Co-op offers chance to experience a career in manufacturing

The second-year chemical engineering major at the University of Cincinnati spent last summer looking for ways to improve the sustainability of rubber compounds used in the production of army tanks and agricultural machines.

Walker, a native of Milford, Ohio, was a mix engineering intern at American Rheinmetall, a producer of cutting-edge tracked and wheeled vehicles and components for the U.S. government and commercial customers in various industries. 

He was located at the company’s sole rubber plant in St. Marys, Ohio, and assigned a project that introduced modified soybean oil into rubber compounds. It was a potential substitute for aromatic-based oils which are typically used to improve the elasticity of most rubber compounds, but aren’t so environmentally friendly.

“At a rubber plant you have a bunch of different types of rubber compounds, each with their own formulations and each ingredient has a specific job,” says Walker. “When you mix all of them you have to make sure all the chemicals work together.”

The project’s goal was to demonstrate that soybean oil can be used as a sustainable alternative in rubber track applications, which American Rheinemetall can then market to their agricultural customers. “This project gave me experience in product development and helped me learn about the physical properties used to evaluate rubber performance,” Walker adds.

“At its core a chemical engineering degree lets you scale up chemical processes,” explains Walker. “I am definitely interested in working in a manufacturing environment, seeing raw material being converted into a product or being shipped to another area. That’s something I really enjoy. But I also want to see what other companies outside of the defense industry have to offer as well.”

At American Rheinmetall, Walker says his biggest takeaway was understanding the importance of effective communication.

“Being able to communicate across levels of an organization, whether you're talking with an operator or a senior engineer, is vital to the success of any project you're working on,” says Walker. “More specifically, the ability to translate complex technical instructions from a manager or engineer to a format that’s digestible for an operator is critical.”

Walker is in the midst of a second co-op as an application development and technical service intern at the Cincinnati Technology Center of LyondellBasell, a leader in the global chemical industry creating solutions for everyday sustainable living. It’s one of the world’s largest producers of polymers and a leader in polyolefin technologies.

He recently spent a week in Houston, Texas, with fellow LyondellBassell co-ops for training on various types of process equipment and toured a company facility in Channelview, Texas.

“With a degree in chemical engineering I can really go in so many different directions and that’s really appealing,” says Walker. “Chemical engineering is also pretty prominent in Cincinnati with companies like Procter & Gamble so I think there is a lot of opportunity in the area.”

Walker, a graduate of Walnut Hills High School in Cincinnati, is a recipient of UC’s Marian Spencer Scholarship and the Ohio Governor’s Merit Scholarship. In addition to studying chemical engineering, he plans on minoring in mathematics and is pursuing a master’s degree in business administration in UC’s ACCEND Program. He’s part of the Bearcats Buddies, a member of the American Institute for Chemical Engineers and a University Honors scholar.

“I’ve always been a pretty analytical thinker and I just love to solve problems, so when you combine it with my love of math, engineering seemed to be a natural path for me,” says Walker.

Cindy Jones, director of the Marian Spencer Scholarship, says Walker exemplifies the values and spirit of the Marian Spencer Scholarship with thoughtful leadership and service. He's a member of the Spencer Scholar Leadership Executive Team and helps guide the program alongside fellow student leaders.

"Will is a mentor and he provides thoughtful guidance that extends graciously taking on several mentees at a time," says Jones. "His quiet leadership, clear communication, integrity, and compassion reflect a deep commitment to collaboration, team building, and service —core values of the Marian Spencer Scholars Program. Will’s kindness, excellence, and authentic passion continue to make a lasting and meaningful impact within the Spencer Scholarship, UC community and beyond."

Featured top image of William Walker (center) with colleagues from American Rheinmetall. Photo provided.