12007 ASEE Midwest Section Conference
Developing and Funding
Undergraduate Engineering Internships
Theodore W. Manikas, Gerald R. Kane
Dept. of Electrical Engineering
The University of Tulsa
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Why Internships?
• benefits for all– undergraduate
engineering students– industry sponsor– university sponsor
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Internship Benefits for Students
• practical applications of coursework
• exposure to corporate issues– project management– finance– manufacturing
• experience will help acquire and succeed in full-time employment
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Internship Benefits for Industry
• helps identify potential recruits
• develops collaboration with university
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Internship Benefits for University
• enhances students’ engineering education
• develops collaboration with industry
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Establishing Internship Programs
• identify potential companies– local professional societies– current university/industry collaborations
• contact companies– e-mail with follow-up telephone call– on-site meetings with corporate staff
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Funding Internship Programs
• NSF programs – (workshop at ASEE)– very competitive
• state and local programs
• industry match
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Internship Program Example
• Collaboration– University of Tulsa – Electrical Engineering
(TUEE)– Geophysical Research Co. (GRC)
• Funding– 50% OCAST (state funding)– 50% GRC (industry match)
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Corporate Contact with GRC
• IEEE – local professional society meeting
• TUEE alumni – current employees
• looking for future engineers – internships
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Application for Funding
• OCAST (Oklahoma Center for the Advancement of Science and Technology)– R&D Student Intern program
• prepare students for technical fields• support high-tech companies in OK
– students work as interns in OK engineering industry
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OCAST Project Requirements
• 1 – 2 year projects– PI – sponsoring university– Mentor – sponsoring company
• internship work done at company– work with full-time engineers on projects– part-time (10 hrs/wk) during school year– full-time (40 hrs/wk) during summer
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OCAST Funding Requirements
• 1:1 match from company– 50% from OCAST (up to
$30K/year)– 50% from company
• may include mentor salaries as match
• about 80% for intern salaries
• other: PI salary, travel, supplies
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Intern Selection Process
• undergraduate EE student at TU
• post announcement for internship
• resumes and interviews
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Intern Project Duties
• work on engineering project under mentor’s guidance
• bi-weekly meetings with PI and progress reports
• mentor submits intern evaluation sheet to PI at end of each semester
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Intern Project Status
• One EE senior at GRC– Mar 07 – Feb 08– Hybrid circuit design for pipeline gauges– Currently developing prototype for testing