NC State Paper Science

What a great turnout! Thank you to all the participating companies for your support’

PSE hosted a fantastic tour for a group of NC Congressional Staffers and a few NCSU research and extension administrators this week. Thank you to those who helped organize, attended and spoke for this event, including Angela Rush, Allen Sanders, Joel Pawlak, Ronald Marquez, Perry Peralta, Paul Frederik Laleicke, Rico Ruffino, Daniel Saloni, and Ilona Peszlen. Your efforts are definitely appreciated by the department and the college.

Internship Spotlight

Rounding out our coverage of these remarkable summer internships, we speak with Andrew King about his Process Engineering internship with Cascades Tissue Group in Rockingham, NC.

What was your favorite part of your internship?
My favorite part of my internship has been working on the process from start to finish. Most interns are assigned to a department, but since our mill is so small, I have been able to work in almost all sections of the process. It’s also been great to work with an upperclassman on some of my projects. There was another intern I worked with who had a lot of technical knowledge I hadn’t learned yet, and it was useful to use their skills and watch them work over the summer.

How does your internship relate to what you've learned in the classroom?
My class work, so far, has taught me important concepts and terminology for the field. So, it has been helpful for me to be able to “speak the same language” as the engineers and process leads.

Do you think the PSE program helped prepare you for this internship?
The PSE program prepared me professionally for this internship very well. I knew what to expect from a professional environment and interactions with corporate superiors. This came in handy when taking part in meetings and when I was required to meet with an important member of the corporate team.

What do you like to do after work and on weekends?
This summer I had the time to learn to cook! I got to sharpen my skills as an adult through working full-time, as well as, refining skills I’ll need later on down the road! I also got to meet the other interns from Cascades-Wagram on occasion. However, my favorite part was the disc golf course 10 minutes from housing!

Thanks, Andrew for sharing these details, we look forward to a great new academic year with you!

Internship Spotlight

Where does TAPPI student president, Kaya Kusmierczuk, spend her summer internship? She journeyed down to Florida to join Suzano's team as a Technical Service intern in Biopulp Applications Services and also enjoyed a one week excursion to their Brazil HQ. Let's hear more from Kaya:

What has been your favorite part of the internship?
I got to spend a week in Brazil touring and learning about all of our operations. I saw the whole process from nursery to port. I also really love the great company culture; I have felt so welcomed at Suzano. It's a great place to work.

Has the PSE program prepared you?
It has been helpful having quite a bit of technical knowledge of the process from class when working on my projects. I've spent a lot of time researching refining and stock prep techniques during my internship. I've also focused a lot on paper qualities and characteristics when using BEKP, so the paper testing labs in school helped with my understanding of that. The PSE program has also trained me to work hard and provide results, which has been essential this summer when working in a high-performance team.

How is this different from your prior internships?
I'm not working in a mill. My role is very technical knowledge based and is more about logistics and supporting our North American customers. It is also different because we used 100% eucalyptus wood, so I've had to learn a lot about BEKP qualities and processing characteristics.

If you are working outside NC, what do you like about the area you worked in?
The beach! Southern Florida is so tropical, beachy, and full of cool plants/animals!

What do you like to do after work and on weekends?
I go to the beach so much to swim and watch the boats/planes taking off since there are ports nearby. I also like going on walks and visiting state parks to enjoy the weather and nature.

Our students get amazing opportunities from our corporate partners!

Internship Spotlight

As part of International Paper's summer cohort of interns, Lucy Jones traveled to Ohio for the duration of her Technology internship. She answers a couple of questions about it.

What has been your favorite part?
Working with so many SMEs has been a great learning opportunity! I try to pick their brains as much as possible. Also, getting to travel to different mills for audits is really fun.

What did you like most about the location?
Cincinnati is such a fun city and the foothills are so beautiful. I’m having a great time discovering new restaurants and spending time at the art museum.

Lucy returns to campus next week and we hope to learn more!

Internship Spotlight

Not that we are AT ALL biased, but featuring our Pulp and Paper Advisory Board Secretary and PSE intern, Sara Gregory, is just a bit special knowing she's due back on campus next week!

Sara joined Sonoco for the summer as a Processing Engineering intern in Newport, TN, leaving her home state for her first internship as a rising sophomore. How did her summer go?

What has been your favorite part of the internship?
My favorite part of my internship has definitely been the outages. I loved getting my hands dirty and working on the machine when it was down. It was so exciting, and I learned so much about how the machines work. (Her photo shows a bit of her "grit and determination"!)

Do you think the PSE program prepared you well?
During my freshman year, I took PSE 201 where I learned the whole paper process. During this time, we talked a little about the recycling side of the paper industry. I am currently working at a recycling mill with cylinder machines. Thanks to PSE 201, I came into my internship with knowledge about how this specific process works. Not only has the PSE program given me knowledge about the paper-making process, but it has also taught me how to act professionally in the workplace.

If not working in NC, how have you enjoyed your new location?
I have enjoyed living in Tennessee for the summer. I have been living in Knoxville, so I like to go on runs around the University of Tennessee, explore downtown Knoxville, hang out with my roommates, and go to the movies. I also took a trip to Nashville Superspeedway to see a NASCAR race.

Our students continue to impress us with their poise and strong interest in rolling up their sleeves in both acquiring knowledge and working in industry.

Internship Spotlight

Matthew Hyden spent his summer internship at Cascades in Wagram, NC as a Safety Intern. He reacts to his experience,

What has been your favorite part?
My favorite part of this internship is ability to express my creativity and the ability to use out of the box solutions. Helping re-develop a safer work environment has been a difficult task and one that I cherish working on.

How was this role different from prior internships?
This experience is much more fulfilling than my previous experience. This summer, I have been given projects that will inevitably affect the safety environment in the mill. In comparison, last summer I spent much more time gathering data for my supervisors. They are both important roles. However, the work I am doing this summer is more in-line with my ambitions and goals.

What do you like to do after work and on weekends?
After work and on the weekends, I've spent my time learning how to play the guitar and playing board games and video games with the other interns, who are also my roommates for the summer.

It sounds like Matthew may have found his niche in Safety, we will keep track of where he ultimately ends up post graduation to see just how impactful this internship was for him.

Paper Science Program Offers Path to Purpose-Driven Career for Elena Zuidema '25 Elena Zuidema, a junior majoring in paper science and engineering, talks about her journey at the NC State College of Natural Resources.

Internship Spotlight

Joining a true industry giant, Caroline Youngblood, spent her summer internship with Procter & Gamble in Albany, GA. Caroline took on the role of Process Engineering intern in papermaking. She shares with us about her experience, as you can see, she understands the daily needs P&G's paper-making meets!

What has been your favorite part of the internship?
My favorite part about the internship has been the projects. P&G gives all their interns 5 projects to complete over the summer that have a major impact on production. My favorite project this summer has been a Stickies Loss Elimination where I developed theories as to why stickies were happening and how to combat them. Since I’ve worked on the project, we have seen a significant decrease in stickies! Projects like this make me feel like my time is being well spent and prepares me for what being a full time process engineer might look like at P&G.

Do you think the PSE program prepared you for your internship?
Absolutely. The best preparation I got was from attending TAPPI student summit this past year where I was able to attend a Tissue 101 session. This presentation helped me greatly with understanding how tissue/towel production is different from board, which is what both of my previous internships were in. It definitely gave me a leg up during training and getting started on my projects. Additionally, PSE 370 has a unit on tissue/towel manufacturing which taught about the drying technique used for P&G paper production. People are always impressed when you already know the terminology!

How does this role differ from prior internships?
P&G has been significantly different than my previous internships in terms of culture. They treat their interns as if they are full time employees and make sure the work we’re given is impactful. I have really appreciated not having any “busy work” during the summer and seeing my projects truly make a difference. Additionally, diversity is very important to P&G which I see all time while working here. I am always interacting with people of different cultures and backgrounds which creates a greater sense of belonging within the company.

What have you enjoyed most about the location?
Living in Albany, GA initially worried me because I grew up in the D.C. suburbs and wasn’t used to the rural area. However, Albany is a much bigger town than I expected; and haven’t been bored since I’ve been here. During the summer, I have gone tubing on the Tallahassee, white water rafting in Columbus, shopping in Thomasville, visited friends in Savannah, and got to visit Cincinnati as a P&G sponsored trip for all the interns to see headquarters. There is plenty to do in and around Albany, GA, which has been a pleasant surprise.

We are so glad to hear of Caroline's enthusiasm and look forward to her smile returning to campus!

Former NC State Swimmer Katharine Berkoff Wins Gold in the 4×100 Medley Relay! https://packinsider.com/2024/08/04/former-nc-state-swimmer-katharine-berkoff-wins-gold-in-the-4x100-medley-relay/

Internship Spotlight

Alexandra St. Lawrence is spending her summer internship with paper giant, International Paper, one of our Platinum sponsors which is highly active with the Pulp and Paper Advisory Board at NC State. Alexandra is a process engineering intern working in their Finished Products area in Riegelwood, NC. Let's hear from her!

What has been your favorite part of the internship?
I love everyone I work with. They make the work environment great and are also willing to answer my questions. They have all been very eager to help me and show me around the mill and including me when they go out in the field.

How does this internship differ from past experiences?
This is my first year working on the paper machine, so it is a completely new environment. At this mill, it definitely seems more laidback especially since there is only one machine. I found it interesting learning the differences between container board and fluff pulp.

We hope to hear more about her experiences when she returns to campus in just a few weeks!

As we round out July, the excitement for the upcoming year strikes with our new cohort coming in for orientation. PSE attracts many STEM-loving, sustainably-minded students and we welcome 45 new students this August!

https://cnr.ncsu.edu/fb/news/2024/07/pse-new-student-orientation/

Internship Spotlight

What is your favorite part of the job?
"Unwrapping the return product"

Our students have worldwide opportunities, we follow Nathan Lin in his Research and Development intern role at YFY in Taiwan.

Describe your typical day,
"Follow a fellow RD employee, and study different parts of the manufacture line"

What do you do with your evenings and weekends?
"Hang out with my friends and family back in Taiwan, since I was gone for 5 years."

How does your internship relate to what you've learned in class?
"In class, we learn about different types of tools, and in an internship we master specific ones."

We appreciate Nathan giving us a glimpse into his long distance internship!

Internship Spotlight

Paper Science and Engineering opens up many opportunities for our students, Kaia Markert is staying close to campus this summer working for Wolfspeed Semiconductor as a Chemical Mechanical Planarization Engineering Intern. He takes us through his adventure!

What has been your favorite part so far?
The Wolfspeed internship program is very well organized because there are over 100 interns in Durham every summer. Not only do they host fun events like zip lining and intern dinners with the CEO, Gregg Lowe —just a really cool guy, they also help you learn a lot about the processes through meaningful projects.

Please share a day in the life of a Wolfspeed intern,
Day-to-day varies a lot based on specific department and manager, but my day consistently has lots of meetings, multiple visits to the floor for shadowing experience, and several projects that take up ~50% of my time.

How does your internship relate to what you've learned in the classroom?
Because this is a semiconductor manufacturing plant, which is very different from paper, you just have to know how to learn. Most everything is new, but there are definitely still constants that are consistent through all of engineering, like lean six sigma and statistics.

Do you think the PSE program prepared you for this internship?
The PSE program helped me prepare for this internship by providing me with previous work experience in paper mills. Nothing beats learning on the job and as different as semiconductors are from toilet paper, there are several valuable things to be learned about working in a professional environment with other engineers.

How is this uniquely different than past internships?
My previous two internships were in tissue mills. They are nothing at all like Wolfspeed’s semiconductor manufacturing process, which is exactly why I chose this internship. A lot of us will be graduating with the chemical engineering dual degree, why not use it some? Hopefully working in a completely different industry will broaden my experience and show future employers that I'm comfortable working in foreign environments.

What do you do on weekends and after work?
Wolfspeed is great because I didn't have to move from NC State. I've been enjoying beach music and new Raleigh restaurants all summer with friends.

Thanks for sharing your unique summer internship with us, Kaia. PSE is so proud of you for branching out and digging in!

Paper Science alums Classes '24, '19', ‘14, '04, '99, '94, '84, '74 and prior...you are INVITED to attend your 2024 fall reunion on September 13 at Biltmore. You will receive an email with details and RSVP information today. BBQ, fun events and good friends await!

Questions? Contact Shannon Lora, [email protected]

Internship Spotlight

Joining Cori Sutton, a rising senior in PSE, in her Technical Sales internship role with Nalco in SC.

What has been your favorite part of this job?
"Learning a different side of the industry!"

Describe your day to day.
"I get to the mill around 7:30, then look at PI & boiler reports that are sent out just to see how the mill is running and how the chemistry looks. Depending on the day, I could go straight to testing or there could be project update meetings with the mill. I'll always work on my project and see what else I can do to push it forward, and also support the other reps by helping them service chemical stations or set up pumps. Everyday is very different, some being more office work and some being more field work, but it's super fun!"

How does the internship relate to your classroom work?
"I've noticed so many things in my day to day work that I first learned in the classroom, and am furthering my knowledge here. The liquor cycle and the small process elements of the boiler is a main one. Learning about boiler (both recovery and combination) feedwater and how the water side of the boiler works is fascinating; and I keep going back to the freshman year Powerpoints to refresh my memory on specific details! Also, talking with the operators has helped me learn so much more about the process."

Has the PSE program prepared you well?
"110%! When in a meeting with mill managers and engineers, talking with operators, or even talking about projects with other reps, the knowledge I have from the PSE program helps me so much more than I even realized. I'm able to keep up with the conversations and understand what they're talking about even when they throw around super specific paper terms. There may be some mill specific process things I'm unsure about, but in a general sense, the PSE program I can say without a doubt has prepared me for any internship!"

How is this internship different from past experiences?
"This internship is different from other experiences in the way that I'm on the chemical supplier side, and not working directly in the mill. This is quite different because the majority of the projects don't revolve around optimizing the process, but more about the chemicals that are added into the process and optimizing those to keep mill costs down while helping the mill run better."

If working outside of NC, what has been the best part?
"For the first time since being in college, I'm living at home and commuting from there. I love being at home and being able to see my dogs everyday and my friends from high school whenever I want!"

Thanks, Cori, for giving us a glimpse into your summer work and we look forward to having you back next month!

Today we shine a light on one of our student interns, Mitchell Swicegood. He is a Process Engineering intern in Power and Recovery at Smurfit Westrock in Va. He took some time to share with us.

What is your favorite part part of the job so far?

"It has been being able to work in a new area of the mill. During my previous internships, I had not ventured to the power and recovery area of the mills. This has given me unique perspectives on how the process works. I have enjoyed getting to work on the massive boilers and lime kilns which are burning large amounts of fuel daily. I could stand all day at the viewports and watch the black liquor get burned up and, come winter, I'll be glad to be working in a hot area."

What does your day to day look like?

"My day begins with the morning production meeting where we go over the previous night's production and shift notes. We also cover the maintenance tasks for the day and short term items that need to be addressed. After the meeting, I go with one of the other interns to complete a thermographic survey of the lime kilns. Most days, I have some reports to fill out and then I can move on to my projects. I have a variety of projects that I'm working on, so it depends on the day what tests I decide to do. In the afternoon, there is another production meeting right after the shift change; and then, I am free to finish up whatever I have left and leave for the day."

How does the role relate to your studies?

"In classroom we learn about different types of tools, and in an internship we master specific ones."

How has the PSE program prepared you for this internship?

"The PSE program has helped me prepare for my internship by connecting me with industry resources and the knowledge necessary to succeed. It is a fantastic resource to have access to the TAPPI library where I can go find information on a machine if I am unsure. The other great thing the PSE program provides is opportunities to interact with Industry professionals at TAPPI Student Summit. Here we are able to interview for possible positions and also learn more about the industry before we head off to a mill."

What do you do after work and on weekends?

"Most days, after work, I head back to the intern house and work on some homework for my summer classes. I try to get some exercise like a run in and then cook dinner. On the weekends, all the interns will get together at one of the houses and have a bonfire one night. There are also several good golf courses nearby; so several of the interns have been playing at least once a week."

It sounds like an amazing experience for Mitchell and we can't wait to hear more when he returns to campus next month!

We are excited to share registration is now open for the 8th Annual PSE/PGM Scholarship Golf Tournament. Please click for more information and to register for this September 13, 2024 event.

For sponsorship or donation information, contact Shannon Lora, [email protected].

2024 PSE & PGA Golf Management Scholarship Golf Tournament The NC State Natural Resources Foundation Inc. invites you to the College of Natural Resources' Annual Golf Tournament in support of our PGA Golf Management (PGM) and Paper Science and Engineering (PSE) programs.

It's coming...mark your calendars for the 8th Annual PSE/PGM Scholarship Golf Tournament to be held Friday, September 13th at the Arnold Palmer designed, Lonnie Poole Golf Course by Centennial Campus. We will have a shotgun start, catered lunch and several contests to keep the competition lively. Online registration planned for mid-July, stay tuned for details!

Sponsorships available and giveaway donations welcome to advertise your company, support these fantastic programs and their students! Contact Shannon Lora, [email protected] for additional information.

We will be hosting an alumni event right after the tournament, more to come on that as well!

We can't wait to see you there!

Even more reason to love NC State Howling Cow Ice Cream, notice the PAPER containers :)

https://cnr.ncsu.edu/fb/news/2024/06/internship-lessons/

It's what sets PSE apart from other engineering majors at NC State, broad industry support and internship opportunities. Learn more from our President of the Student Advisory Council on her time with WestRock.

Internship Lessons Internship Lessons June 6, 2024 sblora by Sami Anthony, December ’24 When PSE students enter the industry, it is almost always in a mill, whether it be paper, board, tissue, towel, or pulp. During my sophomore year, I was fortunate enough to receive a job offer from WestRock to join them as a Proc...

So happy to share the 2024 Phillips' Family Leadership Incentive winners! Congrats to all!

Phillips' Family Leadership Incentive Impact Phillips’ Family Leadership Incentive Impact May 28, 2024 sblora The Phillips’ Family Leadership Incentive award goes out each year in April to four deserving undergraduate students. Dr. Richard Phillips is an Adjunct Professor and Executive in Residence in the Department of Forest Biomaterials ...

While the summer may be slower rolling, we are in furious prep to welcome 24 engineering high school summer campers the last week of June! It's a busy week, but watching those eyes open and see the NC State possibilities, is pure gold! Take a look at last year's campers!

Congrats Class of 2024! Recent college graduates are eligible for one free year of membership through the Wolfpack Club's Young Alumni Program.

Sign up here: https://forms.gle/FbBPFEMGPyimQ5kb9

Always highly anticipated, our seniors and their families celebrate with faculty and staff on the cusp of graduation at the annual Senior Celebration (Formerly, the Senior Banquet, we have renamed this event to mark its difference from the Spring Banquet event). Festivities included a senior skit putting light-hearted screws to faculty and a faculty/staff skit finding humor in the everyday of our wonderful students! Dr. Jameel found his platform in the proverbial ringing of the bell and announcing just exactly what each senior was destined to be "Most Likely" as displayed on a sign the born around their necks--by student vote!

Most congenial senior stole the show with a 3 way tie! Sam Webb (unable to attend due to a prior commitment), Weston Cregger and Ian Seidel--so great was this class, it was nearly a 5 way tie!

THANK YOU to Procter & Gamble for sponsoring this event.

We wish all of our May 2024 graduates an amazing start to their corporate lives and to please KIT!

When PSE decides to show up, they reallllly show up! Thanks to all students who came on a Saturday before finals to recognize the CNR donors and share their gratitude at the annual Trailblazers event at Carter Finley. Another year done, wow!