Jeremy Wilson – 2020 Steel Intern Scholar
My time working as a pyrometallurgy intern in the Iron and Steel group at Hatch in Mississauga, Ont., Canada, has been a vastly fulfilling experience as a young professional. From the beginning of my very first project, I felt as though I was playing an essential role in my team; aiding in developing a procedure for a planned stop and restart of a blast furnace. My contributions to this project allowed for a detailed estimate of various furnace parameters as the procedure progressed. I was actively engaging with exceedingly kind and knowledgeable peers throughout its entirety and was inspired by the positive attitude amongst everyone I approached for help. This experience was excellent in exposing me to real work in the steel industry and some of the captivating challenges being tackled in the industry every day.
In addition, I have had the opportunity in developing a model for blast furnace processes to help guide decisions for future projects at Hatch. What has been especially gratifying is that not only have I been able to use some of the skills I’ve fostered, but I’ve also pushing myself and further exploring new avenues in the steel industry that I otherwise wouldn't have been exposed to without my internship.
I have also gained a much more prominent awareness toward safety in my time at Hatch. As a student working during the pandemic, I am grateful that Hatch has been so forthright among the uncertainty. I will take this new appreciation and commitment to safety wherever I go in my career.
I would be remiss to not thank AIST, as their help in providing the industry connections aided me in getting where I am today. It has truly been a great experience.