication within a team, all while enhancing his leadership ability. Overall he has enjoyed his experience as a software engineering intern "I like the diversity of people, and I'm constantly learning from their expertise. I'm also happy with the work environment, the great office, the great technology, and the great resources."
Alkhawaldeh is originally from Jordan and has traveled to various large cities like New York, where he has enjoyed the ever-changing professional world - and is excited for his new opportunity to explore Charlotte.
Linda Nguyen
Major: Computer Science
Company: Dell Technologies
Linda Nguyen is a junior majoring in computer science - her summer internship is with Dell Technologies. At Dell, Nguyen serves as a software engineering intern and assists her team with an automation platform where she helps with its continuous improvement. Linda highlighted her experience on an agile team where she participates in stand-ups, sprint planning, and retrospectives.
Nguyen has experienced growth as a programmer, and her internship has challenged her to improve. "Initially, it presented a significant challenge as I had to quickly familiarize myself with new technologies to contribute to the project effectively," said Nguyen.
One of her primary goals as a Dell intern is to challenge her proficiencies; she has shown that she's unafraid to do so. "By immersing myself in this unfamiliar territory, I have had the opportunity to learn and adapt rapidly. I've embraced the chance to expand my knowledge and skill set, pushing myself beyond my comfort zone," said Nguyen.
Nguyen highlights the great teams and work environment at Dell, "What I have enjoyed most about my internship is the company's genuine care for its people, including the interns. From the moment I joined, I felt welcomed and supported by everyone in the organization. The company has fostered a positive, inclusive culture that values personal growth and development." said Nguyen
Zemar Robbins
Major: Computer Science
Company: Deloitte
Zemar Robbins is an incoming senior majoring in computer science. This summer, he is interning with Deloitte and is working on software development, specifically for the IRS. Robbins has felt that his time at Deloitte has greatly benefited his professional development and goals, as his internship has helped him better understand the software field.
The team at Deloitte has played a significant role in his enjoyment of the internship. Robbins highlights how welcoming they were and understood that he was there to learn through errors. "There is a lot of information out there, so it's ok to feel overwhelmed at first," said Robbins, but he emphasizes that staying focused keeps him at his best during the job.
Department of Industrial and Management Systems Engineering
Luke Wolf
Major: Industrial Engineering
Company: Lockheed Martin Aeronautics
Luke Wolf is an industrial engineering major completing a summer internship with Lockheed Martin Aeronautics in Marietta, Georgia. He serves as a Fleet Management & Support Systems Engineer Intern within the department of sustainment for AMMM (Air Mobility and Maritime Missions) for the C130, C5, and P3.
Some of Wolf's responsibilities include analyzing data, programming, and efficiency input/improvements - while assisting two teams within the AMMM with additional technical features. Wolf has felt that his skills have developed as well at Lockheed, "I am fortunate enough to have a wide variety of challenging projects that allows me to develop new skills while providing a significant and everlasting impact on the team."
Wolf has felt that his time at Lockheed has brought him a better understanding of his career goals "I aim to be able to grasp a more significant understanding of what I want to pursue in my career through collaborating on projects, developing my projects, reaching out to employees in other teams for fields I am interested in, and taking advantage of the tools that are available to me."
Overall, he's enjoyed his Lockheed Martin experience. "This is a great internship to begin an engineering career. Almost any role you are looking for as an engineer within the company demonstrates great job mobility and allows you to gain experience in different fields easily," said Wolf.
Wolf is also an undergraduate research employee in the Industrial & Management Systems Engineering department, working on his first publishable paper. He also grew up overseas and attended American international schools in the UK, Egypt, and Eastern Europe before attending USF.
Vicente Monzon
Major: Industrial Engineering
Company: Tesla
Vicente Monzon is a senior majoring in industrial engineering. This summer, he is interning at Tesla as a Technical Program Manager (TPM) for the material flow engineering team. "My role is to do program and project management to all the different incoming projects that Tesla has and also to support the efficiency and improvement of the current material flow related processes that the company does," said Monzon about his responsibilities.
Monzon has enjoyed seeing the real-life impact that his work has had on the program and the company as a whole. He's looking forward to absorbing as much information as possible and is excited about learning to be an excellent engineer and manager.
Department of Electrical Engineering
Bianca Seufert
Major: Electrical Engineering
Company: Space Dynamics Laboratory
Bianca Seufert is a PhD student studying electrical engineering and is entering her second year of study. She interned with the Space Dynamics Laboratory (SDL) as an engineering intern - specifically under a joint program with the Air Force Research Laboratory and NASA called the University Nanosatellite Program (UNP).
Seufert served as a lead for the BIOSat Mission Design Team, which was comprised of four students - all from USF. Their efforts were centered around the CudeSat and BIOSat (Botany in Orbit Satellite). Seufert and her team learned the intricate systems required to build a cube satellite and expanded their knowledge of what is needed to have a space-ready satellite. Additionally, their efforts on the BIOSat challenged them to grow a red romaine lettuce plant from seed to plant in a 30-day space mission.
"We did extensive research on current commercially available satellite components and developed an experimental plan for understanding how to detect the impact of radiation and how the microgravity environment of space can fundamentally change plant development," said Seufert regarding their efforts on the BIOSat team.
Seufert feels that her internship with the Space Dynamics Laboratory (SDL) has provided her with a crash course on small satellite development while emphasizing the importance of teamwork - she also wanted to give special thanks to her team Kat-Kim Phan, Nida Khattak, and Ryan Beland.
Furkan Mumcu
Major: Electrical Engineering
Company: Mitsubishi Electronics Research Lab
Furkan Mumcu is a PhD student in the department of electrical engineering and is currently interning at Mitsubishi Electronics Research Lab. His tasks as a research intern center around artificial intelligence, machine learning, computer vision, and video anomaly detection - his work on these topics allow him to contribute to developing innovative algorithms and their application to real-world problems.
" I hope to gain valuable industry insights and practical experience applying advanced AI techniques to real-world scenarios," said Mumcu about one of his goals at his internship. He emphasizes that the most enjoyable aspect of his work is the opportunity to apply advanced AI techniques and contribute to cutting-edge projects.
"Working at Mitsubishi Electronics Research Lab allows me to collaborate with experts in the field and learn from their expertise, which will undoubtedly enhance my research and academic pursuits," said Mumcu about his internship team and experience. He also has a computer engineering and programming background and is passionate about pushing the boundaries of AI and using technology to impact society positively.
Roberto Montero
Major: Electrical Engineering
Company: Software Logistics
Roberto Montero is a senior majoring in electrical engineering and is involved in a local Tampa-based tech company, Software Logistics. He highlights his desire to combine his entrepreneurial interests and knowledge of engineering principles which brought him to be a USF liaison for Software Logistics. Here Montero manages a team of five USF interns and orchestrates the relationship between them and their work at Software Logistics.
"Our team is chiefly responsible for creating extensive documentation for Software Logistics' flagship product, NuvIoT, a new Internet of Things (IoT) platform. This pivotal task aims to help expedite the product's entry into the market, providing us with a unique insight into the nuances of product development and marketing," said Montero about his role on the team - some of his specific responsibilities include managing new firmware, developing AI and ML pipeline modules, testing NuvIoT and its integrative mobile applications.
"It is a demanding role that continually challenges my skills and pushes me to learn more," said Montero - he has also found that his experience has equipped understand the process required to launch a new product into the market. "The hands-on experience I'm gaining is invaluable in setting the foundation for my entrepreneurial goals," said Montero.
One of Montero's favorite aspects of his internship at Software Logistics has been the opportunity for creative freedom, encouragement of new ideas, and the ability to execute said ideas.
Montero also served in the US Air Force for six years, where he calibrated and repaired RF and Microwave test equipment and eventually took on a role as a laboratory manager for a calibration company. His previous experience has allowed him to thrive in his internship, and he's excited to drive innovation and entrepreneurial success in the tech industry.
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
Isaac Washington
Major: Civil Engineering
Company: AECOM
Isaac Washington is a junior majoring in civil engineering. Washington is interning for AECOM as an Airfield Civil Engineer Intern this summer. While at his internship, Washington assists the Tampa Aviation team with proposals, design, review, and management of aviation projects across Florida.
Washington's main goals for his AECOM internship include increasing industry exposure and engineering knowledge - "I like how diverse aviation and airport projects are. Airports operate like mini towns; in each project, you get exposed to various engineering needs and problems to solve." said Washington about his time at AECOM.
Henry Shedd
Major: Civil Engineering
Company: Arcadis
Henry Shedd is a junior majoring in civil engineering and participates in a summer internship at Arcadis. While at his internship Shedd has had the opportunity to work on several real-life projects involving highway interchanges, local intersections, and roundabouts. His day-to-day consists in working on CAD (computer-aided design) files within the plan production team, "I'm working on the sheet plans that would be then passed onto the contractor. - I hope to gain skills with professional programs like ORD because that's something that a lot of companies look for," said Shedd about his responsibilities and goals within the team.
Shedd has enjoyed combining his knowledge of production and design in his role at Arcadis. "I'm currently learning to create pavement marks such as crosswalks, lane lines, stop bars, etc. I think this is a nice bridge between plan production and design work, which I see myself doing more of in the future." said Shedd.
Department of Chemical, Biological and Materials Engineering
Tirenioluwa Famoroti
Major: Chemical Engineering
Company: Cummins Filtration
Tirenioluwa Famoroti is a senior chemical engineering major completing a summer internship at Cummins Filtration. At Cummins, Famoroti is a part of the research and development team. Here, she focuses on industrial water filtration and wastewater remediation. "I'm focused on developing our current testing capabilities. I am also supporting developing and testing some of our current product lines," said Famoroti about her responsibilities.
She is also excited about gaining practical industry experience to help her better understand her career objectives. Famoroti feels that her time at Cummins has helped bridge the gap between education and industry experience while providing a great teamwork and mentorship opportunity.
Wilanda Dorvilus
Major: Chemical Engineering
Company: Florida Power & Light - NextEra Energy Internship
Wilanda Dorvilus is a senior majoring in chemical engineering and is participating in a summer internship with Florida Power & Light. She is specifically in the NextEra Energy Internship Program - she is working within the service planning team, covering the design of electrical distribution systems in the Naples area. "I get to learn the various design applications used to maintain the electric grid, spend time in the field familiarizing myself with its different components, and manage various small-scale design projects," said Dorvilus about her role on the NextEra team.
Her primary goal this summer is to familiarize herself with what engineering looks like beyond the classroom setting while gaining practical industry experience. She also feels that this program is helpful to her professional development and brings perspective on what entering the workforce may look like for her. "My favorite part of this internship has been the flexibility and openness of the experience. I've not only had the chance to learn about the role I'm currently engaged in, but I have also had opportunities to learn about different positions outside my role," said Dorvilus about her experience on the NextEra team.
Department of Mechanical Engineering
Gabriel Jacomini
Major: Mechanical Engineering
Company: Kraft Heinz
Gabriel Jacomini is a senior majoring in mechanical engineering; this summer, he is interning with Kraft Heinz as a Manufacturing and Production Management Intern. While at his internship, Jacomini is a member of the zone technical execution division within the operations team. "Our primary focus lies in establishing robust process foundations to foster management system excellence," said Jacomini about his team.
His role primarily focuses on evaluating the efficiency of over thirty factories within the North American region. He is tasked with redesigning their labor productivity visualization to improve insights into their manufacturing operations - which allows him to leverage his skills in production strategy, data analysis, manufacturing methodologies, and data visualization modeling to generate a user-friendly system.
"Being immersed in a company of this magnitude allows me to witness firsthand how different departments, such as operations, marketing, sales, research and development, among others, seamlessly intertwine to form a cohesive and successful business," said Jacomini about his experience at Kraft Heinz as an intern. He feels one of the most rewarding aspects of his internship has been the ability to broaden his skillset beyond his field of study.
Jacomini has enjoyed applying his knowledge and skills in real-world applications, and seeing his efforts come to fruition "Whether it's Heinz Ketchup, Kraft Mac & Cheese, or Lunchables, fills me with a sense of pride and accomplishment. Walking through the grocery store aisles now holds a different meaning, as I can tangibly see the impact of the work I have contributed to these beloved brands." said Jacomini.
He also highlights his involvement in student organizations, like the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers and the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, to name a few, for playing a pivotal role in shaping his skills and equipping him to succeed in his internship. "Through my involvement in these organizations, I have developed crucial skills such as leadership, teamwork, effective communication, and problem-solving. These qualities have proven instrumental in navigating the complexities of my internship tasks" said Jacomini.
Emy Guevara Avila
Major: Mechanical Engineering
Company: Cummins, Inc.
Emy Guevara Avila is a senior mechanical engineering student completing a Cummins, Inc. summer internship. She is a Mechatronics Engineer Intern and focuses on electric actuators found in turbochargers. "I focus on debugging and troubleshooting actuator problems and try to solve them. Moreover, I do bench-level testing on actuators to pull out reports and analyze the data gathered from the test. I have also been designing, with CAD, testing fixtures for some of the actuators." Avila said about her responsibilities.
Avila is excited to expand her technical knowledge around engine components like actuators and turbochargers while getting hands-on experience in the industry. She has also enjoyed the Cummins company culture, which has helped her feel valued and encouraged her professional development. "Cummins allows me to explore other areas where I could be of my potential interests. I greatly admire Cummins's culture, work environment, and values as I feel respected and valued by my team and other teams," said Avila.
Avila encourages other engineering students to pursue internship experiences as it has helped her understand the different roles and technologies she will see during her career. She also believes that USF's student organizations can help students meet with industry professionals and prepare them for their first experiences as real-world engineers.