IACMI-The Composites Institute Welcomes Applicants for 2018 Internship Program

The program delivers a project-based, hands-on learning environment where students can refine skills and build their professional network while working alongside industry leading experts in state-of-the-art facilities. Interested applicants have the opportunity to apply for internships specializing in various composite and materials research in the five IACMI technology areas – Wind, Vehicles, Compressed Gas Storage, Composite Materials and Processes, and Design, Modeling and Simulation.

The 2017 internship class was a talented group of students with interests ranging from mechanical engineering, to aerospace and biomedical concentrations. Each intern conducted composites research at an IACMI member or partner facility across the United States, representing organizations with technology areas that align with IACMI's shared research, development, and demonstration areas. The interns are provided additional support to develop soft skills, including how to deliver powerful presentations, build networking techniques, and develop leadership abilities. 

Previous interns explain how their IACMI internship has provided experience instrumental in the students' ability to develop his or her career path. Purdue University intern Alejandra Castellanos presented her research on computational modeling of a reinforced composite panel for automotive application. Alejandra wishes to leverage her experience as part of her future work in the medical field.  University of Dayton Research Institute intern, Andrew Muno, presented his work on an IACMI technical project, Optimized Resin and Sizing for Vinyl Ester / Carbon Fiber Composites, at the IACMI Summer Members Meeting and had the opportunity to collaborate with project partners in person.  Michigan State University student and IACMI intern at the Scale-Up Facility in Detroit, Justin LeBelle, learned about troubleshooting equipment when systems fail, an experience many engineers know all too well, but one that is rarely taught in the classroom.

RMX Technologies hosted intern Alix Ambrose during a ten week appointment.  When asked about Alix's contributions at the company, his mentor Jonathan Ford, a project manager and design engineer for the firm said, "Alix brought a unique and valuable perspective to our organization.  With a little training, he quickly became an integral part of our team working alongside our researchers and scientists to develop and test new technologies."  

According to Robin Pate, head of communications and workforce for IACMI, "We started including the students in the program as part of their learning experience to help them develop skills in networking and presenting. The inclusion of the interns in the Members Meeting programming has quickly become an event highlight.  Industry partners now prioritize networking with interns during the two day event to learn more about projects, research opportunities, and talk about future plans.  Some of the interns have work being reviewed for a patent. Previous interns have received job offers as a result of their engagement."

The internship program is helping to build a pipeline of technology talent and leadership for the future. "By exposing these bright, talented individuals to leading-edge composites technology and research, the program provides an unparalleled opportunity for students to become engaged in the growing composites manufacturing industry," said John Hopkins, IACMI's interim chief executive officer.

Individually and collectively, the students' research efforts support the industry's shared need for faster, less expensive, and more energy-efficient composite technologies.  "We have continued the IACMI internship program into its third year because it remains critically important for IACMI's workforce development mission. We are providing the next generation of engineers with hands-on opportunities to understand the technology they'll be working with, and to develop relationships with scientists who are world-class leaders in the field," said Uday Vaidya, IACMI's chief technology officer and UT/ORNL Governor's Chair in Advanced Composites Manufacturing.

In addition to being involved in a variety of IACMI partner activities, during the course of their internship participants will have the opportunity to use state-of-the-art equipment and software and to interact with scientists and engineers who are at the top of their fields. IACMI charter member, Dassault Systèmes, supports impactful training opportunities and has partnered with IACMI's Design, Modeling, and Simulation Technology Area based at Purdue University to provide several internship opportunities beyond the existing summer program. Engaging in hands-on learning that is more project-based than traditional academic coursework is a critical way to learn and refine skills. Specific project details may adapt with research needs and may involve one or more of the 150 IACMI member organizations, which represent industry, academia, and government partners.

Program participants will receive a weekly stipend based on hours of participation. See website for additional information about a potential weekly housing allowance and limited travel reimbursement to and from the internship site.  In addition, program participants will have the opportunity to present and network with over 300 industry leaders at the IACMI Members Meeting in July 2018. Applicants must be a U.S. citizen and student in good standing at a regionally accredited U.S. college or university and have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.2 or the equivalent as verified by official transcripts. Additionally, applicants must be at least 18 years old at the time of appointment and provide proof of health insurance coverage. Applications and supporting materials are being accepted online until December 31, 2017.

The IACMI Internship Program is managed by Oak Ridge Associated Universities. Supportive collaborations with IACMI partners continue to lend a diverse experience to the program for recruiting students of high quality and exceptional technical aptitude. For more information, visit iacmi.org/workforce-training/internships/ or email Julie Malicoat at [email protected].

About IACMI-The Composites Institute
The Institute for Advanced Composites Manufacturing Innovation (IACMI), managed by the Collaborative Composite Solutions Corporation (CCS), is a partnership of industry, universities, national laboratories, and federal, state and local governments working together to benefit the nation's energy and economic security by sharing existing resources and co-investing to accelerate innovative research and development in the advanced composites field. CCS is a not-for-profit organization established by The University of Tennessee Research Foundation. The national Manufacturing USA institute is supported by a $70 million commitment from the U.S. Department of Energy's Advanced Manufacturing Office, and over $180 million committed from IACMI's partners. Find out more at IACMI.org.

ORAU provides innovative scientific and technical solutions to advance national priorities in science, education, security and health. Through specialized teams of experts, unique laboratory capabilities and access to a consortium of more than 100 major Ph.D.-granting institutions, ORAU works with federal, state, local and commercial customers to advance national priorities and serve the public interest. A 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation and federal contractor, ORAU manages the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE) for the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). Learn more about ORAU at www.orau.org.

SOURCE IACMI-The Composites Institute

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