Summer of 2024

Zirun Dong:

As many others have recommended, I decided to apply for an internship. Eventually, I secured an internship with ArcelorMittal Ghent during the summer break. Initially, I wasn’t sure if the subject would be interesting enough, but I was quickly surprised by both the topic and the flexibility. Personally, I was given the opportunity to conduct some research on my own while still receiving enough guidance from my supervisor. The experience was also very practical, allowing me to apply the knowledge I’ve gained over the past years. I understand that not all students who pursue an internship get an interesting topic or the right guidance, but generally, it is less work than other 6-credit courses (hey, we’re all a bit lazy, right?).

Since I plan to go on Erasmus later, choosing the internship as an elective course also gives me flexibility for other elective choices abroad and even frees up more time for my thesis. So, if you want to put your knowledge into practice, gain more flexibility during your master’s program, make connections, or even explore job opportunities, why not try an internship? Who knows, you might end up like me, enjoying free Royco soup and listening to your favorite songs while waiting half an hour for VS-Code to load. 😉 

Summer of 2023

Kaïn Rotsaert:

Past summer I had the opportunity to do an internship at ArcelorMittal Ghent for 5 weeks at the blast furnace section. There I had to investigate the heat transfer from and to the heat exchangers in order to optimize the energy efficiency of the process. To realize this I had to perform a theoretical study to learn more about the heat transfer in these heat exchangers. But on the other hand there were also many practical aspects like checking the PID-plans and going on site to see how the heat exchangers worked exactly.

However an internship is not only about the subject but it also allows to learn about many aspects about what it means to be an engineer in the industry. For example, I got the freedom to work on my own on the subject and to contact different persons on the site who could help me with this project. I also got multiple guided tours in the different departments present on the gigantic site which allowed me to learn more about how they are all connected. In addition I could also join different meetings each day which they use to keep the processes under control and to keep everyone informed.

Last but not least I got the opportunity to join them on one of their ships to follow the transfer of their loads which is an impressive task! In short during an internship you learn a lot about what it means to be an engineer in the industry. I really recommend it to everyone who wants to have a first good preparation for their future job!

Summer of 2025

Jenti Van Mol:

I had the opportunity to do an internship at BASF and I did not regret it. During my internship, I learned that the reality in industry often differs from what I am used to at university. Not all data was always available: sometimes measurements were missing or defective. This forced me to make assumptions and come up with creative solutions in order to arrive at a reliable estimate of energy recovery and losses. The difference between theory and practice was a big challenge for me, but at the same time it was the most valuable lesson of my internship.

From my first day, I was warmly welcomed by the entire technology team of BASF Antwerp. I immediately noticed the open and friendly working atmosphere. Colleagues took the time to explain their roles within the company, which gave me a better understanding of the organization and the various career opportunities in the sector. These conversations not only provided me with valuable insights but also helped me to better understand what I would like to do in the future. During my internship, I also seized every opportunity to discover something new: I participated in meetings, visited different departments and companies, explained my internship assignment to other interns and listened to their projects, and had inspiring conversations with colleagues about their jobs and experiences. All these moments helped me form a broader picture of the field. I highly recommend taking the opportunity to do an internship. It’s an experience you won’t regret.

Summer of 2025

Jona Goossens:

During my internship at Bayer Antwerp, specifically at Flexsys Chemicals Belgium NV, I had the opportunity to contribute to a forward-looking electrification project. Flexsys is a specialty chemicals company that produces additives for tires, including antidegradants such as 6PPD, which protect rubber from aging caused by ozone, oxygen, and heat. This production involves the intermediate 4-ADPA, which is synthesized in a batch reactor with a high heat demand.

The goal of my project was to investigate how the significant heat demand of the 4-ADPA batch reactor could be made more sustainable. The solution involved reusing residual heat via two hot water buffer tanks, a warm and a hot tank, connected to a high-efficiency heat pump (COP ~6). This system enables heat storage and temporal shifting, allowing the heat pump to operate continuously and efficiently, while significantly reducing the demand for fossil steam.

During my internship, I was not only involved in modeling the technical design of this concept, but also participated in meetings on process trends and discussions about future system modifications. This gave me insight into how multidisciplinary teams collaborate in an industrial setting. It was a highly educational experience: I deepened my technical understanding of the process and learned how crucial communication, collaboration, and planning are within a professional engineering team. The internship at Bayer/Flexsys was very valuable to me, and I definitely recommend doing an internship during your studies if possible.

Summer of 2025

Camille Castelain:

During this internship I learned a lot. I immersed myself in the world of hydrogen production through PEM water electrolysis. I gained insight into how an electrolysis cell is constructed and the specific function of each component. I worked hands-on at the test stations, which required not only careful planning but also strategic thinking about the optimal sequence of tests. It’s not just the final result that matters, but also the efficiency of the process leading up to it. Unnecessary or overly long tests can be costly in both time and resources. I learned to think critically about which tests are truly necessary to achieve a certain outcome, and how to interpret the results effectively.

For me, this internship was much more than just an academic experience. It was also one of my first real encounters with the professional work environment. I quickly realized that things don’t always go as planned and that unexpected problems are inevitable. But that’s exactly what being an engineer is about: problem-solving. It’s a concept I hadn’t fully appreciated before, but now I understand just how essential it is. Collaboration with colleagues also proved to be incredibly valuable. You can spend hours trying to solve something on your own, while a short discussion with a colleague can lead to new insights almost immediately. I truly had a great time at Bekaert and felt welcome from day one. It was a highly educational and inspiring experience that enriched me not only academically, but also personally.

Summer of 2023

Pauline Van Duyse:

During the summer, I did an internship at Bexco, a leading manufacturer specializing in precision-engineered synthetic mooring, towing, and lifting ropes for offshore, marine, and industrial applications in Hamme. This internship provided me with a valuable opportunity to collaborate with the Research and Development (R&D) team of Bexco, marking my first experience with the industry.

For a period of five weeks, I was involved in a variety of projects, including the optimization of a test setup for evaluating the stiffness properties of basic yarns. Additionally, I conducted multiple tests in the laboratory, requiring hands-on experimentation. Analysing the test results afterward not only improved my expertise in Excel but also nurtured my critical thinking skills. Regular meetings with the R&D team were integral to this experience.

This internship challenged me to step out of my comfort zone, contributing significantly to the development of my social skills. In retrospect, it proved to be a valuable experience that not only broadened my knowledge of the industry but also added practical skills to my repertoire. I highly recommend pursuing an internship to gain insights into the field and prepare for future projects or jobs!

Summer of 2024

Mauritz De Wilde:

Are you wondering what daily life is like at a multinational company? Do you finally want to see how the theory you’ve been seeing in your bachelor is applied to real life problems? Are you having a hard time visualizing all those symbols on P&ID’s? Then an internship at Cargill is probably the right choice!

Cargill is a company located in the Ghent harbor that produces biodiesel. They do this by first crushing rapeseed or soybeans and then extracting the oil. Next, the oil is partly refined to make sure quality biodiesel can be produced. Of course these processes generate several wastewater streams, and the main goal of my internship was to focus on the pumps pumpinig this wastewater away, which encountered a lot of problems. A second task was making a database and the third task was creating a problem description of a waste problem. This meant I had to understand the process well at first, and then send a lot of emails and meet with company representatives. I really see this as a useful experience, since this is something that you will also have to do in an actual job as an engineer.

As you can see my internship involved a lot of variety, which also meant I did a lot of things outside of my comfort zone. It was a great way to get some practical experience and see how many factors there are in play in an industrial setting. Of course you also hear a lot of things just by sitting in the same office as the production team, which is an additional way of seeing how a chemical process works in real life. As you have probably already noticed, I could keep talking about how useful I found my internship, so I can only recommend you very strongly to do one yourself and get a first glance at the chemical industry beyond the LCT.

Summer of 2023

Thomas:

Are you wondering what daily life is like at a multinational company? Do you finally want to see how the theory you’ve been seeing in your bachelor is applied to real life problems? Are you having a hard time visualizing all those symbols on P&ID’s? Then an internship at Cargill is probably the right choice!

Cargill is a company located in the Ghent harbor that produces biodiesel. They do this by first crushing rapeseed or soybeans and then extracting the oil. Next, the oil is partly refined to make sure quality biodiesel can be produced. Of course these processes generate several wastewater streams, and the main goal of my internship was focused on a specific unit of the plant that treated this wastewater. From this unit, vapors where released that were very unpleasant for anyone close to it. One possible solution to this problem was building an extraction hood to remove the gases and it was my job to find a company that could provide and build such an installation. This meant I had to understand the process well at first, and then send a lot of emails and meet with company representatives. I really see this as a useful experience, since this is something that you will also have to do in an actual job as an engineer.

To fill up the gaps from the many waiting on response to my emails, I was also tasked with mapping what valves in the extraction part of the plant had already been painted red or green, which was done so that the operators can easily recognize whether a valve should be open or closed. This meant I had to mark every single valve on the P&ID’s, which may seem boring at first, but I think it was great to finally see the link between a simple line on a P&ID and a real tube. After finishing this, I also got several extra tasks (you know, things that would be useful, but are not important enough for a production manager to spend his time on). This involved building and testing a test-setup for an improvised filter cleaning system, drawing the final design for this system, programming in Excel, translating very technical documents…

As you can see my internship involved a lot of variety, which also meant I did a lot of things outside of my comfort zone. It was a great way to get some practical experience and see how many factors there are in play in an industrial setting. Of course you also hear a lot of things just by sitting in the same office as the production team, which is an additional way of seeing how a chemical process works in real life. As you have probably already noticed, I could keep talking about how useful I found my internship, so I can only recommend you very strongly to do one yourself and get a first glance at the chemical industry beyond the LCT. 

Summer of 2023

Emma Caethoven:

Hello, my name is Emma and I did an internship at Solvay in Brussels. Throughout this 5 week experience, I had the opportunity to work with a lot of different people from several departments and countries. Because I got to work with 2 departments within Solvay, I was able to experience a lot of different things. From collecting and processing data in Excel and Minitab, to opening and installing a mold for injection molding. I also learned a lot from the technicians, although the language barrier was often a stumbling block. Continuing to try to communicate has personally helped me to build more self-confidence. Everyone took the time to really try to explain all kinds of things and answer all my questions. The formal chats were quickly exchanged for more personal conversations, which made me feel comfortable at Solvay very quickly. Stepping outside my comfort zone from time to time, really helped me to improve my personal and working skills. Overall, I had a pleasant experience where the days progressed very quickly. I would definitely recommend an internship to anyone!

Summer of 2025

Astrid Notebaert:

This summer, I had the chance to do a research internship at the Sustainable Materials Science group at Ghent University. My project focused on CO₂ corrosion in pipeline steels, which means I studied how pipeline metals corrode when they are transporting captured CO₂. I mostly did tests on different steels to see if the experimental setup available at the moment (an autoclave connected to a potentiostat for electrochemical corrosion tests) is good enough to measure the corrosion. I performed open circuit potential (OCP), linear polarization resistance (LPR), and (single) frequency EIS tests.

I genuinely enjoyed this internship, not just because I got to research and learn, but also because I got to do things hands-on. Seeing the theory from class come to life was incredibly satisfying. I’m also really grateful for the trust my supervisors gave me and the welcoming atmosphere in the team. This experience didn’t just confirm my interest in research, it proved that I want to do similar things in the future. I’d highly recommend an internship to anyone, especially if you want to discover what you will enjoy doing after your studies.

Summer of 2025

Florian Herremans:

This summer, I had the opportunity to do an internship at the polymer plant of TotalEnergies, TEPA, as part of the process engineering team. Ethylene coming from the steam cracker of the refinery plant TERA is upgraded in TEOA, after which it’s sent to TEPA where it is converted into HDPE.

During this six-week internship, I was assigned my own project, which consisted of three main parts. First, I had to assess the project’s profitability by performing an economic analysis. Then, in the design phase, I went into the field to determine where new pipelines could potentially be installed and to define their design specifications. Finally, I carried out a brief safety analysis.

My six weeks at TotalEnergies were incredibly instructive. It was the first time I could truly apply all the theoretical knowledge I’ve gained over the past few years. Honestly, before starting, I didn’t have a clear idea of what a process engineer actually does. However, thanks to the wide variety of tasks in my project, I now have a much better understanding of what a process engineer’s job involves on a daily basis.

Even more importantly, the pleasant working atmosphere and the great supervision of Matthias and Bram made it a joy to come to work every day. The six weeks truly flew by!

Because I got to experience all the different aspects of what a process engineer does, I now also have a much clearer idea of what I want to do in the future. So, to anyone still doubting whether to do an internship next summer: don’t hesitate! You’ll learn so many valuable things that you simply can’t pick up in the classroom.

Jan Mylemans:

My internship at TotalEnergies was one of the most valuable experiences in my whole education. TotalEnergies stands as one of the world’s foremost multi-energy companies, actively involved in producing and marketing a wide array of energies on a global scale, from oil and biofuels to natural gas, green gases, renewables, and electricity. Their commitment to transitioning towards sustainable energy solutions makes it an incredibly dynamic and relevant place to gain professional experience.

During my six week internship within the PE&TS (Process Engineering & Technical Support) team, I was given the opportunity to contribute to diverse and challenging projects. While the main project was identifying potential cold safety issues, I also worked on heat exchanger design and even machine learning. These projects helped me build my technical skills and also showed me how even small improvements can make a big difference in sustainability. The projects aside, I also learned about the daily tasks and operations of a process engineer by attending meetings and going outside in the plant.

This internship at TotalEnergies was an invaluable learning experience. The exposure to such a variety of high-impact projects, combined with the guidance and expertise of the PE&TS team, significantly broadened my technical skills and professional understanding. At TotalEnergies, you are given a lot of freedom to work, which is encouraging to take initiative. I am immensely grateful for the opportunity, the trust placed in me, and the knowledge I gained. This internship really showed me what it is to work as a process engineer in such a big company and I would highly recommend anyone to consider doing an internship here!

Summer of 2024

Roel Verhulst:

My internship at TotalEnergies Refinery Antwerp was a fantastic experience where I got to see how a leading global energy company operates. TotalEnergies’ focus on innovation, sustainability, and excellence was clear in everything they do. They’re working hard to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050, and it was inspiring to see how they combine advanced technology with sustainable practices to face the challenges of the energy transition. I was amazed by how such a large company manages to balance environmental care with efficient industrial processes.

During the six weeks, I worked on interesting and meaningful projects with the Base Chemicals Process Engineering & Technical Support (PE&TS) team. These included optimizing adsorption beds to clean off-gas, improving insulation to reduce heat loss in steam lines, and analyzing equipment capacities. These projects helped me build my technical skills and also showed me how even small improvements can make a big difference in sustainability.

What stood out most to me was the supportive environment at TotalEnergies. The team was always approachable and willing to explain things, and my mentor gave me clear guidance and feedback during our weekly meetings. I also enjoyed visiting the plant and seeing the operations up close. The size and complexity of the refinery were impressive, and I gained a real appreciation for how much planning and safety is involved in keeping everything running smoothly.

This internship was such a valuable experience for me. It helped me grow both professionally and personally, and it gave me a much better understanding of the real challenges in the energy industry, especially as it shifts toward sustainability. I feel more confident in my abilities now and motivated to be part of the energy sector’s future. I’m very grateful to TotalEnergies for this opportunity and for all the support I received during my time there.

Summer of 2023

Eveline Dioos:

My internship at TotalEnergies was one of the more pleasant work experiences I’ve had so far! As a first-year master student I found myself to be in a dilemma about which career path to pursue after graduating, since I also want to do pro bono cases regarding social impact throughout the duration of my life. I always assumed life as an engineer at a chemical plant to be quite calm but I couldn’t have been more wrong. I joined the PETS team under supervision of my mentor, Felix, who really helped me with my projects, as well as other members of the team, and got to watch their daily enthusiasm in making the plant as optimally functioning as can be. I got to do follow-up projects (leak), software related projects, energy-related projects and, very important for me, I got the freedom to really ask questions and form my own opinion about the different projects. Aside from this academical aspect, I also really enjoyed working here because of the warm, kind and openminded people, who really put me at ease and made my input feel valued. And then I have not even started about the perks 😉 Shortly put; I would recommend working here to everyone!

Summer of 2023

Thomas:

My name is Thomas and I did an internship during the summer at Umicore Precious Metals Refining at Hoboken.  Umicore Hoboken is able to recycle 17 metals out of several things. Especially the precious metals (gold, silver, rhodium, etc.) are very important in our modern society. I did an internship at the smelter, which is actually the heart of the company. There I looked at the influence of the parameters of the lance, which they bring inside the reactor to create the whole process. I especially looked at the vibrations created during the process. The internship was mainly data analysis, but also observing the process and the smelter unit.

An internship is an excellent opportunity to experience the life inside a company. It’s a whole new world and impressive how much is involved. Beside the subject of the internship, the part of getting to know the company is even the most important one. The people at Umicore were also very nice, which made even my internship much better. Also never give up if some things can’t be found directly, there will be always some struggles and that’s in my opinion the most valuable way to learn!

Summer of 2024

Aaron Coene:

During my internship at Yara, I had a positive and inspiring experience. The work environment was welcoming, with supportive and funny colleagues and an open internship supervisor who knows what he is talking about. They ensured I felt integrated into the team from day one, which made the internship experience really enjoyable. The internship involved a significant amount of fieldwork, which allowed me to get hands-on experience in the plant, as well as technical calculations that can have a real impact on the plant safety. I also gained deeper insight into the role of a process engineer and who they work with during normal operation.

On top of that, I experienced a shutdown and restart of the plant, a thermocouple was broken and led to a shutdown because of the plant logic. This is not something that every intern can experience. I developed not only my technical skills but also a strong understanding of how the company operates on both social and technical levels. The combination of theoretical and practical work provided me a valuable experience and more insight into the challenges and expectations of working in a plant. I was pleased to find that I could handle the subjects they entrusted me with, which boosted my confidence in my ability to perform as a future engineer. Overall, it was a highly rewarding experience, one that I would certainly recommend to other students considering an internship in the chemical industry.