Bonita Chan, Oklo’s Director of Marketing & External Relations, interviews Miller Geschke to discuss his experience as a remote Engineering Intern at Oklo. Watch the full conversation here and read the abbreviated highlights below.
Your impact as a remote intern has been so valuable. What influenced your decision to join Oklo when you can apply for internships at Big Tech companies like Google, Apple, and Facebook?
The start-up culture at Oklo was one of the influencing factors. Being able to work on a range of diverse and impactful projects is meaningful to me as an intern. It is a highly motivating environment to be in when your efforts can have a lasting impact.
You started your internship during the pandemic. What are your thoughts on remote internships?
Remote internships are what you make of it. Your outlook has a lot to do with the experience you are going to have, and I have established a purpose to contribute as much as I can during this internship, even if it is done remotely.
As a mechanical engineer, what stimulated your interest to work in advanced fission?
Fission is unique in many ways, especially the impact it can have on the climate. There is no other technology that has the potential for such positive impact on the world. The energy crisis is a serious problem, and fission is one of the only solutions.
It is gratifying to be working through the unique challenges of creating new technology, and I am proud to be working on something capable of making significant strides for the environment.
You extended your internship at Oklo to defer returning to college. Can you share the reasoning behind your decision?
Mechanical engineering is such a hands-on major, and not being invited back on campus for the fall, I wanted to save my college experience when it will become more impactful. On top of that, interning at Oklo has been such an invaluable experience and one that allows me to keep learning, so it is an opportunity I could not pass up.
You are returning to college in a few months and will be finishing your internship. What has been your most memorable experience interning at Oklo?
The most memorable experience has been my interactions with the Oklo team. A really good way to judge a company is to look at their team. The Oklo team has such a diverse set of talents, who are smart and carry a fresh perspective on the industry. Each one of the Oklo members is dedicated to Oklo’s mission because it aligns with their personal mission. Also, the fact that half the team is female, which you don’t often see in tech and especially not in fission, truly demonstrates how forward-thinking the company is. Oklo looks for people who want to have a significant impact.
