How did you learn about GM's summer intern program?
I heard about it from my advising professor at Brown. We have a collaborative research arrangement with GM and a few positions were available. I'm starting my research here at R&D and continuing when I go back to Brown. So my Ph.D. will be focused on work that GM R&D needs.

Did you apply for the position?
Not really. GM gave the position to Brown, and the school filled it. That's when I received the paperwork.

Was that this year?
Yes. This is my first summer at GM Research.

How did you find housing?
GM sets up everything and pays for it. They rented corporate apartments about 8 miles from the R&D Center and I carpool here.

What's the focus of your Ph.D.?
Using molecular dynamics to study nanocrystalline structures and their properties.

What were you looking for in an internship?
I went straight from my undergraduate work into graduate school, so I haven't had a chance to work in corporate America. When I started the summer, I wasn't sure whether I wanted to work on my Ph.D. or just finish my master's and jump into the workforce. I wanted to learn what the workplace had to offer as opposed to graduate school.

This summer I started looking for an area of focus for my Ph.D., hoping to find something that interested and excited me. In addition, I wanted to compare research in industry as opposed to that in a university. I'm a night owl, not a morning person, so academia definitely looks better. But in terms of working, they're very similar. Being a very math-based person, I don't see a lot of difference between punching numbers here or at Brown. Our office here is certainly nicer, however! And the resources are better too.

What do you usually do in the summer?
Work construction. The pay is much better than doing intern work in most places, although the salary here at R&D is good.

What project are you working on at R&D?
For the first six weeks, I spent a lot of time in the library with my nose in a book. My mentor, Yue Qi, laid out topics and papers I should consult. Once I was comfortable with the code she had developed, we began working together to start doing simulations on nanoindentation of nanocrystals. I'm working on code to show various things, such as dislocations in a molecular system.

I'm also working on another software program that has a visual interface for setting up atomic structures. Once we get everything set up, we're going to run large systems. Those take four or five days to run, so we want to make sure we've got all the details right. We hope to find the mechanical properties of systems, which can't be found any other way.

What is your work life like?
We get to work about 8 am. I usually work on coding most of the day. When I need to troubleshoot, I talk with my mentor or read a book to try and figure out the problems.

How does this internship contribute to your career plans?
From what I've seen, professional research is very similar to working as a graduate student. The difference is GM researchers are able to complete the work for a thesis in approximately six months. Being able to work with other researchers and to learn skills benefits me immensely. I see it as mirroring my later work.

What do you like most about working at R&D?
Besides the money? That's definitely a plus - I'm a poor college student. The free place to live is terrific too. And the way they treat us is just great. Everyone here is extremely nice; they really want to make sure that we learn.

We also have the best office in the building - we're on the third floor with a great view of the lake.

What do you like least about working at R&D?
Socially, it's a little difficult. There's only one other intern on my floor, so I haven't met a lot of people my age.

I also expected the work to be laid out more before I arrived here. The job statement I received wasn't accurate, so I wasn't really sure what I'd be doing. I could have started learning what I needed to know back at school rather than spending the first three weeks here doing that.

How do you like Warren and the metro Detroit area?
I don't - I'm not a big fan of cities. But I don't have a car, so I can't get around much either.

What do you do for fun?
On weekdays, I don't do much besides work. On weekends, I relax, see movies, and read books. But I'd like to see other parts of the state. I've heard northern Michigan has good fishing and recreational activities.

I have visited Lansing and attended a few concerts. There are things to do all over the metro area but being in Utica does require transportation in order to go out. Not much is within walking distance.

Has the internship met your expectations?
Definitely. I have learned so much this summer.

Will you be back next summer?
I'd love to come back. Hopefully next summer I can contribute more to GM.

Would you consider working full-time at GM Research?
It's certainly possible. It depends on whether I warm up to Michigan. I grew up in California, then went to school in Colorado and Rhode Island.

Did you have a previous interest in the automotive industry?
A little bit. Most kids think it would be fun to work on or design cars. And automotive companies are always working on high-tech projects. I just never really thought I would be here.