Name: Ethan Cheung
Pronouns: He/Him
Semester of Internship: Summer 2023
Major: Computer Science
Current Class Level: Junior
This semester I completed a(n)...: Research experience
Internship, Co-op, or Research Site (Company/Organization Name): Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory
Location of the Organization (City, State): Fulton, MD
Title of position: Software Engineering/Research Intern
Tell us about your internship, co-op, or research opportunity, including your day-to-day responsibilities:
Under the Cohort-based Integrated Research Community for Undergraduate Innovation and Trailblazing (CIRCUIT) Program at JHU APL, I had the opportunity to learn about and develop image processing software with my team (shoutout Icram and Amaiyah!) for cameras on the Lunar Vertex Lander for the Lunar Vertex Mission, which launches in 2024. This semester, we're also working on image projection and mapping on digital terrain models.
Describe the process of obtaining your position. When did you hear of the position and submit your application?
I heard about the CIRCUIT Program around October 2022 and applied to the CIRCUIT Program at JHU APL around January 2023.
What resources did you use to find your current experience?
Friend Referral
What have you enjoyed the most about your position and organization?
I enjoyed having the opportunity to contribute work to the Lunar Vertex Mission! Being able to work on a real-life problem/mission was super cool and an amazing opportunity to gain insight on software engineering processes. APL is also full of talented, amazing, and supportive people!
How do you believe you have made an impact through your work?
The features that my team and I worked on will be implemented into the app that we worked on as a new update. The space community doesn't have a tool with the features we're working on yet, so it's great knowing what we've built will be used by someone else!
What advice would you give to another student who is seeking an internship or similar experience?
Don't be afraid to ask for help; use all the resources that you have! Transitioning from an academic to research environment is tough. Research is difficult, so you or your mentor won't know exactly what to expect, but that's normal! You might be one of the first people to research your specific topic, so it's okay to feel unsure of your research processes.
Please provide a short reflection or quote about what you liked most about your position / earning internship credit / working with the Career Center.
Earning academic credit is helpful since I get to fulfill one of my major requirements!
Do you want the chance to be the next Intern of the Week? Fill out this form to be considered!