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Click on a specific student experience to jump to that story or scroll down to read them all.
Name:
Tyler Silverman My internship took place in Seville, Spain with Abengoa Solar New Technologies, S.A. Abengoa Solar is one of the world’s leading solar energy companies and is the first company in the world to have a commercially functioning solar tower. To give you an idea, there are 600+ mirrors, each with about 1,300 square feet of mirror surface area, and throughout the day they all reflect sunlight to the receiver of this tower about 377 feet above the ground. This creates very high temperatures, which are transferred to a heat transfer fluid and then converted to electricity. This single tower provides electricity for about 5,500 households. Living in Seville was a great experience and an excellent opportunity to improve my language skills. The Andalusian accent (in southern Spain) is unlike any other accent of Spanish that I had ever heard. If you get to spend time in Andalusia, you’ll understand why. My coworkers said that once you understand “Andaluz” (the name of dialect), you can understand any Spanish speaker in the world.
I met many students from all around the world. Most students are from
Europe and participating in a program known as ERASMUS. This program
allows European students continue their degree studies, so I met many
people with all kinds of interesting backgrounds and perspectives on life.
Seville is a great place to be because I could go with my new friends to
many places quickly and cheaply. One time we went to Lisbon, Portugal,
only a 4-hour drive.
Name:
Jesse Lyman I spent May-August 2008 living and working in Neumarkt in der Oberpfalz, Germany; located halfway between Nuremburg and Regensburg. I have been in and out of German language courses since the seventh grade and living in Germany is something I have wanted to do for as long as I can remember. The town I stayed in had about 45,000 people and hardly anyone spoke English. So, I was able to use my German skills on a daily basis. I lived in a guest house with other families, which helped me feel like a part of their German community.
The company I worked for was Klebl GmbH, one of Germany’s largest construction companies specializing in pre-cast concrete components. One of Klebl’s ongoing roles is as a contractor on U.S. military bases throughout Germany. I spent most of my time working under a project manager on one of these bases. Our primary job was the maintenance and upkeep of the drainage basins, check dams, and culverts. I was also involved in writing completion reports and obtaining digging permits. In addition to work, I was able to travel on the weekends. I spent most of my weekends traveling to various parts of Bavaria because this is where most of Germany’s castles and great cathedrals are located. One of my favorite stops was the Neuschwanstein Castle. I also made trips to Zurich, Switzerland (during the Euro 2008 Soccer Championship), a few cities in Austria, and other parts of Germany. One of the highlights of my summer was going to the car races in Nuremburg. It was an all-weekend event and I was able to see everything from VW Polos to Porsches to Ferraris race in their respective classes. Overall, this has been the best experience of my life and I came back to college wanting more. I hope to join a company that will allow me to do international work—even if it isn’t in Germany.
Name: Dania Zinner I lived in Cologne, Germany from September 2007 until June 2008 and completed a nine month internship with DLR (Deutsches Zentrum fuer Luft und Raumfahrt). DLR is the national German aerospace organization. In addition to aerospace they conduct research in the areas of aviation, transportation, and energy. Although many departments in DLR use English in their day-to-day communication, my department conversed primarily in German. I had studied German for several years, but needed more experience with my spoken German. Prior to starting my internship, I took a one month intensive speaking course and then continued with a German course offered by DLR. I worked for the solar research department and my topic was the treatment of water in the textile industry. I conducted many photo degradation experiments with UV irradiation and the Photo-Fenton reaction, which culminated in a presentation titled ‘The Degradation Pathway of Caprolactam by the Photo-Fenton Reaction’. Caprolactam is a chemical found in the textile industry that is slightly hazardous and genotoxic and the goal is to decompose it to less dangerous forms in factories’ wastewater.
The research director for my department shared with me that he would like to develop a program with CU-Boulder to enable more students to have an internship or to do research at DLR in Cologne. This was such a perfect internship for me and I had fun getting to know my colleagues and practicing my German! On weekends or when I had vacation time, I traveled around Europe visiting countries such as Holland, Belgium, France, Spain, Switzerland, Czech Republic, Ireland, and England. I also went to many German cities and visited my German relatives. Living in Europe is a great way to gain international work experience, make new friends, and experience a different culture. I highly recommend the International Engineering Program because you can learn about the engineering practices of another country and make connections that will be valuable throughout your career.
Name: Kristin Constancio My internship at the Politecnico di Torino in Torino, Italy was by far the most memorable and influential experience of my life. I knew that an internship abroad would be an exciting experience but I had no idea what an impact it would leave on me as a person. Although I was extremely sad for my time in Italy to be over, I was very confident entering the professional world with all of my newfound knowledge. I have made friends that I can undeniably say that I will be friends with for the rest of my life. I have seen many beautiful places and have stories that I will be telling for eternity. I think that the International Engineering Program is unparalleled and a perfect program to make your undergraduate experience complete.
My chemical and aerospace engineering project at the Politecnico di Torino involved characterizing the fluid dynamics within the Confined Impinging Jet Reactor (CIJ) used in the Department of Chemical Engineering. The product formed in the CIJ reactors is nanoparticles which will be used in pharmaceuticals. The characterization was performed in an Aeronautical Engineering laboratory with Particle Imaging Velocimetry (PIV). I utilized my knowledge gained from my courses and research experience at the University of Colorado at Boulder to assist me in this process. Living in a different country is a journey in which you learn almost too many things to share, but I will impart a little wisdom.
Some of the things I learned for the first time:
Some of the things I learned for the second time are:
¨ ¨ ¨
Name: Henry Romero Hi, my name is Henry. I spent last summer doing a co-op with Carlo Gavazzi Space, Spa in Milan, Italy. I chose to participate in an international engineering co-op because the Italian language and culture has always interested me. I lived in Daniel's Palace, an international housing complex, at a university in Milan with students from around the world. The people I met there were great and we would often hang out together after work. There were many activities to do in and around Milan. The World Cup was broadcast on giant-screened TVs in the Piazzo Duomo (a large plaza in Milan) so I got to celebrate with the Italians when they won. On the weekends, I often traveled to other cities in Italy and visited family still living there. Also, as a non-Italian student, I was given an Erasmus card which hosts events for foreign students. There was always free food and activities sponsored by Erasmus.
Working with Carlo Gavazzi Space, Spa (CGS) was an invaluable experience. They are a leading aerospace company in Europe and have been awarded the role of Prime Contractor from space authorities such as ESA (European Space Agency), ASI (Italian Space Agency), and NASA. I worked on a project call SOAR (Station Off Axis Rotator) in which I helped develop and test a small-scale prototype that may ultimately end up on the International Space Station. The purpose of SOAR is to rotate an individual at a certain velocity so he/she feels a particular acceleration (mimicking the effects of space). My daily tasks included: running simulations, analyzing results, calibrating hardware measurement tools, and modifying hardware.
CGS is a mid-sized company so I received a lot of one-on-one time with my mentor, who happened to be a young engineer himself. It was a very close-knit community which made me an integral part of the team. All employees of CGS are required to speak English well, but they were willing to help me practice my Italian by speaking it to me (outside the workplace, however, I had to speak Italian to communicate with other people). I definitely recommend this experience for anyone who is looking for an internship which places you above the competition.
IMilano, Italy ¨ ¨ ¨
Name: Matthew Bender My name
is Matthew Bender and I lived in Regensburg, Germany for two semesters
doing an internship with Infineon, one of the world's leading
semiconductor manufacturers. My internship allowed me to gain valuable
work experience, to improve my German language skills, and
Regensburg is a city comparable in size to Boulder and much of the
population is younger because of the large university and Fachhochschule.
The heart of the city sits right on the Danube river and is full of
history and culture. Bavaria is very different from the rest of Germany
and the world. The people know how to enjoy life. They love eating
pretzels, sausages, and drinking beer, all while singing traditional
songs. Bavarians also have their own dialect of German called 'Bairisch'.
It was almost incomprehensible to me since it is so different from "high
German". There are also many different regional dialects of 'Bairisch',
making it ever harder to learn. Some of my co-workers at Infineon
could only speak 'Bairisch' and English. So when they would speak with
other Germans or Austrians, it was more effective to speak in English
than their dialect of German. Overall my experience at Infineon in Regensburg was great. The people were wonderful and I made some life long friends.
¨ ¨ ¨
Name:
Kendria
Alt My name is Kendria and I spent a year in Regensburg, Germany doing a co-op for the first semester and going to school for the second semester. I interned for Maschinenfabrik Reinhausen, a mechanical engineering firm in Regensburg. An international co-op in Germany was a great experience because I love German culture and Germany is a fun place to be. Since I was also going to school for a semester at a university in Regensburg, I was able to get in contact with a professor who helped me with housing. I stayed in a dorm, the Hiltnerheim, at the university. Each room has it its own bathroom and small kitchenette with a communal oven on each hall. The people who lived in my dorm were both international students and students from Germany, so I was able to make friends from all over the world. During my free time, I liked to hang out with my friends in downtown Regensburg. We would often go to Discos (dance clubs) and other fun activities. When it was a nice day outside, I would go to a park and read or just sit in the sun. I also traveled to many different countries: Austria, France, Italy, Scotland, Denmark, Hungary, England, and many others. On the weekends, however, I usually just went skiing in Austria.
Although I am majoring in Aerospace Engineering, I enjoyed my time with Maschinenfabrik Reinhausen. I worked with a CAD (Computer Aided Design) program call Solid Edge, Germany’s version of Solid Works. My main job involved converting drafts and drawings from paper onto the Solid Edge program and creating 3-D designs. Part of the company’s business is creating electrical tops, so I also used the Solid Edge drawing to optimize these parts for better performance. Working for Maschinenfabrik Reinhausen was a great experience. The people there were very friendly, but only my supervisor spoke English. All the other engineers I worked with spoke only German, but they talked slower so I could understand them, which helped me improve my language skills by being forced to speak and hear German. My advice to anyone who is going to do an international internship is to make friends in that country because they will help to considerably improve your language skills.
¨ ¨ ¨
Name: Brad Krough My name is Brad Krough and I lived in Munich, Germany for two semesters doing a co-op for BMW. BMW is the largest manufacturer of premium vehicles and employs over 10,000 workers in Munich alone. I have always loved the German language and culture, so I decided early on to minor in German language. The International Engineering Certificate works out great for engineers like me, who value language skills but are majoring in Applied Sciences or Engineering. I’ve always loved cars and being a member of the Colorado Formula SAE Racing Team, the opportunity to work for BMW was a dream come true. I worked as a test engineer in the exhaust emissions and fuel consumption department of BMW’s famed Driveline Development Division (Entwicklung Antrieb). My job consisted of optimizing the test and measurement equipment on the chassis and motor dynamometer, as well as optimizing the test procedures for the different vehicles. In addition, I had the chance to work with alternative fuels and drivelines. My division was also responsible for emission regulation requirements around the world. My boss is well-known in the world of exhaust emissions; he helped to develop much of the technology and procedures still used today. It was cool to read technical documents and then realize that your boss was the author. In the work environment, business was conducted in German, and while some of my colleagues could speak English, most were more comfortable just speaking in German. It was difficult at first, but my technical German has improved a lot.
Munich is a beautiful city with lots to see and do. It is the capitol of Bavaria (Bayern), a region and people known for their love of life and beer. The two are often enjoyed together in Munich’s many parks and Biergartens. I lived in BMW student housing, which saved a lot of money, as Munich is Europe’s most expensive city. Students came from all over Europe which gave it an international flavor, and my first roommate was a student from Bulgaria. The German people are extremely friendly and are always happy to have an American tag along to a party or a night at the bars. While my best friends I met in Germany were fellow Americans from MIT, we were never at a loss for things to do with our many German friends. I think that embracing the German culture made my experience that much better. My experience working for BMW was a good one. German businesses are very open to Americans, and there are endless possibilities for co-ops. German students must complete at least two internships to graduate with a degree. For this reason internship spots are readily available, and the work is important to the companies – that means no making coffee making for the boss! I was also lucky enough to drive different BMWs (some worth more than 120,000 dollars!) almost everyday to BMW’s many installations in the Munich area. These are perks of the job!
Name: Josh Smith My name Josh and I spent 6 months in Munich, Germany doing a co-op for IP Design (Industrielle Produkt Design). Having a co-op in Germany worked well for me because I am already fluent in the German language and know their culture and customs. I am originally from Germany and went to school there when I was younger. I often go back to visit family and friends during the semester and summer breaks from CU. My co-op for IP Design lasted from July 2006 to December 2006. During my time with the company, I worked on four major projects: Kitchen Lab Designs, Alpine Ski Design, Shower Drain System, and a Handicap Assistance Device. These projects were created using a Solid Works program and then presented to the clients. After meeting with the clients, I would go and make any other changes the client requested and submit the final project. I enjoyed my time with IP Design because I got work with teams on real design project instead of performing menial tasks the entire time. The practice and experience I got with Solid Works and presentation to clients is invaluable.
During my freetime in Munich, I joined a cross-country ski club and spent much of my time outdoors in the snow. In addition to the ski club in Munich, I also knew some former students of CU-Boulder who are from Norway and were on the CU Cross-Country ski team, so I went skiing with them as well. I also traveled around Europe and visited other countries such as Norway and Austria. As I said before, because I’m from Germany, I also visited family and friends from where I lived in Germany. The one piece of advice I have for students looking at a co-op overseas is to know well in advance if the company you are working for will help provide housing or not. IP Design was a smaller company and did not have any housing set up for employees, so I had to find an apartment on my own without their help. Overall, my experience living on my own in Munich and working for IP Design was great. I highly recommend getting a co-op which will allow you to experience new culture and customs.
Fall 2006 IEP Interns in Germany Four International Engineering Program students participated in corporate or research co-ops in the Fall 2006 semester. Three of the four students living in Germany also went on the College of Engineering and Applied Science Study Trip to Germany during Maymester 2005. All of these students enjoyed living and working in Germany.
Matt Bender, a CSEN student, lived in Regensburg, doing his year-long co-op at Infineon Technologies. Prior to starting his co-op, Matt took an intensive German course at the University of Regensburg. Brad Krough, Josh Smith, and Carlos Martino all worked in Munich. Brad Krough, a MCEN student, did his year-long co-op at BMW. His co-op focus was automotive systems. Josh Smith, another MCEN student, did his co-op at IP Design, a firm specializing in industrial design. Carlos Martino conducted research for his Ph.D. at TU Munich. He lived with his wife and son in Freizing. ¨ ¨ ¨ College of Engineering & Applied Science 303-492-5071 or snyders@colorado.edu Return to the International Engineering Certificate homepage |
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