Intern experience at the Texas Transportation Institute: an internship report

Abstract

This report discusses the author's engineering experience at the Texas Transportation Institute (TTI), Texas A&M University from March 1974 through July 1977. A report of this experience plus twelve additional hours of academic course work were substituted for an internship according to requirements established by the College of Engineering. Although the author could not retroactively establish objectives of the type associated with a typical internship, the work experience gained could be related to the two general objectives of an intership: 1. To demonstrate an identifiable contribution to the organization in which the intern served, and 2. To enable the intern to become aware of the non-technical aspects of working as an engineer in a non-academic environment. While a member of the Texas Transportation Institute staff, the author worked on a number of projects in the areas of highway traffic engineering research and the preparation of continuing education courses for transportation engineering officials. These assignments were contained within the Urban Transportation Systems Division of TTI. This report delineates the author's contribution to four particular projects and discusses the technical as well as non-technical experience gained from each. Having been exposed to more engineering situations than many of the other Doctor of Engineering students, the author has already formulated some rather specific milestones for the future. The Doctor of Engineering program is discussed in conjunction with its potential for helping the author attain these career goals and objectives. Also, some thoughts are presented regarding the Doctor of Engineering as a viable alternative to the Ph.D. in preparing for a career in engineering higher education.