Work

I would like to thank IAESTE for giving me this wonderful chance to complete my MTech project in my final semester as a part of my internship at SENAI. I've worked on a variety of projects, which has helped me hone my lab abilities. I have always wanted to work in the field of fermentation since I am so passionate about biotechnology. My primary area of responsibility was the fermentation unit at the pilot facility. I worked at SENAI Sertazinho, Brazil. I had the good fortune to work on six different projects. 1. Project I – Fermentation process control applying computer vision 2. Project II – Fermentation and shelf-life studies of Brazilian bee honey (without sting) 3. Project III – Optimization tests of downstream process of UPPE. 4. Project IV – Liquefaction and ethanolic fermentation of wheat. 5. Project V – Liquefaction and ethanolic fermentation of corn with addition of biocontrol 6. Project VI – Controlling the growth of bacteria by bacteriophages during fermentation of ethanol. The internship has been a really beneficial opportunity for my professional development. I gained a lot of practical laboratory skills from it. I now know a lot more about the many kinds of equipment that are used in my field. Additionally, provided insights on Industry 4.0, their culture, and the digitalization of machinery. I want to thank SENAI for giving me this chance to explore my profession and acquire new knowledge. Working with the energetic group, which was always a beneficial network, has been a delight. With all the experiences I've learned from this internship, I now eagerly anticipate future prospects and challenges.

Experience

I had never traveled outside of the country before. Furthermore, it made me anxious to think that I would have to handle everything on my own in a foreign nation. But I felt so at ease because everyone here was very friendly and eager to assist with anything. I've grown personally and professionally as a result of this journey. My finest vacation thus far in my life is this one. The most enjoyable part for me was discovering new great dishes. I miss the ice cream and coffee that are available in the city. Some of my favorite traditional dishes include pao de queijo, mandioca frita, pig ribs, and feijoada. The flavors of common fruits like accai and jaboticaba are exquisite. It was so calming to look out my apartment window in the evening while drinking coffee. To top it all off, the churrasco (barbeque) is exceptional in this location. At Sertazinho, a portion of my heart will always be. If given the chance to visit Brazil again in the future, I would do it without a doubt. I have priceless memories of the location and the people that I will always treasure.

Discover

The internship served as confirmation that fermentation science is undoubtedly my area of interest. I found it simple to pick up new information because I was so intrigued by projects involving pilot plant fermentation. Applying my theoretically acquired knowledge in practice was incredibly beneficial. I was able to manage several tasks at once. Most importantly, it's not about how good you are at what you do because someday you will be; rather, it's about how you can deal with problems that come up along the process.