Once a student is assigned to an internship through our matching process, engagement with stakeholders should begin promptly. Aligning company projects with students’ and faculty advisors’ capabilities and interests is critical. While the study topic is a focused six-month project for the student, it is more than just a set of deliverables; it is a research engagement often contributing to a broader research area. Faculty advisors are expected to be actively involved throughout the internship, as they are responsible for verifying the thesis’ acceptability.
Roles and Responsibilities
LGO Student Intern
Students are expected to both lead and follow—a key aspect of leadership learning. They should have opportunities to interact with a wide range of company employees, including upper management, to gain a comprehensive understanding of the company’s operations. Students must adhere to company policies and respect proprietary information, ensuring it is not disclosed in any out-of-company presentations, technical papers, theses, or other communications.
An important focus of the LGO internship is organizational leadership. Students are expected to link their internship experiences to organizational issues, complete assignments on organizational dynamics, and develop cases based on their on-site experiences.
Project Supervisors
The project supervisor is a critical factor in the internship’s success. They serve as mentors, helping to set direction and facilitate projects that directly impact company operations. Supervisors play a crucial role in selecting and managing projects by identifying key problems and communicating them to the faculty and program office. They are expected to:
- Provide access to necessary people, information, and equipment.
- Understand that the internship is also a thesis research experience.
- Indicate any proprietary information, keeping in mind that the resulting thesis will be public.
- Attend Midstream Review and Knowledge Review events.
Project Champions
The Project Champion typically funds the project and serves as a mentor, helping to set overall project direction and facilitate an effective project. Depending on the project and company, the Project Champion may also be the Project Supervisor.
Authorized Signatory of Host Institution
This official is authorized by the host institution to review and approve the project scope defined in the Thesis Proposal for inclusion in the LGO thesis and publicly released materials. Their signature is required on the Project Scope Document and Thesis Proposal Agreement Letter.
MIT Faculty Advisors
Faculty advisors help identify and select suitable thesis topics within the project proposal. They guide students’ progress, ensuring that the internship experience leads to a viable thesis. Faculty advisors must be reasonably accessible, primarily virtually, and may travel to companies as feasible. They work with students and supervisors to ensure academic standards are met without disclosing proprietary information.
LGO Office Research Advisors
Members of the AIR team, including Scott Kennedy and Darby Hering, collaborate with industry partners to align research topics relevant to LGO collaboration with MIT faculty expertise and student interests. They also mentor LGO students during internships and thesis writing to support company project goals and complement faculty advising. The engineering departments are split in their advising:
- Aeronautics/Astronautics: Scott Kennedy
- Chemical Engineering: Darby Hering
- Civil and Environmental Engineering: Darby Hering
- Electrical Engineering and Computer Science: Darby Hering
- Mechanical Engineering: Scott Kennedy
- Nuclear Science Engineering: Scott Kennedy
- Operations Research: Darby Hering
- PhD students: varies by PhD department
Project Scoping
Early in the internship, a formal agreement on project scope is required. The student must develop a Project Scope Document, a signed document that establishes the internship’s goals, expectations, and metrics for success. The document should address feedback from prior projects if applicable and clarify expectations between the student and supervisor.
Key suggestions from post-internship surveys include:
- Clarify objectives upfront.
- Ensure the student is accountable to all stakeholders.
- Schedule regular reviews.
- Establish a clear understanding of MIT’s thesis expectations versus company project deliverables.
The Project Scope Document, signed by the student, faculty advisors, company supervisor, and authorized company signatory, should be periodically reviewed to reaffirm goals and assess progress. If the project scope changes, the document should be revised and shared with key stakeholders.
Thesis Proposal and Agreement Letter
The Thesis Proposal is an MIT-wide requirement, typically submitted before the end of the internship and at least one semester before thesis submission. It should clearly describe the expected thesis work, extending the Project Scope Document to include problem definition, research approach, relevant prior work, and evaluation metrics. The proposal must be approved by faculty advisors from both management and engineering disciplines.
Although the company does not determine thesis content, it is essential to agree on the inclusion of specific company information to avoid IP disclosure issues. The Thesis Proposal should be reviewed by the direct supervisor and authorized company signatory, and their approval should be documented in the LGO Proposal Agreement Letter (Appendix C of the Host Agreement).