Life at GE : Careers : GE
My first experience with GE was after undergrad. I did a summer internship in the Energy Systems Lab at the Research Center, where I investigated strategies for CO2 capture. Next, after going to graduate school for my Master's degree, I returned to GRC, joining the Edison Engineering Development Program (EEDP), and this is where I am currently.
For the past year, I have been working on thin film cadmium telluride solar cells -- particularly using wet chemistry approaches to fabricate and characterize the semiconductor layers used in these devices. That is, we've been trying to develop and understand ways of enhancing solar cell performance. With over 80 scientists across several organizations and countries, this is one of the largest projects at the research center. It's given me great insight into how to work with a highly multidisciplinary team to push the boundaries of what we know in this field. In my next rotation, I'll be working on energy storage technologies.
In grad school, I was contemplating my next step. I knew I was interested in energy and enjoyed my experience with fuel cells. However, there were many different avenues in the field that I hadn't had the opportunity to pursue in greater depth - areas such as solar cells and batteries. I believed that the Edison program provided a great opportunity for me to explore and possibly grow into these different areas, and also allow me to identify other areas that I might not have thought of before.
Firstly, the breadth of GE's technology portfolio is incredible. Especially at the research center, you see everything from solar cells, to MRI machines, to wind turbines, to facial recognition software. On top of that, there is a great community. Not only do we have some of the world's top experts, but you can easily just walk into any of their offices. Accordingly, it's a very conducive environment for learning and collaboration. Furthermore, GE has tremendous reach internationally, being one of the largest and most diverse companies in the world. This means that the technology you develop has great potential to impact the lives of people around the globe.
Having the desire to explore different technical areas, I was really drawn to the rotational element. All Edisons at GRC get to move to different labs and projects every 6-12 months. So, in a relatively short period of time, one gets a fairly expansive view of different technologies. In addition, the program offers many forms of technical and leadership training which could definitely help to accelerate my career.
I would absolutely encourage students to pursue internships. I think there are few substitutes to going out into the field and trying things out for students who are thinking about what careers to pursue. For me, internships have definitely helped me learn a lot about myself and my interests -- knowledge which, in turn, has empowered me to make more informed career and life choices. Plus, it serves as the best two-way audition between you and a company -- you get to learn about them and vice versa. After that, if you like it, it'll be much easier to land a full time job; and, even if you don't join afterwards, that's invaluable experience that you can take with you to your next endeavor.
What's next? Check out the Global Research blog for the latest news from the lab.
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