Embracing Growth: My Daily Learning Journey
Throughout my STEM internship at Indium Corporation, not a day has gone by that I haven’t learned something new. It’s a bold claim, but I know it’s true because I’ve been keeping a journal. Every day, I make a point to write down my activities, thoughts, and how I’m feeling. My memory is terrible, so writing things down helps a ton, especially when I’m trying to recall the first few weeks of the summer.
From Clarkson to Indium Corporation
First, let me introduce myself. My name is Elise, and I’m a rising senior at Clarkson University, where I major in chemical engineering. I was selected by Indium Corporation to be a thermal research intern in the research and development department. Without going into too much detail—confidentiality is key, after all—I can say that my research focuses on preparing solder powder and how various process parameters affect it. When I was first told about the project, it sounded interesting but entirely outside my field of expertise. I’ve been doing research at Clarkson for three years in the unrelated field of organic polymer synthesis and characterization. So, while I came to Indium Corporation with extensive laboratory experience, I had very little idea of what I’d encounter in a metallurgy lab, where I would study and test the properties, structure, and performance of metals.
Diving Into Lab Life
It was a pleasant surprise to find I had my own cubicle in the office space, and I quickly made myself at home. The lab also made a good impression with its variety of high-tech instruments. During my first few days, I received a lot of training on several different machines, including a differential scanning calorimeter (DSC), a particle size analyzer (PSA), and a gorgeous digital microscope. In the beginning, I was hesitant to touch such delicate instruments. With time and practice, though, I’ve become confident enough to use them without my supervisor’s oversight.
It just so happens that I am my supervisor’s first intern, though you wouldn’t be able to tell. He’s been a great mentor. He answers my many questions, offers helpful advice, and makes sure I understand my purpose in the lab. The rest of the lab group is equally wonderful to work with.
Embracing Mistakes and Building a Supportive Lab Culture
The lab culture is great, too; there’s no pressure to be perfect. I made frequent mistakes during my first week, from using the wrong ingot to make the solder powder to spilling a bunch of it just as I was about to put it in the oven. I feared and half-expected reprimands or obvious disappointment, but there were none. In fact, my supervisor referred to it as a rite of passage. I’ve learned that the people here know mistakes will happen, and that’s fine. They’re used as learning moments, where we all try to understand what happened and how it can be avoided in the future. A good example of this was an unfortunate incident (a minor explosion) that befell the DSC machine because of a lapse in judgment. No one was hurt, no hard feelings are harbored, and there’s no chance of it happening again.
During my third week, everyone in the R&D department had to attend multiple training sessions at headquarters. This took three days, during which I was the only one working in our lab. The first day was fine. I got a ton of work done and felt immensely proud of myself for not burning the place down. My journal entry for the day states, “This is one of the best days I’ve had so far.” The second day was not as great. I found myself growing restless and lonely. It was another productive day, but I found that the work became monotonous without anyone else around. Although I love working in a lab, a big part of what makes it so enjoyable is working alongside others. The final day was better since it was a Thursday, which means we have a Lunch n’ Learn. I got to leave the desolate lab and go to headquarters. It was nice to see the other interns—or other living souls, for that matter.
Lunch n’ Learn: Building Connections and Learning Together
If you’re unfamiliar with a Lunch n’ Learn, it’s when all of us interns gather at headquarters, where a catered lunch awaits us. The food is phenomenal. While we enjoy our meal, we’re given a presentation on a topic that changes each week. The first week, we learned about our strengths in the workplace. It was interesting to see how much variety there was among us. I, naturally, found myself labeled with the analytical and strategic skills you’d expect of an engineer in training. But other interns, especially those based at headquarters, discovered that many of their strengths fell into more social and executive categories. There were some overlaps, but no two people had the same set of skills in the same order.
Reflections and Looking Ahead
As I begin my fourth week, I’m struck by how glad I am that I accepted this internship. I’ve learned so much in such a short time, and thanks to my supervisor’s guidance, I now have a decent understanding of the theory behind my research. I’ve added lots of lab instruments to my repertoire, including some that I never thought I’d be allowed near, especially the electron microscope. I’ve met so many people who inspire me: my supervisor, my coworkers, and company executives. And, of course, I’ve made many new friends among my fellow interns.
If I had to summarize my experience so far, I’d say this: I’m being set up for success. Indium Corporation’s internship program focuses on helping us identify and grow our skill sets. In a few weeks, I’ll be able to showcase my growth through my midpoint presentation, and I couldn’t be more excited or nervous to do so. I’m really looking forward to the rest of my summer with Indium Corporation.
