Meet Steven Keosouvanh, West Texas A&M University student, who recently shared his experience while interning at the Pantex Plant.
Where is home? Amarillo Texas
What prompted you to pursue your education at West Texas A&M University?
When I was looking to get a degree for software development and data analytics West Texas A&M University had one of the best programs for both of those fields.
What do you think is the most valuable aspect of receiving your education at WT?
For me, it was the environment and learning experience I had at WT. The professors provided me with every opportunity to learn the subject matter. Also, Dr. Chen and Upsilon Pi Epsilon provided many opportunities to hear from professionals already in the field.
What is your area of study?
Computer Information Systems and Business Analytics.
Which lab/site did you intern at and why?
I interned at the Pantex site. I did so mostly because of the information session they hosted at WT. I had always heard of Pantex but didn’t know how I could fit in until I attended the session. I got a chance to have a one on one with my future manager during the internship Tom Bartsch and my HR recruiter Zuleyma Carruba-Rogel. They would be my introduction to Pantex and the work culture I could expect at Pantex.
What was your favorite part about the program?
Collaborating on the project we were assigned. My internship group had three total people and we were tasked for designing and implementing an automated system for the projects group. It was challenging to be given autonomy to implement it as we saw fit while having someone available to answer any questions and concerns, we had to help keep us moving forward. Working with the group I had with the support we had was an incredible experience that I think all interns should experience.
What do you enjoy most about the research you are doing?
I enjoyed discovering new tools and processes that were completely foreign to me previously. Gaining experience about project management and the hurdles faced to bring a project to completion on time. We only had a summer to complete it after all.
What did you learn from you mentor?
My mentor at Pantex took the time to teach me one on one the ins and outs of scheduling and the analytics of EVMS.
Is there one thing you wish you would have known before starting your internship?
I really wish I had taken Enterprise Project Management. I feel I would have had a better foundation and would have been able to learn more if I had more background knowledge of projects and schedules.
How will your research/project make an impact?
My project will have become a time and money saver for the projects department. Since the project was one that affects programs, project management, and project controls it can save a lot of hours and money.
Steven graduated on December 10th, 2022, with a Master of Science in Computer Information Systems and Business Analytics. Steven now works as a System Developer at Pantex.