McNeese Students Have Meaningful Opportunities at Sasol

Sasol’s Lake Charles Chemical Complex and McNeese State University collaborate to provide opportunities for McNeese engineering students, that sometimes prove beneficial to Sasol.  

Sasol welcomed six McNeese students for internships in the technical services area this past summer. 

“Our internships at Sasol provide real-world experience within our complex,” explained Crystal Briscoe, a McNeese graduate and Sasol’s internship program coordinator. “Students get expert knowledge and job shadowing, along with developmental training on communication, career readiness and presentation techniques.” 

The McNeese students, all engineering majors, put on their personal protective equipment and job shadowed in several areas of the complex. They visited with maintenance, construction, reliability, automation, as well as safety, health and environmental professionals in the complex.  

“The best part of the internship for me was being able to shadow other departments at Sasol and see how each department has its own role to contribute to accomplishing the same ultimate goals as a company,” explained Kayden Serie, from Mamou.  

Internships are not only about being “at the table,” but also sharing thoughts and ideas during meetings. Alex Lilly, from Lake Charles, explained that he had the confidence to speak up in meetings and add to the conversation because of the knowledge he gained in the classroom at McNeese.  

However, internships also provide lessons beyond the classroom. Walking around a chemical manufacturing complex, students can see the distillation columns, heat exchangers and other vessels. It’s no longer drawings, theory or calculations on paper—it’s real.  

When engineering students take exams, they are given every piece of the puzzle and an exact answer is expected.  

“In the real world, not everything works out as nicely and requires a bit more work, but it makes the end results that much more satisfying,” explained Lindsey Priola from Lacassine. 

Prior to the internship, Priola did not have a clear picture of a chemical engineer’s job.  

“Sasol allowed me to get a glimpse of what my life will look like once I graduate, and I absolutely fell in love. Every day is a new and sometimes unexpected experience but that’s what makes being a chemical engineer so much fun,” she said. 

An engineering major’s career at McNeese culminates with a senior capstone project. The students work with local industries and businesses to help solve problems that give the students real-world experience. 

Engineering is an essential driving force in Southwest Louisiana, where economic expansion, energy resources and technological advancements have led to a high demand for graduates with engineering degrees. The Department of Engineering and Computer Science at McNeese prepares students for engineering careers with interdisciplinary teamwork, scholarly development, hands-on projects and professional ethics in a comprehensive education. 

“A primary goal for McNeese is to produce graduates that are well prepared to enter the workforce,” said Dr. Tim Hall, dean of the college of science, engineering and mathematics. “Internships play a major role in this development. Classroom instruction is designed to stress practical applications and the opportunities presented by undergraduate internships only enhance their preparation.” 

“This was an amazing experience to get to see what it’s truly like to be an engineer and I would encourage anyone going to school for engineering to apply for this internship program,” said Serie. 

“A capstone project for students during their final year plays a vital role in the transition from university to industry,” said Dr. Srinivasan Ambatipati, head of the McNeese department of engineering and computer science. “McNeese’s engineering program works closely with industry in Southwest Louisiana to provide projects that help students develop their skills, work as a team and apply their knowledge to solve a problem under the supervision of a faculty mentor and an industry mentor.” 

Recently, Sasol benefited from the design work done by a multidiscipline team of senior engineering students. The team evaluated the Sasol wastewater aeration basins and designed improvements to replace aging equipment in accordance with the latest wastewater loads. 

After evaluating the efficiency of the existing equipment, the team recommended appropriate replacement technology including new blowers and air diffusers. The students considered the flowrates and organic loads coming from various units on the site. 

Sasol was pleased that the design considered the latest blower and diffuser technology advances, existing electrical infrastructure and a revised control system. The estimated savings in rental equipment and maintenance costs is estimated to be nearly $500,000 per year, according to Sasol’s Sean Shepherd, technology manager for Sasol’s Lake Charles East Plant Ethylene Unit. Sasol is in the process of implementing these recommendations. 

“Sasol has been supporting McNeese in various ways for many years,” said Ambatipati. “Its involvement with the capstone projects every year provides real projects with highly experienced mentors who play a key role in our students’ success.”