I completed a 240-hour in-person internship at the metrology institute in Prague, Czech Republic — the Czech equivalent of the US National Institute of Standards and Technology. Working in a professional engineering laboratory, I independently learned LabVIEW from scratch to build a real-time data-logging and plotting program that automated thermometer calibration and even delivered a bonus second program ahead of schedule. This internship demonstrated to me the power of international, cross-cultural engineering work — showing that design-focused roles require not just technical skill, but empathy, communication, and adaptability. It also illustrated how a fully funded international internship is achievable, even for first-generation college students.
I watched my finished program become part of my coworker's daily workflow — and that moment confirmed everything. I may never be the most technically advanced engineer, and honestly, I don't want to be. What makes me a strong contributor is my ability to understand clients, ask the right questions, and build creative, user-centered solutions. Prague taught me that the greatest barriers I face are often the ones I place on myself.
Cassandra Hunter
Senior | UC San Diego| Czech Republic | Electrical Engineering