Summer internships are often a gateway to the professional world, offering students a chance to gain hands-on experience, apply their knowledge, and explore potential career paths. This summer, Rubicon, a leader in Polyurethane, opened its doors to a group of bright and enthusiastic engineering interns. Their time at Rubicon has been spent shadowing exceptional mentors throughout the site concluding with a project presented to the leadership team in The Woodlands, Texas.
A Dynamic Summer Experience
This summer, Rubicon’s engineering interns were deeply immersed in projects that increase their knowledge and experience in support of their path forward. From working on cutting-edge technology to solving real-world challenges, the interns were involved in various aspects of our site production.
Learning and Growth: Skills Beyond the Classroom
This summer, we carefully curated meaningful projects for our interns to work on so students can take theories learned in university and apply them to real-world engineering problems. Some example projects that the intern class took on this summer included:
• Evaluation and recommendations of mechanical engineering problems for fixed assets across different plant locations impacting operational efficiencies across utilities, maintenance, and reliability, to help ensure safe operations
• Helping develop preventative, proactive maintenance plans for large rotating equipment
• Developing small-batch chemical formulations and scientific tests of chemical variations designed to troubleshoot customer requirements for future products and innovations.
• Applying Lean Sigma 6 methodologies to analyze and evaluate physical plant changes to columns, piping, and venting equipment at different Huntsman production locations
• Working on developing programs for electrical grounding maintenance, evaluating cathodic protection of metal structures to help preserve plant integrity, and lifesaving programs within day-to-day operations.
Some shared key takeaways from their time spent at Rubicon:
✔️Developing more in-depth knowledge and understanding of both fixed and rotating machinery and the impacts on operations.
✔️How to approach problems and responsibilities like an engineer.
✔️Working on meaningful projects to help drive better plant efficiencies while enhancing each location’s operations’ overall health and safety.
✔️Scaling up innovations from the R&D to a large-scale production
✔️True teamwork of every site and working with people who genuinely enjoy what they do
Building Connections and Future Opportunities
One of the highlights of the internship program was the opportunity for interns to connect with professionals across various departments within Rubicon. Networking events, mentoring sessions, and team-building activities allowed interns to build relationships and gain insights into different career paths within the company.
Many interns expressed interest in continuing their relationship with Rubicon beyond the summer. The experience not only provided them with valuable skills and knowledge but also inspired them to pursue careers in the industry. This program has proven to be a stepping stone for many students, offering potential pathways for future employment and career development.
Rubicon’s dedication to providing a meaningful and enriching internship experience reflects its broader mission to drive positive change. By nurturing the next generation of engineers, Rubicon is not only advancing its own goals but also fostering a culture of innovation that will benefit the industry for years to come.
In summary, the engineering summer interns at Rubicon have demonstrated that they are not just the engineers of tomorrow but the innovators of today. Their work this summer has been a testament to their skills, creativity, and dedication, and it is exciting to imagine the future contributions they will make to the field of engineering and sustainability.
