See National Grid Miscellany.I returned to National Grid at Hicksville, Long Island and began the second term of my co-op assignment almost immediately after leaving Cornell for the summer. I continued my work with the Power Engineering Department that focuses on power generation. The department provides engineering support on maintaining and improving the eleven steam units in five power stations and several other gas turbine sites that produce electric energy by burning fuel oil or natural gas. Specifically, I was a part of the Plant Project Engineering & Mechanical Design group, but I also had the opportunity to work with members from other groups in the department.
Upon my return this summer, I was able to follow up with the senior project engineer I worked with previously on several of the projects I was involved in last time. It was fulfilling to hear about how projects from the fall turned out. In addition, I continued my participation with the development of a company-wide plant maintenance program for pressure and safety relief valves by studying industry standards, managing data, and meeting with plant managers. We were evaluating the costs, procedure, and framework for routine inspections of these valves in all the power stations. Field trips were frequent, and I had an opportunity to revisit many of the power stations on Long Island.
For the most part, I was able to pick up where I left off last time. But the difference between this work term and my first one was clearly evident. Though I was given fewer assignments this summer, I was simultaneously involved in a number of longer-term, more involved projects and had a vital part in AutoCAD drawing revisions, data management, thermodynamic calculations, and pipe analysis. I worked more independently than I had previously, which was particularly welcomed. I was also given more responsibility in my work, and I had to collaborate with other engineers on work statuses and keep them informed of the issues I encountered, on my decisions, and on how I attacked certain problems.
I discovered that between the assignments I was given and the more substantial projects I participated in, the things I learned at Cornell proved very useful in intuiting and understanding operating processes and components. Classes like Thermodynamics, Heat Transfer, and Fluid Mechanics had immediate applications to the type of work in which I was involved. While I was excited to see that the classes I took and the things I learned in school had a positive impact on my ability to perform at work, I was more excited to discover that there is always more to learn on the job. I have learned about how plant processes work and how project engineering applies to everything we do.
But the greatest things I have learned while working at National Grid had little to do with engineering or technical learning. I consider myself fortunate to have been surrounded by many interesting people who shared their stories with me and who taught me countless things about various topics. Working at National Grid in Hicksville, Long Island has given me opportunities and experiences that I don’t think I would have otherwise had. I enjoyed working with the people there; it was a pleasure.
Today is my last day working at National Grid for the "Fall Term". I expect to return here for the summer right after school is out, by the end of May. The following is a job summary that I submitted back to Cornell as part of my co-op assignment. Wow, I have been here 20 weeks.
