With fall right around the corner, UL’s Fire Safety Research Institute (FSRI) has said farewell to the interns who joined the team during the summer semester. It was our honor to mentor these talented students and provide them with real-world experience they can draw from as they prepare to enter the workforce.
We are pleased to share some of their reflections from their time at FSRI.
Dhruv Srinivasan, Research Engineering Intern, noted how important it was to work through trial and error for a better outcome. While at FSRI, he focused on programming an accelerometer to detect whether a window could break during a live burn test and designing Printed Circuit Boards for Data Acquisition Helmets (DAH).
”I’m grateful to have had the opportunity to work in a stimulating and close-knit environment that has challenged and motivated me through the summer,” said Dhruv.
Paola Rioja, Research Engineering Intern, was able to work on multiple projects, such as the study on the use of thermographic paint on fire scenarios. She participated in the Kindling Club Program, reading literature reviews and building presentations.
According to Paola, “Not only did the team learn new information that could be used for future projects, but the back-and-forth conversations led to novel ideas and challenges we could tackle. The feedback provided after each presentation gave me a better idea on how to improve for the next one.”
Elizabeth Ottenritter, Communications Intern, assisted the Amplification Team by writing a number of articles for the FSRI website and contributing to the improvement of team's overall workflow.
“Working at FSRI gave me a unique set of skills that I can apply anywhere. It was exciting to learn something new every day in such a positive and exciting workplace,” said Elizabeth.
Malhar Patel, Research Engineering Intern, worked on a materials database project in which 70 different materials were tested in order to understand their chemical kinetics. After performing large scale tests on certain paints, he was able to design three burners with the help of Computer Aided Design (CAD).
“The work environment at FSRI is enthusiastic and helpful, which gave me a better understanding of teamwork. I enjoyed every bit of my time at FSRI, gaining some extraordinary skills and knowledge about fire science,” said Malhar, whose summer internship will extend into the fall.
FSRI thanks these individuals for the hard work and wishes them the best of luck in their future endeavors.
FSRI’s Internship Program provides students with opportunities to make contributions in multiple departments, working towards FSRI’s mission while gaining relevant experience.
