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Ryan Keever

  Student Stories , ,  

Ryan Keever at Eastman.

Ryan Keever, a chemical engineering major from Jonesboro, Tennessee, worked for Eastman during his co-op.

Keever worked in the Chemicals Development Division, where he had a process improvement role in the Chemical Process Development Group. In this role, he worked in tandem with manufacturing and operations to optimize processes, make those processes more reliable and safer, and also develop ideas for growth and support growth projects. Specifically, he supported the Ketones manufacturing area where they produce specialty ketones for various customers.

When describing the benefits of his co-op, Keever said, “The most valuable benefit I have received through my co-op is the network I have been able to develop and the exposure to real life engineering applications. I have had the pleasure to work with some incredibly intelligent and passionate people that I know I can count on if I have any questions in the future. Also, these people will point me in the right direction for my career based off their experiences. The exposure to real life engineering is crucial to me because I am a hands-on learner. Through my co-op I’ve been exposed to real life problems and given the opportunity to solve those problems out in the field. I also love to see where knowledge I gain in school can be applied in real life and I have definitely seen that through my co-op.”

Wilton Chapman

  Student Stories , ,  

Wilton Chapman stands beside an CT machine.

Wilton Chapman is a mechanical engineering major from Greenville, Tennessee, who worked for Siemens Molecular Imaging in Knoxville as part of a co-op.

Chapman worked in the Mechanical R&D department, where they designed/sustained all of the mechanical components for new/old PET/CT scanners. His responsibilities included assisting with the research, design, and analysis for different parts on a new PET scanner using NX and conducting FEA using NX Nastran. He was also responsible for building prototype parts, and testing them to verify they work as intended.

When describing the benefits of his co-op, Chapman said, “The most valuable benefit from this internship was meeting and learning from some of the brightest people in the industry. The engineering and life skills that I learned from these people, who were once in my shoes, will be invaluable as I enter my career.”

Nidhi Menon

  Student Stories , ,  

Nidhi Menon stands in a lab at Fresenius.

Nidhi Menon, a Biomedical Engineering major from Hendersonville, Tennessee, worked for Fresenius in Knoxville as part of a co-op.

Menon worked in the Global Research and Development (GRD) Department. In this department, she assisted in writing protocols for upcoming studies and even conducted a few notebook studies. One big project that she took part in was an Environmental Extremes Study. This study required her and her coworkers to come up with a plan to present to upper management, write the protocol for it, and execute the study. The study itself would help the department see if a specific product of theirs could withstand extreme temperature excursions and still be safe for patients to use.

When describing the benefits of her co-op, Menon said, “The most valuable benefit I receive by accepting this internship is the experience of industry. Being able to work for an entire semester and network with so many people gives you so much opportunity for the future. By working with Fresenius, I know I want to go into the medical device industry. I now know how I will adjust my current degree plan to meet my career expectations. I also know that I have the connections from my coworkers to support me in my future career. Overall, accepting this internship has opened up many doors for me, for which I am extremely thankful.”

Tasimba Jonga

  Student Stories , ,  

Tasimba Jonga stands in front of several large containers.

The featured student this week is Tasimba Jonga, a Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering major from Brentwood, Tennessee, who worked for Bayer in Cleveland, Tennessee.

Jonga worked in an integrated Engineering, Technical Operations and Site Services group, where he was tasked with implementing a new automated leak detection on the aerosol line that employed the use of a temperature sensor in conjunction with a programmable logic controller and a pneumatic device. The goal was to eliminate a task that is manually done and redirect personnel towards other tasks on the line.

When describing the benefits of his work assignment, Jonga said, “This co-op has afforded me the opportunity to diversify my skillset. I have been able to work on and experience projects that cover a wide spectrum of departments. I have done process technology, engineering, microbiology, analytical chemistry, supply chain and quality assurance work during my co-op. I believe no other opportunity affords you this. I have had the opportunity to leverage different technologies and groundbreaking sciences to shape the consumer health industry.”

Another Year, Another Record Turnout for the Engineering Expo

  Events, Featured News  

A Tickle College of Engineering Student Meets with a Recruiter at the Engineering Expo

The Office of Engineering Professional Practice in the Tickle College of Engineering was founded in 1926 to help engineering students add experience to their education and prepare for the transition from student to employee.

In the 94 years since, the office has placed countless untold thousands in academically relevant paid co-op and internship opportunities, many of which came about thanks to one of the two expos it holds, one each in the spring and fall.

The spring edition returned again this week, setting records for student and company participation for the fourth consecutive year. With 103 companies registering to attend and over 920 students participating as well.

“The expos are our premiere events, as far as the sheer amount of interactions between students and businesses,” said Todd Reeves, director of the office. “The knowledge our coop and internship students get through opportunities gained at these events can help shape their lives long after they’ve graduated thanks to the connections made and experiences they’ve had.”

Amy Chapman, Engineering Professional Practice Ambassador Talks to a Recruiter

Tennessee companies such as AMS Corporation, Bridgestone, FedEx, Jewelry Television, KUB, MAHLE, McKee Foods, MLGW, Oshkosh Manufacturing, Pictsweet, Pilot Flying J, Radio Systems, Strongwell, TDOT, and TVA were among those taking part, as were more nationally known organizations including ABB, Amazon, AT&T, Brasfield & Gorrie, CDM Smith, Colgate, DENSO, Discovery Network, Duke Energy, Emerson, Garmin, MAHLE, PepsiCo, Siemens, Shaw Industries, Southern Company, Texas Instruments, and Trimble.

Through the office, more than 1000 businesses maintain contact, with more than 2000 undergraduate engineering students interacting with them each year, helping them achieve more than 700 annual placements with participating companies.

“I think the engineering expo is a really valuable experience for all types of engineers,” said Riley Toll, a junior in biomedical engineering. “There is a lot of opportunity for students to talk to companies, make connections, and get more hands-on experience.”

Engineering Professional Practice Ambassador Ashley Chen

Toll interned at Siemens in the past and was serving as a recruiter for them this year, giving her a unique perspective on the expo from both sides.

During the expo, students meet one-on-one with prospective employers on the first day, with the second day set aside for students to go through a formal interview process with companies that share a mutual interest in bringing them on board.

Participation in the program is seen as essential by the Tickle College of Engineering, with nearly 70 percent of eligible students taking part.

Logan Potter

  Student Stories , ,  

Logan Potter stands in a laboratory at FlintGroup.The featured student this week is Logan Potter, a Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering major from Knoxville, Tennessee, who worked for FlintGroup in Asheville, North Carolina.

Potter worked in the technology department under the quality manager, where he worked on taking daily samples of materials to test their viscosities and present solids to compare it to a quality issue to try to find the root cause.

When describing the benefits of his co-op, Potter says, “Before this co-op, I had never even been inside of a manufacturing plant, so everything that I have seen and dealt with has been a new and invaluable experience.”

Hana Gouto

  Student Stories , ,  

Hana Gouto.

The featured student this week is Hana Gouto, a Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering major from Cordova, Tennessee, who worked for the Dennis Group in Atlanta, Georgia.

Gouto worked in the process department, where her responsibilities included P&ID markups, asset tagging equipment, start-up of various systems, catch samples for ingredient start-up, and replacement of solenoid valves. She also learned new skills like how to replace solenoid valves, use a pressure regulator, and create CIP highlighted drawings.

When describing the benefits of her co-op, Gouto said, “I was fortunate enough to be on a project and at a job-site for five months and see the plant start-up. Although I was not there when product was being made, I saw what issues we ran into and what we did to solve them and how to prevent them in the future. It was a great learning experience and I really enjoyed my time there!”

Brooke Narducci

  Student Stories , , ,  

Brooke Narducci

The featured student this week is Brooke Narducci, a mechanical engineering major from Allardt, Tennessee, who worked for Denso in Maryville, Tennessee

Narducci worked as a production engineer over the alternator and starter lines.  Some of her projects included designing a jig to remove a pulley cap from an alternator without damaging the pulley, designing a stand for a program and its monitor on starter line, and using SolidWorks to make a 3D model from a 2D drawing.  She is currently working on a year-long project to design and implement a method for a new product on starter line.

When describing the benefits of her co-op, Narducci says, “The most valuable benefit I have received by accepting my co-op is finding value in myself. Before starting, I felt like I didn’t deserve to work here. That I was under-qualified and would become a disappointment for the co-op program. In just the 3 months I’ve been here, I realize that I have a lot of great qualities and that I can accomplish anything I set my mind to.”

Fall Engineering Expo Sees Another Record Turnout

  Events, Featured News , ,  

The Office of Engineering Professional Practice’s Engineering Expo has become one of the premier events of the fall semester, a familiar presence for returning students.

Just as familiar? The expo setting new records.

This fall continued a string of record-setting levels of participation, both in terms of students and in businesses taking part in the event.

“Our expo is the premier on-campus recruiting event for our office,” said Office of Engineering Professional Practice Director Todd Reeves. “Having an increased turnout on both sides really adds to the benefit of both, as students have more opportunities to find potential landing spots and employers have a deeper pool of candidates.”

This year, there were 108 employers on hand, besting the previous record of 93 from the fall of 2018, while 1,104 students took part, easily surpassing last year’s record of 974.

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.

Riley Toll Speaks with reps at Engineering Expo 2019

Junior biomedical engineering student Riley Toll, right, talks with a representative from Choice Spine at the expo.

“I just wanted to share that all of the employees that attended the career fair with Ametek were very impressed with the caliber of students they interacted with and then interviewed on the following day,” said Ametek’s Human Resource Director, Sempangi Jones. “We scheduled four students for on-site interviews. It was a great event and we look forward to getting a great intern and attending similar events in the future.”

The result of the first day’s interactions led to more than 1,500 interviews on day two, with Tennessee companies such as Barge Design Solutions, Bridgestone, DENSO, Delta Faucet, Eastman Chemical, FedEx, I.C. Thomasson Associates, International Paper, Nissan, MAHLE, Pictsweet, Pilot-Flying J, Strongwell, and TVA among those taking part.

Additionally, nationally known organizations including ABB, AT&T, Cargill, Discovery, Inc., Emerson, ExxonMobil, Garmin, Kimberly-Clark, PepsiCo, Procter & Gamble, Shaw Industries, Southern Company, and Texas Instruments helped fill out the expo’s location inside the concourse of Thompson-Boling Arena.

“I thought the expo went very smoothly and UT did a great job,” said Bradley K. Townsend, college recruiter for Shaw Industries. “We look forward to continuing our partnership with UT.”

Students taking part in internship and co-op experiences during the school year usually rotate off from school to work semesters with their host company, although some take their experience opportunities during the summer. Across all majors, students earn an average of $3,000 per month during their experiences.

Jenifer Rodriguez speaks with Industry Rep at the Engineering Expo

Sophomore industrial engineering student Jenifer Rodriguez, left, talks to a pair of recruiters during the expo.

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 500 businesses and interacts with more than 1,500 undergraduate students each year, helping them achieve more than 600 annual placements with participating companies.

Participation in the program is seen as essential by the Tickle College of Engineering, with 70 percent of eligible students taking part.

The Spring 2020 Engineering Expo will take place on February 19, with Interview Day to follow on the 20th.

Contact

David Goddard (865-974-0683, david.goddard@utk.edu)

Remi Koch

  Student Stories ,  

Remi Koch stands beside a car in the Tesla parking lot.

The featured student this week is Remi Koch an Industrial and Systems Engineering major from Johnson City, Tennessee, who worked for Tesla in Palo Alto, California.

Koch worked on the Service Technical Operations team, where he developed and launched the HV Battery Swap Program across North America. He also worked on creating a Quality System to bridge Tesla Manufacturing and Service and supported in Outsourcing Glass repairs and establishing seat replacement processes.

When describing the benefits of his co-op, Koch says, “This was a great peek into what it is like to manage a program and give directions to 300+ people and how to communicate and take action over a huge organization.”

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