1. Please provide a brief description of your STEP Signature Project.
Write two or three sentences describing the main activities your STEP Signature Project entailed.
This past summer of 2023, I interned for Northrop Grumman Corporation as a software engineering intern at their Baltimore, Maryland campus for a total of 10 weeks from June 5th to August 11th. As a software engineering intern, I developed and tested software parsing RF pulse files interfacing with signal generators and spectrum analyzers, utilizing C++ and MATLAB. Outside of work, I learned to live independently in Baltimore and had the opportunity to explore the greater DMV (DC, Maryland, Virginia) area.
2. What about your understanding of yourself, your assumptions, or your view of the world changed/transformed while completing your STEP Signature Project?
Write one or two paragraphs to describe the change or transformation that took place.
Coming into this internship, I had the desire to explore the field of computer science and figuring out if backend software development or software engineering is the path I wish to take. Generally, software development and software engineering are similar paths as many companies intertwine their responsibilities with each other. Post internship, I have concluded that this would most likely be the path for me to follow post-graduation. However, if I have the opportunity to in the future, I will pivot to explore other paths of computer science, such as data science and cybersecurity, both of which were prevalent at Northrop Grumman. Beyond fields, I will look for opportunities for rotational programs to participate in as they appear to be a great way to gain experience in multiple different disciplines either across engineering or computer science in general. Likewise, I will seek professional and personal experiences that may not necessarily align with my career path simply to learn more about the world and other professional networks. Another transformation of myself that I have come to realize is that a dream job lies in not the job itself, but the people you work with on a day-to-day basis.
Living in Baltimore for a whole summer, I have learned that cost of living is a measure that must be looked at regardless of where you will be living, but especially in cities. Beyond cost of living, a city’s culture should be analyzed to have a better understanding of one’s surroundings and what there is to offer in terms of lifestyle. A city that builds an efficient public transportation system clearly shows that it provides its people with what they need to live their lives with convenience. A city that showcases local business, arts, and crafts also provides insight into the culture of the city. Parks and other free attractions are a cost-effective way to show off the beauty of a city to not only tourists, but especially those who choose to make that city home.
3. What events, interactions, relationships, or activities during your STEP Signature Project led to the change/transformation that you discussed in #2, and how did those affect you?
Write three or four paragraphs describing the key aspects of your experiences completing your STEP Signature Project that led to this change/transformation.
During my STEP internship experience, I learned a lot about software engineering in the fields of RF and small embedded systems. Coming to Northrop Grumman, I had almost no experience or knowledge about these fields, so I was able to learn much of the terminology, mathematics, and methodologies done in these fields in relation to software specifically. While I do not have much desire to continue in these specific fields, I was still able to experience it firsthand to obtain an understanding of what they entail. Embedded systems are prevalent in my industry fields, so the knowledge I gain from this internship is much more valuable than what I let on. And, of course, this knowledge and experience in software engineering is encouraging me to continue in this direction of my career path as mentioned earlier.
Aside from specific internship tasks and learning, I also had the opportunity to participate and attend several exciting events and tours. One particular one continues to stand out to me: a tour of the space sector campus of Northrop Grumman. I was able to see a mission operations center in person, as well as several satellites and antennas, and much more. While I do not have space in my career path at the moment, attending this tour showed me that there can be beauty in the work you do, regardless of how serious or monotonous the work may be. Another event that also stands out is a cybersecurity lecture by a cyber analyst at Northrop Grumman. I was able to learn about what the field entails and what a day in their working life is like, showing me what my experience could possibly be if I eventually transition to that side of computer science.
A large portion of what made my STEP experience special, however, was the people. My team was very welcoming from day 1, ensuring that my intern experience was worthy of my time and of theirs as well. There were 7 other interns on my team itself, so we became quite well-acquainted or even friends by the end of the internship. With these friends, sometimes after work, we would go out for dinner or do fun things together, so those are fond memories for me. The software tech lead responsible for me and my projects had become my mentor and a friend across the span of the internship. He gave me valuable information about the field of software engineering itself and much of his experiences as a software engineer himself moving between companies and fields. This is all to reiterate that a dream job is less about the work you do, but rather the people you work with or see on a daily basis.
As for Baltimore itself, it is quite an interesting city. Given its proximity to Washington D.C., rent can be quite expensive as many of those working in D.C. choose to live in Baltimore instead, being only a metro ride away. However, also given its reputation as a city of high crime, I was expecting the worst but having stayed there a whole summer, there is some charm in its city. These two details combined essentially equate to paying for safety, meaning high rent, as not all of Baltimore is that susceptible to crime. There are many problems and details that lie beyond the surface that speak to the crime rate and high homelessness rate, so I won’t expand too much beyond that. In correlation to these factors, while Baltimore does have a working public transportation system, it is not entirely reliable, and schedules are not consistent enough. However, Baltimore does have quite a local arts and music scene, showcasing many of their local talents in events and on a popular Baltimore events website. D.C. itself, which is only a metro ride away, also has quite a few events to market as well to the Baltimore people. While Baltimore may not be the city for me in the future, I acknowledge that it is a city of culture, but you just need to be careful of your surroundings and the people you interact with in your local travels. Staying in Baltimore over the summer has given me a better idea of what type of city I would like to live within in the future.
4. Why is this change/transformation significant or valuable for your life?
Write one or two paragraphs discussing why this change or development matters and/or relates to your academic, personal, and/or professional goals and future plans.
My STEP experience with an internship has significantly transformed my life professionally as it has led me to discover and ultimately choose software development/engineering as my career path within the field of computer science, at least post-graduation. Beyond that, I was also able to gain valuable information from speakers and peers at Northrop Grumman who have done work among the cybersecurity, data analysis and data science paths. This information will prove to be invaluable in my career journey as I may choose to pivot from software engineering due to opportunities and interests. Additionally, this experience is academically significant as it has allowed me the opportunity to apply content I have learned from my coursework, namely object-oriented design, programming principles, testing, and much more.
Furthermore, living in Baltimore will forever be a significant part of my personal life. As I will be graduating soon, I have started looking for which city I will call home in the future. I have come to learn what I wish for in the culture of a city, as well as what I wish for within the city, especially in terms of public transportation, local events, and nature. The busyness evident in a big city showcases much of the world, and being able to experience that is wonderful in gaining a better understanding of the world, but also myself. All the experiences that I have experienced in my daily walks, travels, sights, and encounters have given me an appreciation and a caution of the world around me, along with the people in it.
