Do you like solving problems, creating new things? Do want to make the world a better place? Then you are an engineer. My adventure into engineering started as I stepped into the amazing world of Glanbia Nutritional’s at the Gooding Plant. The first couple of days I toured the plant seeing how the facility functions. During one of the tours to the boiler room I saw how they harnessed thermal energy from the processes of evaporation and condensation, this blew my mind! How they could take a simple change of state and use it to do the work they needed? I was in awe of how this was done, who thought of doing it, and who made the machinery to accomplish this? The answer I got was …..Engineers. They create solutions to make the impossible – possible! From that point on I was hooked. There are so many engineering marvels found in this plant and there are a myriad of other amazing projects that are in the works to fix problems and increase facility efficiency.

For six weeks I was able to join a team of Glanbia engineers, interns, and grad students to do my part in being an innovative problem solver. Each person in the engineering team and at the plant were kind, patient, and pushed me do my best to learn how the plant worked. I was given roles to work on existing projects such as the Lactose Robotic Arm Replacement, Boiler Feed Water Optimization, and the CIP 7K Flooring repair & piping mitigation. I was thrown into the midst of the engineering department – to tackle the projects I was given, just like the rest of the team. This was the best way to learn, on the spot and putting myself out there not knowing anything. This gave me the opportunity to ask questions, to experience failure, to be able to know my limitations and when to ask for help, to learn the engineering project flow process, and discover how equipment works in the plant. These are skills that I need make sure that I am implementing into my classroom for my students.

Most importantly I learned the significance of learning how to communicate with others and building relationships. When you take the time to do team building through planned events such as luncheons or dinners as team, rafting together, celebrating each other’s birthday/successes, or just taking a break to talk or laugh you really get to know and care about each other, and you become a more cohesive team. I want to make my classroom a place where students can be a part of a team where they know and care about each other. Thank you to the team of engineers at Glanbia for making my externship so wonderful! Who knows, maybe I will see them next summer… if I am fortunate enough to qualify for this program again!