UMD Center for Risk and Reliability: Celebrating Summer Internship Achievements

As the summer comes to a close and we gear up for the fall semester, the UMD Center for Risk and Reliability (CRR) is proud to highlight the accomplishments of two of our outstanding students, Camille and Sami. Both students recently completed their internships, gaining valuable experience and insights that will significantly impact their academic and professional journeys. Here, they share their experiences and the knowledge they gained during their time at their respective organizations.

Camille’s Internship at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL)

Camille’s summer was spent working with the Nuclear Risk & Health Physics group at PNNL. Her primary project involved reviewing a report on consequence uncertainty analysis for non-light water reactors, which included proposed regulatory guidance for assessing uncertainties in probabilistic risk assessments.

Camille also had the unique opportunity to apply a PNNL literature database to her dissertation project. She was granted access to a collection of 409 documents compiled by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) for their Integrated Human Event Analysis System (IDHEAS) method. The database included scholarly journal and conference papers, federal reports, academic theses, and industry reports. By extracting error probabilities from these documents, Camille was able to further parameterize marginal and conditional probabilities in her models.

Reflecting on her internship, Camille emphasized the value it brought to her research and career trajectory. The IDHEAS literature database filled several gaps in her models, enhancing their robustness. Additionally, her work on consequence uncertainty analysis offered insights into the complexities of assessing risks associated with new technologies—a crucial area for future reliability engineers. The experience also provided Camille with a deeper understanding of the operations at PNNL and other national laboratories. She strengthened existing connections and forged new ones within the same department and across other areas, broadening her professional network.

One of the most significant skills Camille developed during her internship was confidence in her ideas when interacting with more experienced researchers. Despite her relative inexperience, the welcoming environment at PNNL allowed her to contribute meaningfully to technical discussions without feeling out of place. Beyond the professional growth, Camille also enjoyed the personal enrichment that came from moving to the Pacific Northwest, experiencing new surroundings, and stepping out of her comfort zone.

Sami’s Internship at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL)

Sami spent her summer interning at NREL, where she research dug into the renewable energy industry with a particular focus on hydrogen energy. Her internship offered a deep dive into the operation and safety considerations of Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) electrolyzers, which are pivotal in hydrogen production. Through discussions and facility tours, Sami gained invaluable insights that enriched her understanding of PEM electrolyzers and clean energy systems—knowledge that would have been difficult to acquire solely through academic study.

Sami’s primary task during the internship was to complete and validate her Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA) for the PEM electrolyzer test bed at NREL. This involved organizing expert validation sessions and scheduling tours of various electrolyzer facilities to refine her analysis further. These hands-on experiences were instrumental in helping Sami’s analysis reach its full potential, significantly contributing to her ongoing research.

In addition to technical skills, Sami learned the art of effectively disseminating research in various settings and to different audiences. The opportunity to run meetings with experienced engineers provided him with valuable practice, boosting her confidence in engaging with industry experts and asking well-framed questions that lead to productive discussions.

One of the most memorable aspects of Sami’s internship was seeing a PEM electrolyzer in operation for the first time. After months of analyzing the system on paper, witnessing it in person was both enlightening and exhilarating. This firsthand experience deepened her understanding of the system as a whole, making her internship a truly transformative experience.

Published August 22, 2024