Electrical Engineering Intern, Joseph Hanger, spent the summer applying his classroom knowledge to assigned projects while gaining valuable hands-on experience across Prairie State’s operations.
Throughout his internship, Joseph worked on a variety of electrical engineering projects across the plant. His responsibilities included updating the Human Machine Interface (HMI) data for the mine conveyor belt, analyzing data to compare power consumption with equipment temperatures, monitoring the pulverizer levels, and comparing plant data with real-time operations. He also spent time learning how Prairie State’s electrical systems operate. “A lot of what I’ve done has involved reading and learning how the plant operates,” Joseph said. “It’s been helpful to connect what I see in the field with the data I’m analyzing.”
One of the biggest skills Joseph developed was troubleshooting. By breaking complex problems into smaller steps, he gained confidence in solving engineering problems. “Something will always go wrong with your work at some point,” he said. “Being able to troubleshoot and solve problems step by step has been one of the biggest things I’ve learned.”
This internship gave Joseph a new perspective on engineering beyond the classroom. While school provided technical knowledge, this internship helped him develop the practical intuition that comes from seeing equipment in action. “This job is a lot different than school,” Joseph shared. “You build your intuition by watching how things work in the plant and applying what you see to the data and concepts you’ve learned.”
Looking back on the summer, Joseph feels he strengthened his documentation skills, expanded his understanding of plant systems, and became a more confident problem solver. His favorite part of the internship was spending time in the plant and seeing the equipment operate firsthand. “Being out in the plant and seeing everything physically instead of just reading about it has been my favorite part,” he said. “That’s an experience I can’t get in school.”
When asked about his biggest takeaway, Joseph joked, “If you see a red light, it’s bad.” More importantly, he said he learned the value of observation, teamwork, and applying classroom knowledge in a real-world engineering environment. This fall, Joseph will return to the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign to continue his studies in electrical engineering.
We thank Joseph for his hard work and dedication this summer and wish him continued success in the future!