TYLin in Alexandria, VA

May 2025 to December 2025

My internship focused on several key areas of water and environmental infrastructure. I worked on stormwater management projects, wastewater treatment plant rehabilitation, and condition assessment of pipelines and related assets. I was also involved in plan reviews, FEMA’s Community Rating System (CRS) initiatives, and GIS-based mapping and analysis of water infrastructure and network systems.

One of the best parts of my internship was having the opportunity to work on projects connected to the Virginia Department of Public Utilities, the Back River Wastewater Treatment Plant, and FEMA—all directly aligned with my field of study. It was incredibly rewarding to apply what I learned in class to real-world challenges and gain hands-on experience. I grew a lot during this time, thanks to the mentors who guided me, encouraged my curiosity, and helped me develop new skills. Their support and appreciation truly motivated me and shaped how I see my future career path.

Beyond the technical learning, the workplace itself felt like a second home. My colleagues stood beside me during my difficult time. They tried their best to keep me encouraged and connected with my passions - art and baking. One day, my mentors surprised me with brushes, sketchbooks, and baking supplies to lift my spirits. That thoughtful gesture moved me to tears, and I will never forget it. It reminded me how meaningful it is to work in an environment that values not just your work, but also your well-being as a person.

My biggest advice is "Never give up", even when the journey feels overwhelming. I received my internship only after applying to nearly 200 positions, all while facing financial challenges and being far from my family as an international student. During that time, my father became seriously ill, and it was one of the hardest phases of my life, but my family’s strength and love kept me going.

Opportunities may take time, and circumstances are often out of our control, but what is in our control is our effort, our determination, and our attitude. Keep applying, keep learning, and keep believing in yourself. Stay kind, help others whenever you can, and work hard toward your goals. Tough times will test your patience, but they will also pass. Stay strong, stay optimistic, and trust that your hard work will eventually open the right doors.

After completing my degree, I aim to deepen my experience by working in industry, gaining hands-on exposure to real-world challenges and advanced technologies. Over the next few years, I plan to pursue a PhD to build strong expertise in my field and develop as an independent researcher. My long-term goal is to contribute meaningful scientific advancements that improve the well-being of people and protect the living world. Ultimately, I aspire to become a researcher whose work creates a positive and lasting impact on society.

Vice president of 2025-26 CBEE GSO

Learn more about Viyali Bhattacharjee: www.linkedin.com/in/viyali-bhattacharjee-8568a421a/

AstraZeneca in Gaithersburg, MD

May 2025 to August 2025

Heat & Material Balances for Continuous Bioprocessing System

Learning about the intricacies of all the different process systems employed for different pharmaceutical productions was really cool. Also, directly applying what I had learned in ENCH 215 and ENCH 225L was extremely satisfying.

Apply, apply, apply! If you're at all interested in the work the job listing states you would be doing, you should apply. It costs nothing and the more jobs you apply to, the better your chances.

Work as a process engineer in the pharmaceutical industry.

TF for ENCH 215

Learn more about Abi Postus: www.linkedin.com/in/abigail-postus-90933b32a

Hennigan Lab at UMBC

January 2025 to present

My research is about how pH and ionic strength affects the absorbance of brown carbon samples. The goal is to shed light about brown carbon and how the organic matter behaves in the atmosphere.

The main center of my research is experimental work. Unlike many projects that focus primarily on data analysis, mine also requires hands-on time in the lab, where I work with specialized instrumentation to measure the absorbance of brown carbon samples using highly sensitive equipment.

If you are wanting to get involved in research on campus, be sure the professor knows who you are. Introduce yourself and express your interest. If they also teach one of your classes, attend consistently and participate so they can see your engagement and reliability. That is how I got into my research opportunity.

Entering the industry workforce

Tau Beta Pi

Learn more about Nataly Al Hijazin: www.linkedin.com/in/nataly-al-hijazin-1o22

Constellation

May 2025 to August 2025

My focus was working in Constellation's nuclear power plant located in Lusby, MD in an intern capacity for the Chemistry department.

The best part of my summer internship was getting to do hands-on work in the field. It was a wonderful change of pace from a semester of textbook work. I was able to apply what I had learned during my time at UMBC in order to assist the chemists when they were taking samples in the plant and bringing it back to the lab for analysis. I enjoyed working with the chemists to learn how they take samples in a radioactive environment and what the results of each sample means for the health of the plant. It was a wonderful learning experience seeing just how safe and structured work in a nuclear power plant is.

My advice for anyone interested in doing research or internship work is to not be afraid to branch out. Just because you are studying one specific subject, does not mean you won't be able to apply what you have learned elsewhere. With that, you should not fear rejection either as you keep your options expanded. You might find that you really do enjoy air quality work over fabric synthesis or vice versa. Just being open and willing to learn new things will take you most of the way.

My goal after graduating in a few years is to continue working in the energy sector. My passion is making a difference in the clean production of electricity.

I am a student ambassador for CBEE and attend "American Chemical Society" club meetings.