Introduction
Hello! My name is John Kim, a Mechanical Engineering student at UC Berkeley pursuing a minor in Aerospace Engineering. This summer, I received the GLOBE Discovery Scholarship while participating in an aerospace systems research and development internship in Toronto, Canada, through the Berkeley Global Internships program.
During my internship, I worked on an autonomous airship UAV project alongside a startup company and college researchers. As someone interested in aerospace engineering and hoping to pursue a career in the space industry, I was excited to have the opportunity to apply what I had learned at Berkeley to a real aerospace engineering project while also experiencing what it was like to live and work abroad in Toronto.
My Aerospace Engineering Internship
The main project I worked on during my internship was the development of an autonomous surveillance airship UAV. Unlike the smaller fixed-wing UAVs that I had previously worked with, this aircraft was designed as a much larger system capable of vertical takeoff and landing, long-endurance flight, and carrying a significant payload.
I primarily worked on the structural design and analysis of the aircraft. Using Siemens NX and ANSYS, I worked on components and structures associated with the hull, payload support, propulsion system, and aircraft attachments. A major part of my work involved thinking about how different loads would travel through the aircraft and developing realistic load cases for conditions such as vertical takeoff, cruise, gusts, and propulsion loads.
I also had the opportunity to support aerodynamic analysis using tools such as ANSYS Fluent and XFOIL. One of the biggest things I learned was that getting a simulation to run is very different from getting a simulation to accurately represent a real engineering problem. I became much more aware of factors such as mesh quality, boundary layers, computational cost, and the assumptions that go into an engineering model.
The experience allowed me to apply concepts from mechanics, fluid dynamics, CAD, and finite element analysis to a much larger and more complex aerospace system than I had previously worked on. It also showed me how interconnected different areas of aircraft design are. Changing one component could affect structural loads, aerodynamics, propulsion integration, or other parts of the aircraft.
Working with My Team
Another important part of the internship was getting to work closely with engineers, researchers, and other interns throughout the summer.
Working in a relatively small team made the experience especially interesting because I was able to see more of the overall engineering process rather than focusing on only one small assignment. We regularly discussed design decisions, engineering challenges, simulation results, and potential improvements to the aircraft.
I also learned a lot simply by asking questions and seeing how other people approached engineering problems. There were many times when an initial design or simulation needed to be reconsidered after discussing assumptions or looking more carefully at the physical behavior of the system. Those experiences helped me become more comfortable with iteration and with recognizing that engineering rarely has a perfect answer on the first attempt.
Outside of the technical work, spending each day with my coworkers was also one of the most memorable parts of my summer. Sharing an engineering workspace, having conversations during breaks, and learning from people with different backgrounds made the internship feel like much more than just a technical experience.
Living in Toronto
Outside of my internship, this summer gave me the opportunity to experience Toronto and Canada more broadly.
Toronto was an especially interesting place to spend the summer because of how multicultural the city is. Walking through different neighborhoods, trying restaurants from different cultures, and meeting people from many different backgrounds made living there feel very different from simply visiting the city as a tourist.
I also enjoyed exploring Toronto whenever I had time outside of work. Some of my favorite experiences were simply walking around the city, seeing different neighborhoods, spending time with friends and coworkers, and experiencing everyday life in Canada.
Living abroad while working full-time also taught me a different kind of independence. I had to balance my internship responsibilities with transportation, meals, expenses, and exploring a city that was initially unfamiliar to me. Over the course of the summer, Toronto gradually became much more familiar and comfortable.
Exploring Beyond Work
The experience was not limited to engineering. During my free time and weekends, I tried to experience as much of Toronto and the surrounding area as I could.
Being in Canada for an extended period gave me the opportunity to see the city from a different perspective than I would have during a short vacation. Instead of trying to visit every attraction at once, I could explore different places gradually throughout the summer and spend time with the people I met through the internship.
These experiences were an important part of studying and working abroad for me. While the aerospace internship was the main reason I came to Toronto, the people I met and the experiences I had outside of work became an equally memorable part of the summer.
Conclusion
Overall, my summer in Toronto was an incredibly valuable opportunity to combine aerospace engineering experience with living and working abroad.
Through my internship, I gained hands-on experience with structural design, finite element analysis, computational fluid dynamics, and the development of a complex aerospace system. More importantly, I learned how these engineering tools are actually used together when solving real design problems and how important communication, iteration, and engineering judgment are throughout the process.
At the same time, living in Toronto gave me the opportunity to experience a new city, meet people from different backgrounds, and become more independent both professionally and personally.
I would like to thank everyone who made this experience possible, including the engineers, researchers, coworkers, and mentors who supported me throughout my internship. I would also like to thank the Berkeley GLOBE Center for awarding me the GLOBE Discovery Scholarship, which helped support my travel and living expenses while pursuing this opportunity in Canada.
This summer strengthened my interest in aerospace engineering and gave me experiences that I will carry into my future studies and career. I am grateful that I had the opportunity not only to work on an exciting aerospace project, but also to experience what it is like to live and work internationally.
Written By: John Kim
UC Berkeley Mechanical Engineering + Aerospace Engineering Minor Undergraduate