From the depths of the ocean to the forefront of medical research, discovery is driven by those willing to ask questions and explore what comes next. This summer, Rose-Hulman students put that curiosity into action, contributing to research and innovation across engineering and science through their summer internship and research experiences.

Claire slusser: University of Florida's SURF-REU

Sophomore mechanical engineering student Claire Slusser, from Mooresville, North Carolina, spent her summer participating in the University of Florida's Summer Undergraduate Research at Florida (SURF-REU) program. Working in the Fluids and Adaptive Structures (FASt) Lab, she helped advance the development of a fish-inspired robotic swimmer designed for ocean exploration and environmental monitoring.

Slusser’s primary responsibility was waterproofing and assembling the robot’s body to prepare it for swimming. She also tested new manufacturing methods for its artificial skin and contributed to the design of a sensory system modeled after the lateral line system found in fish, allowing the robot to detect changes in water flow. Outside the lab, Slusser enjoyed exploring Gainesville and experiencing Florida’s unique wildlife during the weekends.

Slusser hopes to pursue a career in ocean engineering, contributing to ocean exploration and monitoring through innovative robotics.

“Rose-Hulman has helped me develop hands-on skills as well as interpersonal skills that have served me well in my research experience for undergraduates this summer, and I’m certain it will continue to serve me well in my career,” she said.

Egan Walsh: Beaty Construction Inc.

Junior mechanical engineering student Egan Walsh, from LaGrange Park, Illinois, spent his summer as a project engineering intern with Beaty Construction, Inc. in Boggstown, Indiana, contributing to a bridge replacement and resurfacing project along Interstate 74.

Throughout the internship, Walsh supported project management efforts by monitoring construction progress, tracking material qualities and invoices, assisting with scheduling and budgeting, and ensuring work met Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) specifications.

One of Walsh’s favorite aspects of the internship has been the variety each day brings.

“Some days I spend at the office making spreadsheets to ensure we’re within budget, and other days I’m at a job site watching a bridge get torn down,” he shared.

Although he is still exploring his long-term career goals, Walsh said his experiences at Rose-Hulman have introduced him to new opportunities and helped him discover what he enjoys most about engineering.

The internship also reinforced the importance of approaching every opportunity with curiosity.

“Being open-minded and having a willingness to learn allows me to help more people and gets me more diversity in the kind of work I do, which is very important to me,” Walsh said.

Ellie Nolte: Elanco Animal Health

Senior biochemistry student Ellie Nolte, from Brownsburg, Indiana, spent her summer at Elanco Animal Health in Clinton, Indiana, where she contributed to projects that support laboratory processes and quality assurance.

Nolte worked on a water comparison study and an instrument qualification project. Her work involved using analytical instruments such as a UV-Vis spectrophotometer, pH meter, and total organic carbon and conductivity meter to compare water samples. She also helped develop a process to determine if laboratory instruments are properly qualified and ready for use in Elanco’s operations.

“Elanco has made it really easy to connect with supervisors and people in all different departments, so I get to learn about all areas of the business, not just the lab!” Nolte said.

Nolte said Rose-Hulman has given her the opportunity to explore different areas of chemistry through research while encouraging her to continue learning and growing both in and out of the classroom.

“You never know what opportunities and conversations you might have if you don’t put yourself out there,” Nolte said.

James Harris: MIT Lincoln Laboratory

Senior biomedical engineering student James Harris, from Oak Park, Illinois, spent his summer at MIT Lincoln Laboratory in Lexington, Massachusetts, contributing to advanced ultrasound research across multiple engineering projects.

Harris divided his time between several initiatives, including noncontact laser ultrasound, a project that uses lasers for advanced ultrasound imaging. His work included printed circuit board designs, optics, and supporting research involving transcranial ultrasound technologies.

The opportunity to work on a wide range of projects has been one of the highlights of Harris’ internship.

“I love the wide variety of projects and experiences I can have here,” Harris shared. “I get to get involved in so many different projects and gain experience in many different fields.”

Harris’ long-term goal is to develop microfluidic organoid culturing devices and other technologies that support drug research and testing. He said Rose-Hulman’s hands-on laboratory courses and undergraduate microfluidics research in the cleanroom have provided a strong foundation for pursuing that goal.

Throughout the summer, Harris also gained a new perspective on balancing time, cost, and efficiency in an engineering environment.

“I think the most valuable lesson I’ve gained from this experience is learning when to spend money,” he said. “It might make a lot more sense to spend money in an industry setting than spend days designing and building something that takes time away from more productive work.”

Matt Nustad: Anderson Laboratories, Inc. 

Sophomore chemical engineering student Matt Nustad, from Brookfield, Wisconsin, spent his summer as a materials testing intern with the chemistry department at Anderson Laboratories, Inc. in Greendale, Wisconsin. As the company’s only intern, Nustad gained hands-on experience across a wide range of chemical metallurgy testing and materials analysis projects.

Nustad worked with industry-standard equipment, including an Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectrometer (ICP-OES), a combustion analyzer, an oxygen and nitrogen analyzer, a handheld X-Ray Fluorescence chemical analyzer, and a microwave digestion system. His responsibilities also included preparing solution standards, performing nital etching to detect grinder burn, and utilizing a Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS) to support testing and reporting processes.

“I love how much stuff I get to do,” Nustad said. “Every day is different here with new customer requests and challenges. As the only intern at a small company, I get to see almost everything that happens and learn more than I ever would at a larger company."

In addition to his laboratory work, Nustad improved his communication skills by working with coworkers, company leaders, and customers.

“The most valuable thing I have learned so far at Anderson is how to ask questions and communicate with a variety of people,” he said. “The way I talk with my coworkers in the chemistry department is very different from how I communicate with high-ups and customers.”

Nustad’s dream career is in material testing and production.

“Rose-Hulman is helping me achieve that goal through the hands-on lab experience I’ve gained, the rigorous education it provides, and the data analysis skills I’ve developed using tools like Excel,” he said.

Vance Steel: IBM

Computer engineering senior Vance Steele, from Radford, Virginia, spent his summer at IBM in Austin, Texas, working on enterprise technologies that support Linux systems and network security.

As a power systems developer intern, Steele focused on improving Linux kernel performance for IBM Power systems while helping integrate artificial intelligence into enterprise computing environments. His work contributed to developing more efficient and secure systems used by businesses around the world.

One of Steele’s favorite aspects of the internship has been the opportunity to learn from experienced professionals across the company.

“I have enjoyed being able to interact with full-time employees across all different categories, allowing me to learn anything and everything I could want to while I am here,” Steele said.

Steele’s long-term goal is to apply computer engineering to neuroscience or related biological sciences, whether through hardware development or artificial intelligence. He hopes to create new technologies that improve people’s lives by bringing innovation to the field.

He said, “The most valuable lesson I have learned at my internship is spending way more time planning. The better the project is planned and set up, the easier it is to find solutions to sticking points. It gets done faster, too!”