From Data to Decisions: A Systems Engineering Internship
Student Blog by Kaitlyn Cavanaugh

Hello! My name is Kaitlyn Cavanaugh, and I earned my B.S. in Computational Mathematics ('25) and am currently pursuing my M.S. in Data Science at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.

Last summer, I interned as a Systems Engineer Intern at L3Harris Technologies in Melbourne, Florida. I secured this internship at the Society of Women Engineers Conference in 2024, which I was able to attend thanks to the College of Arts & Sciences.

I worked on the FAA’s Telecommunications Infrastructure (FTI) program to update ATC’s infrastructure from old technology to modern technology. The goal of this work is to modernize critical infrastructure while keeping systems running without interruption. My role focused on finding areas where efficiency and organization could be improved.

Turning Data into Insight

My main project I had was designing an end-to-end report process from data stored in warehouses to an easily interpretable report for managers to make decisions. I started with data acquisition, which included deciding what data was needed and then writing SQL queries to acquire said data. I then created a data model and created the Power BI report. These reports included real-time updates, historical trends and forecasting to support planning and decision-making.

Growing Through Challenge

One of the biggest challenges I faced was working with much more complex data than I had seen in the classroom. I encountered large databases and long, detailed queries that required me to quickly build my skills.

Over time, I became more confident in my ability to work with data on this scale. One of the most meaningful moments of my internship was presenting my ideas to upper management and receiving positive feedback, which helped guide my work moving forward.

Applying What I Learned at Embry-Riddle

Courses like Statistics, Data Visualization, Database Systems and Safety Program Management helped prepare me for this experience.

In addition to technical skills like SQL, Python and Power BI, these courses strengthened my communication, organization and critical thinking skills. These were essential in applying what I learned in the classroom to a real-world team environment.

Looking Ahead

This experience introduced me to systems engineering and showed how closely it connects with data science. I developed stronger technical skills while also improving my communication and ability to think about complex systems as a whole.

I also gained confidence in my abilities and learned to look for opportunities to improve both my work and the systems around me.

For other Embry-Riddle students, my advice is to seek out opportunities during your internship. Do not just wait for tasks to be given to you. Read about the company, explore files, ask questions and create tasks for yourself. You never know, a task you seek may help the company in a big way!