Our student this week is Rosemary Dabbs, a chemical engineering major who accepted a co-op at DuPont Titanium Technologies located in New Johnsonville, Tennessee. She describes the department she worked in and responsibilities.
“My position for the spring was in the R&D department at DuPont Titanium Technologies,” she said. “Throughout my time spent working this spring, I had three main projects.”
Her first project involved troubleshooting the performance of an online meter in order to implement the meter into process control. The second project comprised of testing the reliability and repeatable of a current measurement method and then using this test to investigate how certain operating conditions affected product composition. Her third project consisted of building a characterization of washing efficiency for technology currently used in process in order to understand where improvements can be made.
“While I was here, I picked up several smaller projects that included model validation and an evaluation of a process control calculation,” said Dabbs. “All of these projects required sampling, running lab test, and analyzing data. Additional objectives to accomplish by the end of the term were to have zero safety incidents and to become familiar with the overall process specifically in my designated area.”
Dabbs found vaulable benefits during her co-op assignment.
“It gave me professional experience in leading plant research tests, communicating with a diverse group of people, and developing my laboratory skills,” she said. “I think, however, the most valuable benefit I have obtained from this co-op is learning how to take initiative. Being a leader is something that is difficult to teach in a classroom. After my time here, I feel more confident in my ability to be a self-starter and work with others.”