Students attending Rose-Hulman are investing in their future. Through summer internships and research experiences for undergraduates, Rose students gain skills and insights for personal and professional success. From embarking on neuroscience research at prestigious labs across the country to working at companies such as Callaway Golf, these Rose students are assuring their college education is paying off in dividends.
Willem De Veirman
Willem De Veirman, a junior from Antwerp, Belgium via Newport Beach, California, is double majoring in mathematics and computer science. He also has minors in entrepreneurial studies and German.
De Veirman was an undergraduate summer research intern with the Colorado Summer Institute in Biostatistics and Data Science (CoSIBS) at the University of Colorado, Denver and the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus. The program is sponsored by a grant from the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute of the National Institutes of Health.
As part of his internship experience, De Veirman worked on a project that examined data collected from the Department of Defense to determine if early metabolomic and proteomic information can be used to improve survival rates from individuals suffering from shock-inducing injuries (e.g., blunt-force trauma, such as car accidents or deep puncture wounds like stabbings and gunshots).
After graduation, De Veirman plans to attend graduate school.
“Rose-Hulman is helping me achieve this goal by helping me make great connections and allowing me to take specialized courses as an undergraduate, which has already landed me valuable research experience,” said De Veirman.
“The Career Services department on campus is also a great resource. … Rose wants to see you succeed.”
Gillian Gorocica
Gillian Gorocica, a junior biology major from Los Angeles, California, knows the rigor of Rose is preparing her for the rigor that lies ahead: attending medical school.
She volunteers in the ICU and NICU at Union Hospital in Terre Haute, and this summer, she completed a clinical research internship at Nationwide Children's Hospital Center for Perinatal Research in Columbus, Ohio.
Her ultimate goal is to work in neurosurgery, serving "those who are most vulnerable and most in need in our communities. "
"My interest and inspiration for this goal comes from my mother, who was treated for a neurological deformation when I was much younger, " Gorocica said.
"What I've really loved about this internship is all of the exposure that I've gotten in the medical field in so many different specialties. Observing several neurosurgeries was a huge highlight of my summer."
Gorocica looked at the correlation of sensory profiles in neonates treated pharmacologically for neonatal opioid withdrawal syndrome (NOWS) with their neurobehavioral development at 2-3 years of age. Gorocica's experience culminated in a poster presentation of her research, as well as a published research abstract, of which she is the primary author.
Mikaela Ikeda
Mikaela Ikeda, a senior from Seattle, Washington and Chicago, is majoring in mechanical engineering while concurrently working toward her master’s degree in engineering management.
This summer, Ikeda interned at Topgolf Callaway Brands (TCB) in Carlsbad, California, in the Pro Tour/Global Assembly Engineering department.
Her projects focused on process flow for tracking product movement from receiving to shipping, and she identified process gaps in serial number tracking, leading an initiative to optimize warehouse receiving operations by implementing departmental package delivery stations.
She led a multifaceted warehouse reorganization designed to optimize warehouse space utilization and digitized warehouse layout and integrated it with inventory management software.
At Rose, Ikeda plays for the women’s golf team. She’s also a member of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, the Society of Women Engineers, and the Society of Asian Scientists and Engineers.
Tristan Scheiner
Tristan Scheiner, a senior computer science major from Chicago, Illinois, dreams of earning a PhD before working as a research assistant at either Google Deepmind or OpenAI. He developed his research skills this summer during an REU experience at University of Southern California's Institute of Creative Technologies.
Scheiner has enjoyed making connections with other researchers, including undergraduate, graduate, and postdoctoral students, as well as faculty. At Rose, Scheiner is involved with the MATE Robotics team.
Kylie Rathbun
Kylie Rathbun, a senior from Tulsa, Oklahoma, is a biomedical engineering major.
This summer, Rathbun participated in the Neuroscience Summer Undergraduate Research Experience (SURE) program at Oklahoma University Health and Science Center in the Geroscience and Healthy Aging Laboratory.
One of the projects Rathbun worked on is investigating the impact of cellular aging in the small vessels of the brain and the formation of microbleeds.
Her dream career revolves around being a neuro-device expert engaged in clinical research and working closely with patients and other experts to promote and enhance medical device interventions.
“Rose-Hulman’s strong connections with industry companies have provided me with valuable experiences and an extensive network,” said Rathbun. “These experiences have given me the chance to reflect on my career path and solidify my passion for neuroengineering, in various working styles, and at different site environments.”
At Rose, Rathbun plays volleyball and throws for indoor and outdoor track and field. She is also currently the treasurer for the Gamma Lambda chapter of Chi Omega on campus.
Megan Foder
Megan Foder, a senior from Woodlands, Texas, is majoring in chemical engineering with a minor in biology. She is also working on a concurrent master’s degree in engineering management as part of the Rose Squared program.
This summer, Foder interned at BASF as a process engineer at the company’s manufacturing plant.
Projects she worked on included creating new reactor formula cards for operators to assist them in determining the amount of each ingredient to charge into the reactor chain; building a tool for supply chain to assist in the forecasting of and ordering of the raw materials consumed by the plant (that also doubles as a training resource); and spearheading a yellow belt project to relocate the blowdown of the cooling tower system that will reduce water loss by over 45%, among other things.
“I love being able to pull all my coursework from various classes and labs together to generate a real impact at the BASF plant,” said Foder.
“It’s the best feeling to start seeing all those pieces start clicking together – whether it’s a concept from process control, or a process from ChemE lab, being able to incorporate things I have learned into a tangible result is so rewarding.”
At Rose, Foder is a captain of the women’s soccer team. She’s also an officer for Omega Chi Epsilon, the Chemical Engineering Honor Society, and a member of Alpha Lambda Delta and AIChE, the American Institute of Chemical Engineers.