Kansas State University intern program identifies big savings for Kansas industries
Friday, Oct. 7, 2016
MANHATTAN — The Kansas State University Pollution Prevention Institute Intern Program concluded its 11th year this summer with seven interns from three Kansas universities. The intern program links top-level engineering and environmental sciences students with host companies to research projects that reduce industrial emissions and wastes and conserve natural resources.
Since its launch in 2005, 83 Kansas students interning at more than 42 industrial facilities have made recommendations that, if implemented, would collectively realize savings of more than $11 million.
"This year's group of interns seemed particularly driven," said David Carter, summer intern program coordinator and pollution prevention specialist with engineering extension in Kansas State University's College of Engineering. "Collectively, the students identified potential savings of 8.3 million kWh of electricity, 321 million gallons of water, and $1 million in operating or disposal costs."
Hands-on experience is the key principle of the internship.
"The students we had this year were exceptional problem-solvers," Carter said. "As a result of their performance, one of the interns was offered continued work with his assigned company, and two were invited to present their projects at the state environmental conference."
The 2016 interns from Kansas State University and their host companies:
Kevin Moluf, senior in civil engineering, Manhattan, interned at Webco Manufacturing in Olathe; Ashton Wherry, senior in civil engineering, Olathe, interned at various facilities in Kansas; and Katherine Nguyen, senior in biological systems engineering, Wichita, interned at Via Christi in Wichita.
From out of state: Seth Heronemus, senior in civil engineering, St. Joseph, Missouri, interned with Henke Manufacturing in Leavenworth.
From out of country: Sarif Patwary, master's student in apparel and textiles, Bangledesh, interned at CST Storage in Parsons.
Also serving as Pollution Prevention Institute interns were Zade Safadi, junior in petroleum engineering at the University of Kansas, who interned at the Coleman Co. in Wichita; and Emily Brown, senior in renewable energy technology at Wichita State University, who interned at Compass Minerals in Lyons.
Recruiting for the summer 2017 intern program will take place in October and November, with applications due by the end of January 2017. For further information on the Kansas State University Pollution Prevention Institute intern program, go to https://www.sbeap.org/intern-program.
