For my STEP Signature Project, I had an engineering internship with the Ohio EPA Division of Drinking and Ground Waters. I began my full-time internship position on May 20th and am continuing to work part time during the school year. My main responsibilities involve reviewing plans for water treatment plant system upgrades.

While completing my STEP Signature Project, I gained a much deeper understanding of how drinking water is treated and what it means to work for the government. Before this internship, my knowledge of drinking water plants and the distribution system was limited to what I had learned in class. During my internship, I had hands-on experience working with drinking water plant plans, water quality data, and went on numerous site visits. Through this experience I have a much deeper understanding of the various stages of the water treatment train.

My internship with the EPA also exposed me to the inner workings of a government agency. One of my main roles during my internship was to review plans for water treatment plant proposed upgrades with a focus on ensuring that the plans complied with state policies. This experience showed me the impact that working in the public sector has on communities and the importance of regulatory standards to protect public health and safety.

One of the most transformative experiences during my STEP Signature Project was attending site visits to multiple water treatment plants across Ohio. These tours provided me with a firsthand look at the different processes and equipment in operation which significantly deepened my understanding of drinking water treatment. I found that this experience was also valuable when it came to my work reviewing plans. I am now able to better visualize and understand the layouts of the engineering drawings.

These tours also highlighted the diversity among water treatment plants across different regions of Ohio. It was interesting to see the differences in methods and processes used based on the whether the primary water source for the plant was surface water or groundwater. It was also fascinating to see how each plant differed based on the unique needs of the community whether it was varying water quality, resource availability, or the population size. This experience not only deepened my technical knowledge from classes, but also further showed me how important engineering is in protecting public and ecological health.

Another important aspect of my internship was the relationships with my supervisor and the engineers on my team. Everyone in my division was super knowledgeable about the field and their willingness to mentor me bettered my understanding of water treatment. I also had the opportunity to sit in on meetings where the team was making alterations to state regulatory standards. Their attention to detail emphasized the importance of the government’s role in protecting public health and has interested me to pursue a future career in the public sector.

This transformation is significant because it has confirmed my decision to study environmental engineering. Seeing firsthand the impact that engineering can have on public health and safety has solidfied my commitment to pursuing a career in engineering. This experience has also helped to shape my career goals because it sparked an interest in working within the public sector after graduation. Not only have I gained a better understanding of the water treatment processes and the regulatory standards, but I strengthen my technical skills necessary for my future career.