ISAT student programs robotic arm during internship

During her summer internship, Integrated Science and Technology (ISAT) major Meghan Gelerman didn't expect to program a robotic arm. However, by the end of the summer, she took charge of the project.

Gelerman was a manufacturing engineer intern for AccuRounds, an industrial manufacturing company in Avon, Massachusetts, that makes custom parts for medical, aerospace, and defense companies.

Although Gelerman had little programming knowledge, her primary responsibility was to improve the function of a robotic arm that picks up items and moves them into bins. "It was an intimidating task," she said.

She began writing simple codes and playing around with programming the robotic arm. Then she slowly started building on it and making it more complicated. "By the end of the summer, I think I gave the company an excellent start to finalizing the machine's function," explained Gelerman.

Many aspects of the ISAT major helped her succeed in her internship. The technical coursework and the collaborative nature of ISAT classes prepared her to take on this new challenge. "The professors in the ISAT program have contributed to my achievements and continuation in STEM," she says.

"My professors kept me interested [in the major] because every single professor I've had has a different background," notes Gelerman. "It's cool how they all ended up in one department."

Gelerman's internship experience made her more aware of the challenges women in STEM face in the workplace. For example, she was conscious that most of her coworkers were men, as were the previous interns. As a result, she became more assertive and self-assured. "It pushed me to build more confidence in myself and present my own opinions," she says.

Gelerman is currently a teaching assistant in the ISAT Program and a research assistant to ISAT professors Shannon Conley and Emily York on their project "Ethical Reasoning in STEM and Collaborative Teaching in Higher Education." In the future, she would like to continue to work in pharmaceutical or medical manufacturing.

Learn more about the ISAT major.