- Major: Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering
- Company: Eastman; Ineos
- Graduation Year: May 2022
- E-mail: lmcclou1@vols.utk.edu
Profile
Kingsport, Tennessee
I completed three co-op terms at Eastman, in Kingsport, Tennessee. Eastman produces a variety of specialty chemicals with applications in plastics, pharmaceuticals, textiles, etc. My first rotation was in the Acetate Processing Group, which supports a manufacturing area through process improvement projects. In this role, I had the opportunity to lead teams in the lab, pilot plant, and plant to improve quality and profits. My second term was in Chemicals Manufacturing Division Materials Handling, where I had the role of a staff engineer. My responsibilities included day-to-day support, Process Hazard Analysis (PHA) support, and coordination of diverse teams to execute projects in manufacturing. During my third term, I worked remotely as an engineer in the Process Analytics Group, which maintains and supports over a thousand online process analyzers. This role focused on improving the reliability and maintainability of the plant's process analyzers by using a variety of data analysis tools.
My last term was as a Process Engineer Intern at INEOS Olefins & Polymers in La Porte, Texas. INEOS is a global company spanning the chemicals, polymers, and oil and gas industries. At my site, I supported polyethylene and polypropylene units through day-to-day support, process improvement projects, PHA support, and the safety-related responsibilities of a process engineer.
I decided to co-op so that I could experience as many of the career options available to me as I can, so that I can make an informed decision upon graduating. Engineers have a variety of career opportunities available to them, and I wanted to narrow down what I was interested in. I also saw that my peers who had completed a co-op were highly sought after by potential employers. My co-op experience has taught me how to coordinate teams of people with very different job responsibilities. Often, my projects require me to interact with operators, engineers of all job functions, specialists, and managers to align and achieve the group's goals. Frequent communication that is mindful of different audiences and priorities is key to getting everyone on board.
Participating in a co-op has given me the skills to be a better engineer by challenging me to develop my professional and interpersonal skills, and apply what I learned into the classroom to the real world, and vice versa. Seeing chemical manufacturing in real life gave me a much better understanding of what I have learned in the classroom than reading a textbook. Ultimately, I feel that the combination of learning in class and on co-op has prepared me to be a better engineer when I graduate. Stepping out of my comfort zone to obtain a co-op has broadened my opportunities for the future. Additionally, it is exciting to see the concepts that I learned about in class executed in the real world.
In my free time, I enjoy running and working out, reading, and cheering for the Vols!
