Alexis Allen, Mechanical Engineering, Class of 2026

Where are you interning, and what is your role?

Naval Surface Warfare Center as a summer intern in the Auxiliary Steam Turbine division

What projects or assignments are you working on?

The projects that I’m currently working on are analyzing the stress of piping systems on our ships, redesigning a component for fitment purposes, and assisting in ship inspections and repairs. 

What does a typical day look like?

A typical day consists of working in Autocad, creating spreadsheets in excel for the sustained and expansion stresses, and accompanying the team to our labs for testing. 

What Rowan class or experience has helped you most?

Taking Intro to Thermal Fluid Science helped me the most with my current position because knowing the steam cycle is essential to the work my division handles. 

What new technical or professional skills have you developed?

The new technical skills I developed are drafting engineering drawings for manufacturers, performing stress analyses, and troubleshooting techniques for the repair of ship safety equipment. 

What has surprised you about working in the mechanical engineering field?

What surprised me most is how much material was utilized from my coursework in this position. From the software to the fundamentals, it gave me a basis for further development of my skillset as an engineer. 

How has a faculty member or mentor supported you?

My advisor, Dr.Bakrania, was an amazing mentor that never stopped believing in me and provided me a space to conceptualize my ideas before being brought into fruition. I knew if I had an idea, he was always going to have more questions so that I could grasp it from another perspective. He is a pillar in my success because of his drive to see all of his advisees not only succeed, but thrive. 

What advice would you give another student pursuing an internship?

The advice I would give another student is to be yourself and be confident in the skills you already possess. Companies can help you nurture that skillset to help you become a more well rounded engineer. 

Complete the sentence: “This summer, I am helping to…”

...improve the safety equipment aboard Navy vessels!