MSE Newsletter: The MSE as an initial point for my internship abroad

For quite a long time spending time living abroad has been part of my personal goals. During my academic studies I decided to combine this aspiration with a work internship. Through my contacts at the Young-DGM I learned about the possibility of an internship at Hydro Aluminium in the USA. At the MSE 2016 in Darmstadt I met Prof. Hirsch, who encouraged me to apply for an internship at Hydro Aluminium Technology Center (HATC) in Michigan. After acquiring my Bachelor degree in March 2017 I flew to the USA to start my 6 month internship.

My everyday tasks are mainly the preparation and metallographic analysis of aluminium samples. One part of the workload is focused on the quality control of billets produced at Hydro foundries. We are also part of the assistance service for costumers from the Extrusion division. Besides chemical analysis, we also analyze the microstructure of the samples though a combination of optical and electron microscopy. Due to several smaller projects, we have a varied daily work routine. I got the chance to apply my theoretical knowledge and to improve my practical skills. In addition to the work, I could gather new cultural experiences and used my free time to explore the north east of the USA.

After my second internship I became aware how important practical skills are as an addition to theoretical knowledge. I want to thank the DGM, whose network brought me the chance to apply for this opportunity.

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