UKAEA
Culham Campus, Abbingdon, OX14 3DB
My placement was with the UK Atomic Energy Authority, working on the STEP fusion programme across the Heating and Current Drive and Power and Cooling teams. I worked on several engineering projects involving electrical power systems, simulation and modelling, while also getting a much broader view of how a large engineering programme like STEP operates. The placement was also part of the Power Academy scheme, which included the summer seminar where students from different companies met for talks, activities and a formal dinner. I also had the chance to visit other parts of UKAEA, including RACE to see robotics used for challenging environments, as well as visits where I saw the JET and MAST tokamaks.
My main role was to support engineering work through modelling, simulation and technical investigation. One project involved developing a Simulink model for a Load Substitution System, which looked at how a large electrical load could be reduced more gradually rather than suddenly removed from the grid. I also built a Python tool for assessing battery energy storage and solar generation, including system sizing, operating costs and potential savings. Another project involved modelling energy dissipation during a gyrotron arc to investigate how cable arrangements and switching behaviour could affect the system.
I developed my MATLAB, Simulink and Python skills significantly during the placement. I became much more confident building parameterised simulation models, working with logged data, creating graphical interfaces and developing tools that other engineers could use without needing to edit the code directly. I also learned more about high-voltage electrical systems, battery energy storage, grid behaviour, optimisation and system modelling. A big part of the placement was learning how to simplify real engineering systems into useful models while still being clear about assumptions and limitations.
The placement helped me become much more independent and confident when approaching unfamiliar engineering problems. I improved at researching technical topics, organising my own work, documenting assumptions and knowing when to ask more experienced engineers for advice. I also developed my communication and teamwork skills through regular meetings, presentations and working with other interns. Visits to different departments and the Power Academy summer seminar were also useful for meeting engineers and students from different backgrounds and learning more about possible careers in engineering.