Intern Spotlight September 2026
Name: Shihao Lin
Major and College: Johns Hopkins University – Master's in Materials Science and Engineering
Internship Title: Research Technician Intern
Internship Site: Liatris Inc.
1) Please tell us about your career goals.
My career goal is to work in materials research and development, particularly in roles that combine materials science with practical engineering and product development. I am interested in areas such as functional materials, coatings, polymers, composites, and advanced manufacturing. In the long term, I hope to work in an R&D environment where I can use my technical background to solve real-world materials challenges and help translate laboratory research into scalable products and processes.
2) Tell us about your internship (i.e., day-to-day responsibilities, special projects/clients, and work culture).
During my internship at Liatris, I have been involved in several materials development projects, with much of my work focused on coatings and composite materials.
One of my main projects has been developing and optimizing water-resistant coatings for porous and cement-based materials. My day-to-day responsibilities include preparing different coating formulations, controlling coating loading and processing conditions, conducting water-resistance and performance testing, analyzing experimental results, and designing follow-up experiments based on those results. A major part of the project has been improving the consistency and reproducibility of the testing process while identifying formulations that provide the best performance.
I have also contributed to the development and optimization of an aerogel composite material for thermal-insulation applications. This work involves adjusting formulation and processing parameters to improve properties such as material integrity and stability.
The work culture at Liatris is collaborative and hands-on. Because it is an R&D-focused environment, I have had the opportunity to work independently on experiments while also discussing results and troubleshooting problems with colleagues. I especially appreciate that new ideas and experimental approaches are encouraged.
3) Describe the process of obtaining your position. When did you hear of the position and submit your application?
I first learned about Liatris through the Co-op Program in my department. The company’s HR team had received resumes from several students in our program, and I was contacted through the faculty member who coordinates the Co-op Program.
From there, I had the opportunity to speak with the company and learn more about their work and the internship projects. During the interview process, I discussed my background in materials science, previous laboratory and research experience, and my interest in applying those skills to industry-focused R&D. Although some of the specific materials and applications at Liatris were new to me, I emphasized my hands-on research experience, ability to learn quickly, and interest in solving practical materials problems.
4) Which resources did you use to find your current experience?
MTIP Website, Handshake or other job boards, LinkedIn or Other Social Media.
5) What have you enjoyed the most about your position or organization?
What I have enjoyed most is the opportunity to work on open-ended technical problems and see how materials science is applied to real product-development challenges.
Unlike many academic experiments where the procedure and expected outcome are relatively well defined, industrial R&D often requires identifying the problem first, developing possible solutions, and continuously modifying the experiment based on the results. I have enjoyed this iterative process because it gives me both independence and responsibility.
I also appreciate being able to see a direct connection between my experiments and the potential performance of a real material or product.
6) How do you believe you have made an impact through your work?
I believe one of my main contributions has been helping make several experimental processes more systematic and reproducible.
For the coating project, I helped evaluate different formulations and application levels while improving how variables such as coating amount, substrate condition, and testing procedures were controlled. This allowed us to make more meaningful comparisons between formulations and better identify promising coating systems.
More broadly, I have contributed by documenting experimental results, identifying possible causes when experiments did not perform as expected, and designing follow-up experiments to address those problems. Even when an experiment was unsuccessful, I tried to make sure that the result provided useful information for the next stage of development.
7) What advice would you give to another student who is seeking an internship or similar experience (i.e., Internship search, Resume, or Interview tips)?
My advice would be to focus on transferable skills rather than waiting for a position that perfectly matches your previous experience. When I started my internship, I had a materials science background, but I had not worked with every coating, polymer, or composite system that I encountered at Liatris. What mattered more was being able to apply skills such as experimental design, materials characterization, troubleshooting, and data analysis to new problems.
For resumes and interviews, I would recommend explaining not only what experiments or techniques you have used, but also what problem you were trying to solve, what you personally contributed, and what you learned from the results.
I would also encourage peer students to stay open-minded during their internship search. A smaller company or startup can provide valuable opportunities to take ownership of projects, work closely with experienced researchers, and gain hands-on experience across multiple areas.