Jacob in New Jersey

My internship at Evonik and why you should have the courage to step out of your personal comfort zone

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Before we dive into the details, let me quickly introduce myself. My name is Jacob Shevrin, and I’m a 25-year old Applied Technology Scientist for Evonik’s Functional Silanes business line. I grew up on Long Island, NY and spent six years in Pennsylvania obtaining both my bachelors degree in Physics from The Pennsylvania State University and my master’s degree in Materials Science & Engineering from The University of Pennsylvania. I am currently working for Evonik’s technical service laboratories in Piscataway, NJ, which is coincidentally where my career at Evonik began as a Summer Professional Enrichment (SPE) intern in 2016.

Working for Evonik’s Functional Silanes team as an SPE intern was a dream come true for someone who wanted practical experience in an applied technology setting. The collaborative nature of the Resource Efficiency labs in Piscataway, state of the art equipment, and support from the entire Functional Silanes team allowed me to carry out my internship project to the fullest extent. Furthermore, it was incredible to receive comprehensive organic chemistry and functional silanes technical training before starting my internship, given my different background in Physics and Materials Science & Engineering. Over the twelve-week span of the SPE program, I had the opportunity to design and carry out experiments investigating the performance of silanes in anti-fog and anti-icing coatings. The potential impact this project had on Evonik’s growing presence in the anti-fog and anti-icing coatings market was a major source of motivation for the whole team, which inspired me each and every day coming into the lab.

The constant support, passion for science, and positive work culture within Evonik’s Functional Silanes team was one of many reasons I chose to join the team full time upon finishing my master’s program in Materials Science & Engineering. One of the main reasons I chose to pursue a master’s degree in Materials Science & Engineering in the first place, was because I was not fully satisfied with the highly theoretical nature of my undergraduate studies in Physics. I had a strong desire to put my knowledge of physics and science in general to practical use, and my work as an Applied Technology Scientist for coatings and metal treatment applications within Evonik’s Functional Silanes team has allowed me to do so. Being able to carry out practical silane experiments in the lab and take these results to the industry leaders in the coatings field has been an incredible experience the past few years.

While it was not an easy decision to step out of my comfort zone and pursue a career in the specialty chemical industry, it was an easy decision choosing Evonik after my incredible experience in the SPE program. I am grateful for the opportunity to strengthen Evonik’s know-how and reputation as an SPE intern, and am excited to continue representing Evonik as a leader in the specialty chemical field.

See you soon,
Your Jacob

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On the students@Evonik blog students who work at Evonik share their experiences about life in the company.

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