Lucia Morton

Majors: Political Science, Aeronautical & Astronautical Engineering

Computational Engineering Intern at Lawrence Livermore National Lab

How did you learn about this internship opportunity?

I visited the Lawrence Livermore National Lab with my previous employer for a technical work meeting. Surprisingly, I was able to connect with other researchers who were seeking my skills at the time. Soon after, I applied through their general internship application program and was matched with the team.

How has your internship helped build your skills and clarify your career goals? How did being a Liberal Arts student at Purdue apply to your internship?

I am pursuing a double-major in Political Science (in addition to my Aeronautical & Astronautical Engineering degree). I was excited both to start my degree with the CLA and to pursue an internship with a national lab this summer to foster a unique experience in government-operated research. I am interested in learning more about how policy and technical communication can influence the lives and careers of researchers, specifically with regards to space policy and tech diplomacy.

What is a piece of advice you would give someone in your major looking for an internship?

Don't be afraid to seek out unconventional employers! National labs are a wonderful place for ANY major to get exposed to industries/disciplines they may not be familiar with. There are several early-career roles in government that could benefit from interdisciplinary skillsets, so do not limit yourself to a single field when looking for jobs.

What key responsibilities or tasks have you taken on during your internship?

Composing weekly and monthly technical presentations to both our stakeholders and fellow researchers about the progress made on my intern project; picking up new software and mathematical techniques for analyzing complex physics problems; completing an after-hours hands-on workshop in laser optics to (a) learn more about curriculum development and teaching and (b) to improve my skills with relevant equipment.

In what ways has the College of Liberal Arts at Purdue University supported your internship journey? How has your participation in our job-ready program specifically aided your professional development?

As a CLA student through my double major, I was fortunate to be eligible for the summer Job Ready Award. This award provided me with financial support to pursue this out-of-state internship. I felt lucky to receive the award for my unconventional internship at a national lab and am eager to continue seeking other ways to engage with the CLA as a dual-degree student interested in tech policy.

Could you highlight a standout aspect of your experience in this program that you find particularly noteworthy?

Applying for this award presented a unique opportunity for me to reflect on the interdisciplinary nature of my upcoming internship as well as be mindful of how I could potentially supplement my technical responsibilities with learning relevant to my Political Science degree. Once awarded, I was motivated to seek out other CLA students at Purdue that were interested in the intersection between technical public service and policy. Overall, I am thankful for the thoughtful motivation behind this program.