Lia Sanford, a junior in mechanical engineering, spent her summer co-op way outside of her comfort zone and half the world away.
Through an international internship program that funds research conducted in Germany by STEM students from English-speaking countries, Sanford was able to work at the Fraunhofer Institute for Mechanics and Materials in Freiburg as a materials science engineering intern.
Lia Sanford, a junior in mechanical engineering at UToledo, spent the summer as a materials science engineering intern at Fraunhofer Institute for Mechanics and Materials in Freiburg, Germany.
The Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst RISE program — the German Academic Exchange Service Research Internships in Science and Engineering— offers undergraduate students from North American, British and Irish universities the opportunity to complete a summer research internship at top German universities and research institutions. RISE Germany is funded by the German Federal Foreign Office.
Sanford said the classroom knowledge and skills she gained as a Rocket were invaluable during her internship.
“At the institute, I applied the knowledge I learned in my Materials Science course at UToledo to a wide range of projects,” she said.
Sanford also acquired on-the-job knowledge as well.
“I learned how to conduct tensile and compression tests, coding in Python, digital image correlation to analyze test results and so much more. Most of my projects focused on the material behavior of fiber matrix composites, which allowed me to delve deep into a subject I would have otherwise known little about.”
Dr. Mohammad Elahinia, chair and professor in the Mechanical, Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering (MIME) department, said that the MIME department has been developing a series of programs to allow students such as Sanford to focus on high demand areas of expertise.
“One of these areas is Materials Science and Engineering, which is very relevant to Lia’s experience in Germany,” Elahinia said. “Students also can focus on other areas such as Mechatronics, and Advance Manufacturing. To better prepare the students for the rapid changes in the industry, we strongly encourage the students to choose one of these areas of specialization and consider the 4+1 program to obtain a master’s degree.
“The students also have access to state-of-the-art equipment at the department and the Institute for Applied Engineering Research that allows them to hone their expertise in these areas.”
Sanford said her choice to purse a degree through UToledo’s College of Engineering has proven instrumental in her career development.
Sanford
“The integrated co-op program has pushed me to strive higher than I would at any other school,” she said. “I remember Geoffrey Humphrys, associate director in the Shah Center for Engineering Career Development, encouraging my classmates and me as freshmen to jump out of our comfort zones when searching for a co-op. This advice stuck with me as I applied for the RISE program.
“Thanks to this program, I was able to spend a summer in Germany learning the differences between German and American work styles, adapting to the culture, becoming more fluent in German and exploring beautiful destinations throughout Europe. I also made lasting connections with both my coworkers and other RISE interns from around the world. I’m excited to bring my experiences back to the College of Engineering and encourage other students to take the leap of faith I did.”
Humphrys said he applauded and commended Sanford for stepping out of her comfort zone over the summer to experience an important global immersion research co-op opportunity in Germany.
“Our engineering students have chances to participate in study abroad and international experiences — this was a perfect opportunity for her,” he said. “Lia, as a member of the Roy and Marcia Armes Engineering Leadership Institute, also participated in the May 2023 Sustainability in Europe excursion. These types of experiences strategically position our UToledo students to secure top-notch positions in our global economy.”
