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Interns important at Avetec

01/04/10

Interns important at Avetec

Getting work experience with computer programming and learning about rotary engines are the goals that University of Cincinnati mechanical engineering student Justin Speer has set for himself for his winter coop term at Avetec. 

Justin is in his third year as a mechanical engineering student and began work on Jan. 4, 2010.  He will work winter quarter and also hopes to work summer quarter at Avetec, spending spring quarter back at U.C. in classes.
 
Karleine Justice, Research Scientist, explains that the research team is excited to welcome Justin to Avetec. “Justin will definitely get to achieve his goals.  He is already deeply into a project that will require him to use and learn FORTRAN and apply it to research in rotary engine performance and efficiency.”

Avetec’s education initiative is helping fund Justin’s work at Avetec.  “Creating a highly skilled 21st Century workforce in Springfield, Ohio is key to our future and important to Avetec,” explains Cathy Balas, Executive Director Avetec’s education division.  “Giving a student a very challenging real-world problem and allowing them the opportunity to take the lead on it is our approach.  Research team engineers and scientists provide mentoring and guidance, but at Avetec students are quickly given challenges and opportunities to contribute and to learn.”

Dr. Jeff Dalton, Avetec’s Chief Technology Officer, concurs, saying, “We like to give students the opportunity to have an impact on our research.  It compliments the learning they gain at school and helps them enter their career ready to contribute.”

“I know that engineering is where I want to make my career,” Justin explains.  “Working on research with Avetec will allow me to gain new skills and help me understand what else I need to learn when I return to campus.”