As a tour guide, I always mention on my tours that one of the things that makes UMBC “an honors university” is our emphasis on undergraduate research. I take my tour group up the stairs on the pond side of Meyerhoff so they can see into the big windows and witness first-hand our students conducting important research. No matter what you guys are actually doing in those labs, it looks pretty impressive. I stress that UMBC makes the opportunity of research accessible to all students, in all disciplines. You can get class credit for it, or even get paid to do it! If you’re not sure how to join a research group, or not even sure you want to do research at all, allow me to share some of my personal experiences.

I’ve had two undergraduate research positions, and my first one I actually gained as a second-semester freshman in the linguistics department. At that point, was a linguistics major, and my academic advisor actually offered me the position during one of our meetings. I will say that my experience in that research group helped me figure out what I DON’T want to do. It was actually a great project, I just didn’t feel like it really aligned with my future goals. And honestly, I consider it a great step forward in my personal development, because figuring out what you don’t like is just as important as what finding what you do like!

Now as a psychology major, I have a new research position in the psychology department. You wanna know how I got that one? I looked through the faculty directory of the psychology department, and sent out a bunch of emails asking to join their team. And it worked! The lesson is: you have to go out there and find research, don’t expect it to come to you. I guarantee plenty of professors in your department are doing research, and if you show that kind of initiative and proactivity, they’ll want to have you. Still not convinced about how research can be helpful? Check out this article that actually features a student from Gaithersburg, Maryland!

Maybe you think that you don’t need to do research because you have no plans of doing research after college. I’m in the same boat. I want to use my degree to serve people directly, not work in a lab! But I know that in order to do what I want, I need to get into graduate school, and my application won’t make the cut unless I have some kind of research under my belt. On the other hand, maybe you’re super against the idea of research, but once you try it you find that you love it! Any experience is good experience, so you shouldn't immediately rule out the idea of research because you think it’s not for you.

Name:Michael Ogunsanya

Internship, Co-op or Research Site: GE Aviation

Position Title: Infra Engineering Intern

Major(s)/Minor(s):Mechanical Engineering

Work Term:Summer 2017

Tell us about your internship, co-op, or research opportunity, including your day-to-day responsibilities.

I was involved in two projects. For my first assignment, I was involved in a new tracking system the site is still implementing. As airplane composites are built, they must enter and exit through certain stations. MRAS purchased Radio-frequency identification (RFID) tags to attach to each piece, as well as sensors monitored all across the plant. With the information recorded to a database, my responsibility in the project was to analyzes their creation cycles and locations. In doing so, I was able to save the company hundreds of thousands of dollars by integrating better transporting routes, as well as informing Senior Manufacturing Engineers of airplane parts that were soon going to expire. Also, I was key in making the tracking program more useful for processes outside of just tracking airplane pieces.

Describe the process of obtaining your position. When did you hear of the position and submit your application?

Fall 2016 Career Fair. I spoke with a senior engineer from Cincinnati who scheduled an interview between us and less than a month later, I was accepted.

What have you enjoyed the most about your position or organization?

Everyday I come in, I have the choice of sitting at my desk, with software capable of revolutionizing the air industry, or, I could walk a few yards to the shop floor and see how all this hard work is enacted with 10+ feet airplane parts.

How do you believe you have made an impact through your work?

With my work ethic and willingness to help, I saved hours of research and critical thinking that other engineers would have to figure out when completing each of my two projects. I also made contributions towards a $1.9 million tool cleaning proposal, which is now currently being integrated into the site’s everyday operations.

What advice would you give to another student who is seeking an internship or similar experience?

Don't be shy. As an engineer, you're supposed to pursue and advocate for excellence through design, manufacturing, and the overall community. Also, there's nothing you will be given that is "too hard". UMBC prepares you well for when a daunting task is given, but you know putting in the extra effort will result in success.

Like the Career Center on Facebook

Follow us on Twitter and Instagram

#UMBCintern

Want to be the next Intern of the Week? Make sure to fill out this form and stay tuned. New interns are announced every Friday!