Industrial Hygiene Intern at Cornell University
As a proud Gamecock hidden amongst a sea of Ivy Leaguers, I find my job absolutely enthralling. Not only do I have access to some of the best labs in the nation, but also am privy to do research knocking elbows with world renowned scientists. To say I feel lucky does not even begin to describe my emotions toward this job; I think I won the lottery. Anyway, my job has numerous components including research. The main component of my job includes doing research into the emissions created by 3D printers. These emissions may include ultrafine particulate, VOCs, or other toxic off-gases that are overlooked. My job is to print objects on every 3D printer on campus (approximately 60 known printers), determine the levels of ultrafine particulate and other gases, compare these levels to permissible levels by OSHA and NIOSH, and determine environmental impact from these printers. Once my report is finished in early August, I will be collaborating with MIT, Harvard, and WVU to compare data on similar research and formulate an operating protocol for 3D printers including required ventilation, run times, and permissible exposure levels. In my opinion, working with the professors at Cornell has been the best part as they are all extremely helpful, caring, and passionate about the research I am doing. Overall, I absolutely adore my job and could not be happier. The people and contacts I have made here in Ithaca will certainly last a lifetime. Go Big Red! And, of course, GO COCKS!