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Student Talks with Duke Energy Representative at the Engineering Expo

Engineering Expo Coming Tuesday

  Events, Featured News  

Students returning to campus, leaves changing color, football Saturdays, and pumpkin-spiced everything have become staples of summer turning to fall.

For the Tickle College of Engineering, one annual event in particular also fits that bill: the Office of Engineering Professional Practice’s Engineering Expo.

This year’s incarnation returns to an in-person experience at Thompson-Boling Arena, after COVID forced it to move virtual in the fall of 2020 and spring of 2021.

“For our office, the Engineering Expo is the premier recruiting event that we host,” said Office of Engineering Professional Practice Director Todd Reeves. “Being able to have it on campus, where companies and students seeking potential co-op and internship experiences can meet face-to-face, is special.”

Students taking part in internship and co-op experiences during the school year usually rotate from school to work semesters with their host company, with some choosing to take their experiences during the summer. Across all majors, students earn an average of $3,200 per month during their experiences.

On the first day of the expo, students meet one-on-one with prospective employers, with a second day set aside as an interview day for students to go through a formal interview process with companies that have an interest in them and with whom they have an interest.

As in past years, every engineering discipline is represented many times over by the needs and wants of the attending companies, which include Altec, AMS Corporation, AstraZeneca, Brasfield & Gorrie, Bridgestone, DENSO, Garmin, International Paper, Keurig Dr. Pepper, Messer Construction, Pictsweet, Procter & Gamble, Shaw Industries, Texas Instruments, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, and UPS.

The Office of Engineering Professional Practice was founded in 1926 to help engineering students add experience to their education and prepare for the transition from student to employee through paid, educationally relevant co-op and internship opportunities.

The office maintains relationships with more than 1000 businesses and interacts with more than 1,600 undergraduate and graduate students each year, helping them achieve more than 700 annual placements with participating companies.

Mohamed Shoieb

  Student Stories , ,  

Mohamed Shoieb.

MSE senior Mohamed Shoieb wrote about his experience as an intern with El Sewedy Electric PSP in Cairo, Egypt.

My name is Mohamed Shoieb and I am a senior within the Department of Materials Science and Engineering. This summer, I had the incredible opportunity to work for El Sewedy Electric PSP in Cairo, Egypt as a Procurement Engineering Intern.

The Engineering Professional Practice Office was instrumental in helping me prepare for this wonderful opportunity!

As a leading EPC (engineering, procurement, and construction) company, El Sewedy PSP plays a crucial role within the energy sector. Throughout the course of the internship, the work I performed was instrumental to the engineering team, with whom I worked to produce plans for Materials Management and coordinate with construction teams to provide directions on customer needs. This ongoing correspondence ensures that the proper materials are provided to fulfill such needs within the most adequate time frame, which in turn increases efficiency and customer satisfaction.

Most of my assignment was located at headquarters, but I had the opportunity to visit El Sewedy Electric Towers. This site produces equipment for use in wind turbines and has a manufacturing capacity of approximately 200 wind towers per year. Since this site is close to the Red Sea, I got to end the trip with a short visit to the beach.

Last semester, I met with team members at the Engineering Professional Practice Office, along with my advisor, where I was given a plethora of information and tips that helped shape up my resumé and guide me through the interview process with the aid of mock interviews.

Overall, the team at El Sewedy PSP provided sufficient training, allowing for a super busy yet equally enjoyable internship opportunity in Egypt.

Hira Malik

  Student Stories , ,  

Hira Malik on the site of a bridge project.

Civil and environmental engineering student Hira Malik wrote about her experience working for Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) in Knoxville as part of a co-op.

Working at TDOT this summer, I had the opportunity to work on various projects and gain a lot of valuable experience. Throughout the summer, I have been able to work on a variety of projects such as on-call concrete—which focuses on roadway repair, bridge reconstruction, roadway safety enhancement, and even rock slope improvement—to prevent rock fall. In this picture, I am on the site of a bridge located on Concord Road, Farragut. This project is composed of construction of a bridge above the railroad and widening of the roadway. I got to be on this site most of this summer and thus got to experience pouring of concrete at the abutment and slope (seen behind me). I also got to see the placement of beams and how rebar in reinforced concrete is tied. Additionally, I got to look at project drawings to determine thickness of walls and exact placement of steel bars. Lastly, I also learned about the complexity of projects that involve railroads. Working at TDOT, I have not only been able to apply knowledge from my engineering classes, but I have also made lots of memories that I will cherish!

Hala Sura.

Sura Shares Family’s Journey in Metro Atlanta CEO

  Featured News, Student Stories ,  

Metro Atlanta CEO recently profiled alumna Hala Sura (ISE ’17), who talked to the business news publication about her family’s journey from Kurdistan to the United States. They fled the Central Asian country due to a civil war conflict when Sura was two years old and eventually settled in Memphis. Sura, a former co-op ambassador, is now a key account manager in the entertainment and attraction sector for Georgia Power.

Read the Metro Atlanta CEO profile on Sura.

BAE Profiles Two CBE Undergrads

  Featured News, Student Stories , , ,  
Taylor Alderson and Jake Jensen.

Taylor Alderson, left, and Jake Jensen

Reprinted with permission from BAE Systems.

CBE undergrads Taylor Alderson and Jake Jensen are completing co-ops at BAE Systems’ Holston Army Ammunition Plant in Kingsport, Tennessee. BAE Systems profiled both students on its website.

Taylor Alderson

As a native of Kingsport, Tenn., Taylor Alderson grew up with the Holston Army Ammunition Plant. She’s only heard positive things from family friends and college peers about working at Holston and the plant’s impact on the surrounding community in Kingsport. So Taylor jumped at the opportunity to return home for her co-op experience, which offered her the chance to be around family and gain valuable engineering experience. We sat down with Taylor to learn more about what makes her co-op experience at Holston so special.

Q. Can you share more about your role, and your day-to-day responsibilities?

A. Depending on the day, I’ll go out in the plant and watch what’s going on, or someone will tour me around, so I understand the processes and what’s going on in different areas. Sometimes I’ll go in the control room and watch the processes on screens. The operators are all great. They are always available to answer my questions.

Even as an intern, I know I’m making a contribution at Holston, and I appreciate that responsibility. I’m grateful they keep me so involved. I’m often invited to different walk downs or meetings, even if I’m not technically involved in the project, giving me the opportunity to continue to learn all aspects of the plant.

Q. What gets you excited to go into work every day?

A. The people at Holston are great, and genuinely care about my education. I’m enjoying learning different processes and about the projects I’m working on. I love being able to see the connections between what I’ve learned in school to what I am doing on-site here at Holston.

It’s a great co-op, and I’m grateful I took it. I love my experience so far. Everyone is super nice; my mentor and manager are both great and supportive and have given me a lot of projects and room to learn. I like to conduct a lot of research and have plenty of time and opportunity to dive into research while completing my tasks for projects I’m working on.

Q. When you think about the future, what are your short- and long-term goals?

A. I really like leadership positions. At school, I’m on a lot of different committees. I love being able to mentor and lead, and I would like to focus on that in the future.
At Holston, I also like how each engineer in my group has a specialty. My goal is to become a specialist in an area, but also learn other areas too.

Q. What’s something fun you like to do in your spare time?

A. I love crafts. Right now, I’m passionate about knitting and making jewelry. I also have three cats at home. I made my office all cat-themed at work. I have cats everywhere and have outlined my desk and shelves in cat washi tape.

Q. Can you describe your co-op experience in one word?

A. Exciting.

Jake Jensen

Jake Jenson often finds himself in awe of the sheer scale of the Holston Army Ammunition Plant. As a chemical engineering major and intern at Holston, Jake prizes the invaluable real-world experience of internships, something he was seeking when applying for college. Whether he’s completing his projects onsite or receiving guidance from mentors, Jake takes in as much as he can learn every day. Read more about Jake, his co-op experience and discovering the beauty of East Tennessee.

Q. Can you share more about your role and day-to-day responsibilities?

A. Right now, my main project is setting up meters for water, air and electricity across the site measuring how much each building is using and coordinating with contractors to install the meters. I’ve only worked on one or two projects so far and I’ve been amazed at the scale of everything here and just how large everything is.

With engineering, it’s difficult to get into the industry without quality work experience. I applied to a bunch of universities, and University of Tennessee really put an emphasis on the importance of co-ops and giving students the opportunity to gain real world experience. The co-op experience is immeasurable – you can’t put a price tag on work experience.

Q. What gets you excited to go into work every day?

A. I love that I get to see the impact of what I’m doing. I had a huge list of things to do, and I’ve gotten chunks out of the way, we have contractors lined up, and we are getting closer to being sure we can complete our current project on time. I’m grateful for my mentors and the guidance and education they provide.

No day is the same at Holston, there is always something different that I get to learn. For one, I get to see things on the job and it’s not things I have access to in school. I’ve learned a lot about different pipe systems, and how you monitor different things you use down the line. Once I go back to school, I feel confident knowing I’ve gained useful knowledge. I also already have insight into things I haven’t been exposed to yet and I’m getting a head start. No amount of textbook experience can compare to a year in the field.

Q. When you think about the future, what are your short- and long-term goals?

A. I want to learn as much as I can while I’m here, finish my degree and go into a similar industry. I definitely want to learn about the industry and how chemical engineering fits into different aspects, and this co-op was ideal.

Q. What do you like to do in your spare time?

A. I enjoy camping in East Tennessee. I love Kingsport and exploring the area. I’ve heard they have a hard time getting people coming to Kingsport, but once they get here, it’s hard to leave. I can see that being the case for me!

Q. Describe your internship in one word.

A. Invaluable.

Skyler Turner

  Student Stories , ,  

Skyler Turner working in the field for Clean Air Engineering.

Mechanical engineering student Skyler Turner wrote below about his experience working for Clean Air Engineering in Powell, Tennessee. He worked in the Calibration Lab and Field Testing. He calibrated equipment to precise standards to use in the field for proper measurements and data collection.

“The biggest learning curve was understanding the software for the calibrations and learning how to use the equipment to your advantage. Repetition and procedure guides helped me overcome this challenge and I was able to successfully deploy the equipment in the field.

I gained an abundant amount of information that I never would have expected to learn if it weren’t for the great engineers and leaders at Clean Air. I can now use this experience to help further my opportunities with the company after schooling or on to others.”

Office of Engineering Professional Practice Stays Successful with Online Offerings

  Events, Featured News ,  

Student and Employer at the Spring Engineering Expo

Like many aspects of campus life, several of the offerings from the Office of Engineering Professional Practice had to be done in a remote fashion in the spring of 2021.

While that could have easily been a reason to pare back some of the annual events, the office instead was able to convert to virtual formats and maintain the same level of support that students in the Tickle College of Engineering have come to expect.

The first event of the year, Prep for Success, helped students gain insights into how to promote themselves and learn interviewing skills.

Held February 2nd, it culminated with an employer panel attended by Brasfield & Gorrie, Draxlmaier, Electrolux, and MAHLE, which helped get students prepared for the Spring Engineering Expo by helping them learn how they could successfully navigate a virtual expo and interview day.

The Expo itself was held February 23, followed by Interview Day on the 25th, with 74 companies and nearly 500 students attending via the office’s ProConnect software system. It was the second consecutive virtual Expo, and resulted in 992 students landing interviews with 47 companies.

Joshua Dobbs speaks at the Engineering Professional Practice Awards Ceremony

The major events for the spring semester concluded with the annual spring celebration, featuring a keynote address from former UT and current Pittsburg Steelers quarterback Joshua Dobbs, a 2017 aerospace engineering alumnus of the college. Held via zoom on March 30, Dobbs’s talk focused on three main points that he conveyed to students:

  • Be present in the present;
  • Be a continual student;
  • Establish your purpose.

Associate Dean for Research and Facilities Bill Dunne was presented the Program Champion award for sustained support of the Professional Practice program.

Graduating seniors Rebecca Bozman and Kathryn Clayton received the Jerry Stoneking Co-op Engineering Award and the Henry Goodrich Service Award, respectively.

Eight students graduating this May who had received the John Prados Chemical Engineering Co-op Scholarship were also recognized: Rebecca Bozman, Ryan Dent, Tyler Johnson, Ryan Keever, Logan Potter, Nathan Tidwell, and Jose Velasco. The Prados scholarship is provided annually by alumnus Mike Stone in honor of Prados and is awarded to chemical engineering students who have participated in the co-op program and are also pursuing business courses.

The semester is concluding with hundreds of engineering students preparing to go on their co-op and internship assignments in the summer and fall.

Neisha French

  Student Stories , ,  

Neisha French.

Civil and environmental engineering student Neisha French wrote about her experience working for Brasfield & Gorrie in Nashville as part of a co-op.

I worked with a Project Management group in Brasfield & Gorrie’s Corporate Services division. The group’s overall responsibilities were to plan the construction and oversee sub-contractors financially and physically throughout the duration of the construction process.

My responsibilities were to make “exhibits” that illustrated floor finishes and shoring heights for the crews to use during construction, send and document submittals and RFIs, and track and order formwork for each floor of the building.

This industry experience helped me see what positions I could potentially have working for a general contractor. It also gave me insight on the construction process, so if I should ever engineer the structure of a building, I can consider ways to add constructability, which is a time and cost savings for whoever builds it.

Matthew Stuckey

  Student Stories , ,  

Matthew Stuckey works at elliTek.

Mechanical engineering major Matthew Stuckey wrote about his experience working for elliTek in Knoxville as part of a co-op.

My name is Matthew Stuckey, and I had to opportunity to work with elliTek, Inc, a local system integrator here in Knoxville. As the mechanical engineering intern, I got to jump feet first into engineering new solutions daily. These projects included expanding my electrical engineering knowledge and seeing how those concepts directly relate back to my mechanical classes. I now understand how vital it is for a mechanical engineer to have the foresight to design for electrical and electromechanical integration down the line. ElliTek gave me a close-knit environment to grow as a designer, and I am immensely grateful to say I will be continuing part-time with them!

Nuclear Co-Op Gives Students Enlightening Experience

  Featured News, Student Stories , , ,  
Jasmine Toy and Elijah Brock.

Jasmine Toy and Elijah Brock

Southern Company is one of UT’s premier cooperative education participants, and even though Knoxville is outside their power distribution region, the university regularly places as many engineering students into co-op roles in their organization as other colleges of engineering in their region due to the excellent students produced by the Tickle College of Engineering (TCE) and Department of Nuclear Engineering.

Two rising seniors, Elijah Brock and Jasmine Toy, both experienced the same co-op rotation with Southern Company at Southern Nuclear’s Plant Farley to advance their knowledge of what it would be like working in the nuclear industry. Both walked away with very different discoveries about potential career paths, including getting a rare look at what kinds of work is necessary during an power outage when one occurred while both were there in the fall of 2020.

Brock chose to work in the mechanical systems group—as opposed to the corporate office in Birmingham—because he wanted to learn about how a plant operates up close. He asked for experience, and that’s exactly what he got with walkdowns of several major systems at the plant including condensate and feedwater, service water, river water, and auxiliary feedwater.

“I have encountered many diagrams of reactors and plant systems in my coursework, but actually getting to do walkdowns of these systems in person was a priceless experience,” he said. “A system walkdown basically entails walking through an entire system within the plant to check for any developing problems or issues that may need to be addressed. These included anything from recording readings of various meters on plant equipment to checking for any visible oil leaks. System engineers are required to do walkdowns on a regular basis.”

Meanwhile, Toy worked in design and was able to focus her co-op rotation on gaining skills pertinent to plant safety. Some of the activities she was involved with included putting very high-definition cameras in a spent fuel pool to help with identifying if there’s any damage to the assembly when they are unloading the reactor.

In the end, Brock felt the experience gave him a sense that, while he is still exploring his options, he is open to pursuing an opportunity to work in a nuclear plant someday.

“
I feel fortunate that I was able to shadow reactor engineers during some of the refueling activities,” said Brock. “I learned a lot by being able to participate in equipment inspections.”

—Elijah Brock

The same co-op experience gave Toy motivation to rule out working in a plant and to keep exploring other options. Even though Toy said the experience made her realize she doesn’t want to work at a nuclear plant, she still thinks the co-op was valuable for what it was able to teach her about the day-to-day operations and what the atmosphere of a nuclear plant is like.

“We have so many options as nuclear engineers, and I am glad I got to rule something out to better help me find a good fit,” she said.

Todd Reeves, director of the TCE Office of Engineering Professional Practice, said that in addition to the valuable engineering experiences students gain when working in their co-op rotations and the money earned to help offset the college expenses, a co-op can also provide valuable insight into the various kinds of engineering work and then shape students’ early professional plans.

“Students with co-op experience can make post-graduation placement decisions based on firsthand knowledge, and this can accelerate their early career arc by getting them in a position that aligns well with their skills and goals right at the start,” he said.

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