Name:Ranye McLendon

Internship, Co-op or Research Site: Harvard School of Engineering and Applied Science

Position Title: Intern

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

Work Term:Summer 2017

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

Harvard REU is an internship and research experience. I work in a lab from Monday to Friday, building three robots. Our goal is to have these three autonomous robots roam freely around campus without any guidance from us. We have daily tasks to perform that include coding, soldering, laser cutting, and 3D printing. In our lab, we mostly use python to write code for the robots. We occasionally attend talks from professors around the country. Program requirements include attendance at weekly evening faculty-led seminars, participating in an ethics seminar and giving both a final presentation and a final written report.

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

I received an email from my UMBC account around February regarding the internship. A UMBC alumni referred me to the program director, and then I applied on the website with my transcript and 2 recommendations almost immediately. I persistently emailed the head of my lab to increase my chances of getting into the program.

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

I enjoyed everything about the program. I enjoy building the robots mostly. I was able to learn new things and meet new people. We learned a new topic related to robotics every Wednesday at our lab luncheon. I enjoyed our tour at MIT media lab. Overall, I enjoyed the experience and have a better understanding of what I want to do after graduation.

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

I believe that these robots the program had us work on will be the start of another self organizing systems robots for the robotics lab at Harvard SEAS. I believe I made an impact on my future after graduating with these new experience. The program allowed me to make new connections with people from all over the country. I am now able to speak about my experience as an intern in my hometown.

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

I would encourage them to be persistent, and to ask questions and seek advice from former students and alum that had already gone through the research experience or internship.

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