What were your daily responsibilities?
Working at Micron was a dynamic experience, and each day brought new sites for discovery and learning. My primary responsibilities were to digest the activity of Congress, the White House, and political stakeholders in Micron’s footprint states into concise packages of information for team members. This [included] attending or watching committee hearings on Capitol Hill, observing press conferences, and reading materials released by relevant congressional committees. I assisted the Government & Public Affairs team leadership with scheduling and compiling briefing memos for meetings and panels, and created a relevant legislation tracker for the 119th Congress, which proved very useful in helping to monitor and coordinate responses to legislation.
How did this internship relate to your major?
Advanced technologies will shape and redefine global relations in our increasingly digitized world. Thus, working for Micron, the only American manufacturer of memory and storage semiconductor chips, helped me better understand how these products will define the future. I know how critical it is that we, as Americans, help companies like Micron to sustain technology leadership and work to build manufacturing ecosystems that make it possible for more of these chips to be made, designed, and tested domestically.
Micron’s chips are fueling AI and other cutting-edge technologies that are already revolutionizing numerous industries and practices. Being able to couple the knowledge I gained from my internship with the knowledge I’m developing in the classroom is an immensely enriching experience. I’m now able to anchor my observations from working with Micron to academics and better understand how to bridge interests to lead to a sustainable relationship between government and industry. I can challenge myself to link the theory I’m learning in the classroom to real-world implications, which is an exciting prospect.
What did you gain from this experience?
Going into my internship with Micron, I wanted to learn how industry works with the public sector to influence policy. As someone passionate about manufacturing and industrial policy, I was eager to have the chance to work with Micron, given its commitment to expanding its American manufacturing footprint, with the most significant investment being right here in Upstate New York.
What knowledge did you bring back to Hamilton?
I learned that specific industries, particularly capital-intensive and onshoring newcomers such as the semiconductor industry, need to have a voice in crafting policy as they seek to establish operations in the U.S. market. There are considerations that lawmakers may be unaware of, which could unintentionally hinder the feasibility of expansion efforts. Companies like Micron need to be able to articulate their needs to policymakers to ensure the creation of effective policies that enable the actualization of a semiconductor manufacturing ecosystem.
What did you enjoy the most?
Working for a company committed to investing in and manufacturing in America. Each day, I helped advance Micron’s expansion efforts and contributed to the creation of advanced technology ecosystems surrounding Micron’s investment sites. I loved being able to see how policy was directly impacting the revitalization of communities like Clay, N.Y.