Over the next couple of weeks, USBE Online will bring you stories about summer internships: What they are, when you should apply for them, how you can get them,  why you need them, how long they last, and what to do if you missed internship opportunities during the BEYA STEM  Conference in February. This is Myles Moore’s story. He is the 2019 BEYA Student Research Award winner. 

For the first time in three years, Myles Moore, 23, did something different than interning this summer. The spring 2019 graduate from Alabama A&M University, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering with a concentration in propulsion systems and a minor in mathematics, began graduate studies in sustainable energy and transportation at the University of California, Irvine.

“Internships are extremely valuable because they give you real-world experience on applying what you learned in the classroom,” said Moore via email. “An internship helps you to determine which part of your field you enjoy the most.”

He knows what he’s talking about having spent summers interning at the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory in 2016, Brookhaven National Lab in 2017, and NASA research facility in 2018. He worked on such projects as designing and fabricating a magnetic cooling tester at NASA and simulations to determine a better test method for determining boiler efficiency at Brookhaven.

During his first internship at the naval lab, he performed experiments to determine an efficient and repeatable heating profile for use in ion thrusters. Moore’s career goal is to be a researcher and work on clean, sustainable energy.

 “I obtained my internships through the network I built at Alabama A&M University,” said the 2019 BEYA Student Research Award winner. “Through a good work ethic and maintaining a strong relationship with my professors, they referred me to these opportunities. I would always advise someone to get an internship. It builds your network and allows you to gain great experience.”