This summer, our Karsun Innovation Center was filled with excitement as our intern cohort tackled AI research and development projects. These talented students addressed real-world challenges and contributed to our cutting-edge AI toolkits and resources. As we conclude 2024, we highlight below the exceptional work done by our interns, with a focus on their projects and the skills they honed while with our modernization experts.

Embracing Real-World Challenges

From their first day in our Herndon, Virginia offices, our interns were exposed to complex problems that demanded innovative solutions. Namrata Hari, a Computational Modeling and Data Analytics student, applied her knowledge to develop a task management application using Java Spring Boot and React. Her project prepared her team for upcoming tasks and equipped them to handle the intricacies of modern software development. Namrata’s primary focus during her AI internship was on testing ReDuX, a toolkit for AI-accelerated modernization. She and her team assessed memory, user interface, and overall user experiences, identifying and addressing defects to improve the AI bot’s functionality.

Pioneering AI Solutions with ReDuX AI

Another inspiring story comes from Samhita Kumar, a rising sophomore at Yale University. Samhita leveraged the ReDuX toolkit for her projects, particularly the AI code generation capabilities included in AppPilot. She combined various tools—Java Spring Boot, PostgreSQL, Podman, and React, among others—to build full-stack projects and refine her understanding of AI applications. Her work involved proposing enhancements to ReDuX and resolving defects within the AppPilot’s frontend design. Samhita’s contributions are an excellent example of AI internships at the Karsun Innovation Center pushing the boundaries of modern software development.

Enhancing User Experience through Full-Stack Development

Manojdeep Dakavaram‘s internship was a blend of full-stack development and problem-solving. A master’s student in computer science, he worked on multiple projects, including a centralized task management system and automating user access to Karsun’s O’Reilly virtual training library. His efforts improved user experiences by addressing critical bug fixes and developing new features in the React front end of AppPilot. Manojdeep’s work showcased the powerful impact of meticulous development and technology integration.

Data Management and Visualization Innovations

Pravalika Gollapudi, a Master’s student at Arizona State University, concentrated on data management and dashboards. She developed a CRUD application and a React dashboard, which streamlined data interactions and improved presentation reliability through rigorous testing. Pravalika’s role also involved conducting data quality analysis, ensuring data integrity and reliability. Her projects underscored the pivotal role data plays in modern AI and software systems.

Automation and Streamlined Workflows

The importance of automation and workflow optimization was highlighted by Visvajit Murali’s contributions. A student from the University of Virginia, Visvajit utilized technologies like PostgreSQL, Spring Boot, and Docker to automate tedious tasks, enhancing user experiences and system efficiency. His work illustrated how automating repetitive tasks can drive productivity and innovation.

Advancing with Generative AI

Generative AI continues to be a game-changer in the tech industry, as evidenced by the work of our interns and our ReDuX mainframe modernization team. The Karsun Innovation Center challenged these students to explore and propose enhancements to our AI toolkits. This focus on generative AI was epitomized by their efforts in developing and refining AI-driven code generation tools, which promise to accelerate and streamline modernization processes effectively.

Lessons and Growth from Internship Experiences

The professional growth of our interns was significantly influenced by their experiences at the Karsun Innovation Center. Daily interactions with seasoned experts, regular “Show Don’t Tell” meetings, and hands-on projects provided them with invaluable industry insights. Interns like Namrata and Manojdeep highlighted the benefits of a collaborative and supportive environment, while others, such as Pravalika and Visvajit, emphasized the importance of continuous learning and adaptability.

This summer, our interns at the Karsun Innovation Center not only contributed to the development of AI solutions but also grew as professionals poised to lead the next wave of innovation. Their stories serve as testaments to the power of immersive learning and the impact of forward-thinking, supportive mentorship. As we look ahead, we are excited to see how these budding experts will shape the world of AI and technology. Check out our Innovation Center Projects to learn more about ReDuX and other emerging technology projects from our research and development team.

Each summer, we welcome a new intern class to our Karsun Innovation Center. These Intern Innovators experimented with automation, discovered how to leverage artificial intelligence for software development, and worked with experts from our emerging technology research and development team. In this interview, Visvajit Murali, a computer science student, shares his experience innovating with the enterprise modernization experts while finding his next.

Finding His Next: From College to Contributing in Innovative Environments

First, please tell us about yourself. Where are you going to school? What are you studying? What do you like to do in your free time?

Visvajit: My name is Visvajit Murali, and I am currently a student at the University of Virginia, pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science and a Bachelor of Arts in Economics. In my free time, I enjoy coding personal projects, exploring new technologies, and staying active through track and field. I also love spending time with friends and family, and volunteering in my community.

What do you want to do after this internship? What are your career goals?

Visvajit: After this internship, I plan to continue my studies while seeking opportunities to apply my skills in real-world settings. My career goals include becoming a proficient software developer, specializing in full-stack development and machine learning. I aim to work in innovative environments where I can contribute to impactful projects and continuously grow as a professional.

Automation, Containerization, and Web Application Development

Could you share a little bit about the project you worked on as part of this internship? What challenge does it solve? What technologies and tools are you using?

Visvajit: During my internship at Karsun Solutions, I worked on enhancing application features and user experience by automating tedious tasks. I utilized technologies such as PostgreSQL for database management, Spring Boot for back-end services, and Docker and Podman for containerization and deployment. Furthermore, I worked with AppSheet and AppScript to optimize workflows and user experiences. This experience allowed me to work on both front-end and back-end technologies, contributing to the development and maintenance of web applications.

Cultivating Continuous Learning and Curiosity

What is your favorite part about working with the Karsun Innovation Center? Is there a weekly meeting or ritual you enjoy? The opportunity to learn more or get a new certification?

Visvajit: My favorite part about working with the Karsun Innovation Center is the collaborative and supportive environment. I particularly enjoy the “Show Don’t Tell” meetings where we discuss the work we have completed over the last two weeks. These sessions are inspiring and provide valuable insights into the work KIC conducts. Additionally, the opportunity to learn from experienced professionals and potentially earn new certifications has been incredibly rewarding.

What is your biggest takeaway from your experience as an intern at Karsun?

Visvajit: The biggest takeaway from my experience as an intern at Karsun is the importance of continuous learning and adaptation. The fast-paced environment and exposure to cutting-edge technologies have taught me to stay curious and proactive in expanding my skill set. Additionally, the teamwork and mentorship I’ve experienced have underscored the value of collaboration in achieving successful outcomes.

Visvajit worked alongside Karsun Innovation Center experts throughout his internship program. Discover how Karsun experts are modernizing for every next in our Innovation Center, and as they use our ReDuX AI toolkit.

Our Karsun Innovation Center (KIC) Interns explore complex modernization problems, experiment with emerging technology such as artificial intelligence (AI), and engage with experts on our research and development team.  Every summer, we feature our interns’ work on the Karsun website. In this interview, Computer Science student Samhita Kumar shares her experience with the AI code pairing tools included in Karsun’s ReDuX AI, front-end design using component libraries, and task management automation. 

Finding Her Next: Software Development, Cryptography and AI Innovation

First, please tell us about yourself. Where are you going to school? What are you studying? What do you like to do in your free time?

Samhita: I’m Samhita, a rising sophomore at Yale University studying computer science. In my free time, I enjoy reading, visiting museums, and baking. I’m also part of my school’s moot court team and love learning about Constitutional law.

What do you want to do after this internship? What are your career goals? 

Samhita: I hope to build on the skills I’ve acquired while here, and to apply my knowledge to real-world problems. I aim to pursue opportunities in software development and cryptography, and to continue working with new innovations like ReDuX. 

Full Stack Development and Generative AI

Karsun’s ReDuX AI uses generative AI to make code, data, and access control recommendations. In addition to their work exploring the use of AI for modern software development, we also challenged our interns to identify and propose enhancements to our AI toolkits. Samhita applied her full stack development skills to this challenge.

Could you share a little bit about the project you worked on as part of this internship? What challenge does it solve? What technologies and tools are you using?

Samhita: I have primarily been working with KIC’s ReDuX AI code pair tool, AppPilot. I used Java SpringBoot, PostgreSQL, Podman, Testcontainers, Nx, React, and Jest to build a full-stack project while testing AppPilot. My front-end design pulled in several component libraries such as Metrostar Comet. I also created a Task Manager project with CRUD functionality and user accounts to strengthen my understanding of the technology stack.  Finally, I helped find and resolve defects within AppPilot.  

Flexibility, Adaptability, and Innovation

What is your favorite part about working with the Karsun Innovation Center? Is there a weekly meeting or ritual you enjoy? The opportunity to learn more or get a new certification?

During our biweekly “Show, Don’t Tell” meetings, I’ve been able to learn about the projects that the Karsun Innovation Center is working on. It has been amazing to explore so many different technologies and to see the different approaches that can be taken to address blockers.

What is your biggest takeaway from your experience as an intern at Karsun?

It is definitely the importance of flexibility. I’ve gained so much practical experience and observed how unexpected issues can arise at any moment. To tackle these challenges, I learned to remain adaptable and prepared for anything. This approach has proven incredibly helpful, and it’s one I will definitely carry forward in my career.
Samhita worked alongside Karsun Innovation Center experts throughout her internship program. Discover how Karsun experts are modernizing for every next in our Innovation Center by accelerating transformation with the ReDuX AI toolkit.

Each summer, a new class of interns joins our Karsun Innovation Center to explore the application of emerging technologies to modernizing complex legacy systems. Pravalika Gollapudi, a Master’s student, joined this year’s cohort. She experimented, tackled new challenges, developed dashboards, and worked with center experts. From full stack development to future technology expert, Pravalika shares how she hopes to find her next solving real-world problems. 

Finding Her Next: Creative Ideas into Impactful Solutions

First please tell us about yourself. Where are you going to school? What are you studying? What do you like to do in your free time?

Pravalika: My name is Pravalika Gollapudi, and I’m pursuing my Master’s in Computer Engineering (Computer Systems) at Arizona State University. In my free time, I love playing badminton to stay active. I’m also passionate about coding, as it allows me to turn creative ideas into impactful solutions.

What do you want to after this internship? What are your career goals? 

Pravalika: After this internship, I aim to dive deeper into software development, becoming a skilled full stack developer with a strong focus on AI and ML. I’m excited about roles that allow me to create innovative projects, blending backend, frontend, and intelligent systems to solve real-world problems.

Dashboards and Data

Could you share a little bit about the project you worked on as part of this internship? What challenge does it solve? What technologies and tools are you using?

Pravalika: During my internship, I tackled several projects that addressed key challenges. I developed a CRUD application with Java (backend) and React (frontend) to streamline data management and improve user interaction. Additionally, I built a React dashboard to display applicants and ensured its reliability using Jest tests, addressing challenges in data presentation and application stability. I also conducted data quality analysis, identifying and resolving inconsistencies to maintain accurate and consistent data, thus overcoming problems related to data integrity and reliability.

Professional Certification and Collaboration

What is your favorite part about working with the Karsun Innovation Center? Is there a weekly meeting or ritual you enjoy? The opportunity to learn more or get a new certification?

Pravalika: My favorite aspect of working with the Karsun Innovation Center is the opportunity to collaborate with experienced professionals and gain insights into the corporate world. This experience is invaluable as it helps me refine my teamwork and communication skills. I particularly enjoy the bi-weekly “Show Don’t Tell” meetings, where team members present their progress over the past two weeks. These sessions are not only engaging but also provide a platform for shared learning and inspiration. Additionally, preparing for the AWS Developer certification has been a rewarding challenge. It’s fantastic to be able to apply my knowledge in practical scenarios, enhancing both my skills and my understanding of the field.

What is your biggest takeaway from your experience as an intern at Karsun?

Pravalika: My biggest takeaway from my internship at Karsun is the value of hands-on experience in a collaborative environment. Working alongside seasoned professionals has taught me how to navigate complex projects, communicate effectively, and contribute meaningfully to a team. The practical application of my skills, coupled with the opportunity to tackle real-world challenges, has significantly deepened my understanding of the industry. Additionally, the emphasis on continuous learning and professional growth at Karsun has reinforced the importance of staying curious and proactive in my career development.

Pravalika worked alongside Karsun Innovation Center experts throughout her internship program. Discover how Karsun experts are modernizing for every next in our Innovation Center, among our data solutions teams, and as they use our ReDuX AI toolkit.

Our Karsun Innovation Center hosts future technology experts every summer for our annual internship program. Computational Modeling and Data Analytics student Namrata Hari joined this year’s class to advance her data science skills while diving into complex, innovative projects. In this interview, she shares her experience in the Innovation Center environment, contributing to center projects and uncovering her path to finding her next. 

Finding Her Next: Data Science to Social Impact

First please tell us about yourself. Where are you going to school? What are you studying? What do you like to do in your free time?
Namrata: Hi, I am Namrata! I am a rising sophomore studying Computational Modeling and Data Analytics at Virginia Tech, with a minor in Computer Science and Mathematics. During my free time, I enjoy dancing, singing, and watching movies.

What do you want to do after this internship? What are your career goals? 

Namrata: After completing this internship, I aim to participate in professional events and conferences to enhance and sustain my networking skills. My career aspiration is to become a data scientist focusing on complex data projects that extract valuable insights and foster social impact.

Building the Future of AI Accelerated Modernization

In addition to researching and developing solutions with emerging technologies, the Karsun Innovation Center builds toolkits for our teams using these evolving solutions, industry best practices and under guidance from industry experts. One of these toolkits is ReDuX AI, a set of tools and practices for AI accelerated modernization. As part of her internship, Namrata worked with the team developing future enhancements to this toolkit.  

Could you share a little bit about the project you worked on as part of this internship? What challenge does it solve? What technologies and tools are you using?
Namrata: Throughout the initial weeks of the internship, I focused on developing a task management application using Java Spring Boot and React. This project has been valuable in preparing us for upcoming tasks.

Namrata: The primary focus of my work during this internship has been testing ReDuX AI. Working within teams, we were assigned stories to complete through the use of AppPilot. During this project, we utilized Nx, Spring Boot, Postgres, Flyway, Podman, React, Comet, and Jest. Throughout this process, we were able to assess the memory, user interface, and overall user experience of the AI bot. Upon completing this project, we began addressing the defects we had previously identified.

The Innovation Center Environment

What is your favorite part about working with the Karsun Innovation Center? Is there a weekly meeting or ritual you enjoy? The opportunity to learn more or get a new certification?
Namrata: My favorite part about working with KIC is the supportive environment that I am constantly surrounded by. I enjoy seeing the work done on the projects I always hear about during our daily stand-up meetings in Show Don’t Tell. The questions asked during Show Don’t Tell helped me learn and develop my skills by showing me what questions should be asked and how to answer them. I appreciate being in an environment where I can always learn something new, no matter what.

What is your biggest takeaway from your experience as an intern at Karsun?

Namrata: My biggest takeaway from my experience at Karsun is understanding industry dynamics.  I had the opportunity to gain first-hand exposure to the inner workings of the field, including observing how various challenges are tackled and identifying best practices. This experience has been instrumental in expanding my knowledge and expertise in the industry and has significantly contributed to my professional growth and development.

Namrata worked alongside Karsun Innovation Center experts throughout her internship program. Discover how Karsun experts are modernizing for every next in our Innovation Center, among our data solutions teams, and as they use our ReDuX AI toolkit.

Every summer, we welcome interns to the Karsun Innovation Center for our annual internship program. These innovators are embedded in our research and development teams, contributing to projects led by center experts. In this interview, Manjodeep Dakavaram, a computer science master’s student, shares his experience using his software engineering and full-stack development skills to enhance the experience of Karsun team members accessing training, toolkits, and other resources.

Finding His Next: From Computer Science Student to Future Startup Founder

First, please tell us about yourself. Where are you going to school? What are you studying? What do you like to do in your free time?

Manojdeep: This is Manojdeep Dakavaram, and I am currently pursuing a Master of Science degree in Computer Science at the University of Colorado Boulder. In my free time, I enjoy working on personal projects, particularly those involving full-stack development and machine learning. Apart from that, I enjoy cooking, watching anime, and strength training.

What do you want to do after this internship? What are your career goals?

Manojdeep: After this internship, I aim to complete my master’s degree and, further develop my skills, and gain more experience in software engineering and full-stack development. My immediate goal is to secure a full-time role where I can work on challenging projects, especially those involving AI, machine learning, and cloud technologies. 

Manojdeep: In the long term, my ultimate goal is to start my own startup and eventually grow it into a successful enterprise. I am passionate about leveraging technology to create innovative solutions that address real-world problems. By gaining diverse experiences and building a strong foundation in various technologies, I aim to be well-prepared to launch and scale my own venture.

Making an Impact with Enhanced User Experience 

Over the course of his internship, Manojdeep contributed to four projects in the Karsun Innovation Center. Through automation, centralization, bug fixes, and other enhancements, his development work and problem-solving improved the user experience of tools used by Karsun teams. As part of its mission, the center uses its research into emerging technologies to build toolkits and resource libraries to support the work of Karsun’s customer-facing teams. Interns, including Manojdeep, support the ongoing development of these resources. That includes maintaining toolkits such as ReDuX AI. These resources assist teams as they analyze, migrate, and modernize complex legacy systems. One component of that toolkit is AppPilot, which uses AI code generation capabilities to accelerate certain parts of the modernization process.  Manojdeep applied his React frontend skills to address bug fixes and provide enhancements to this toolkit. 

In addition to its toolkits, the Innovation Center provides both virtual and in-person professional development training resources as part of its Karsun Academy program. As part of his internship, Manojdeep enhanced user experience by automating user access to Karsun’s O’Reilly virtual training library. 

Could you share a little bit about the project you worked on as part of this internship? What challenge does it solve? What technologies and tools are you using?

Manojdeep: During my internship at Karsun, I had the opportunity to work on several impactful projects:

1. Task Manager Application:
   • Challenge: The Task Manager Application addresses the need for a centralized and user-friendly task management system, helping users stay organized and improving productivity through real-time updates and team collaboration.
   • Technologies and Tools Used: React JS, SpringBoot, PostgreSQL, JUnit, Podman, Git, REST API
2. Automation of O’Reilly Platform User Management:
   • Challenge: The manual process of managing user access to the O’Reilly platform was time-consuming and prone to errors.
   • Technologies and Tools Used: Google App Sheets, Google App Script, Postman, Rest API, Google Sheets.
3. Document Service:
   • Challenge: There was a need for an efficient and secure document management service.
   • Technologies and Tools Used: React JS, SpringBoot, PostgreSQL, Amazon S3, LocalStack, JUnit, Podman, Git, Jest, REST API
4. React Frontend Bugs for App Pilot:
   • Challenge: App Pilot, a Karsun product, required bug fixes and enhancements in its React frontend to ensure a smooth user experience.
   • Solution: I am currently working on identifying and resolving these frontend bugs, improving the overall functionality and user experience of the application.

Manojdeep: These projects have allowed me to apply my skills in full-stack development, enhance my problem-solving abilities, and gain hands-on experience with a variety of tools and technologies.

Collaboration, Experimentation and Camaraderie

What is your favorite part about working with the Karsun Innovation Center? Is there a weekly meeting or ritual you enjoy? The opportunity to learn more or get a new certification?

Manojdeep: My favorite part about working with the Karsun Innovation Center is the collaborative and innovative environment that encourages continuous learning and growth. Here are a few specific aspects I particularly enjoy:

1. Collaborative Environment: Working with talented and experienced professionals who are always willing to share their knowledge and provide guidance has been incredibly rewarding. The collaborative culture fosters creativity and innovation, making it an exciting place to work.
2. Bi-Weekly KIC Show Don’t Tell Meetings: I enjoy our biweekly Show Don’t Tell meetings where the team gathers to discuss and demonstrate ongoing projects, share updates, and brainstorm solutions to any challenges we face. These meetings keep everyone aligned and provide a platform for sharing insights and learning from each other.
3. Innovation and Experimentation: The freedom to experiment with new technologies and approaches is another highlight. I am encouraged to explore innovative solutions and think outside the box, which enhances my problem-solving skills and keeps my work engaging.
4. Playing Table Tennis: I also enjoy playing table tennis with my colleagues. It’s a great way to unwind, build camaraderie, and foster a positive work-life balance.

Manojdeep: Overall, the combination of a supportive team, regular interactions, and enjoyable activities makes my experience at the Karsun Innovation Center both enjoyable and fulfilling.

What is your biggest takeaway from your experience as an intern at Karsun?

Manojdeep: From my internship at Karsun Solutions, my biggest takeaway has been the immense value of hands-on experience in a real-world environment. I’ve been able to apply a wide range of skills, from developing full-stack applications and automating processes to debugging complex products. This practical experience has really solidified my understanding and proficiency in these areas.

Manojdeep: I’ve also had the chance to work with various technologies and tools, such as React, Spring Boot, Google Appsheets, and Amazon S3. This exposure has broadened my technical toolkit and made me more versatile as a developer.

Manojdeep: Tackling bugs and working on products like App Pilot has shown me the real-world challenges of maintaining and improving live systems, which goes beyond theoretical knowledge. Additionally, automating processes, like user access management for the O’Reilly platform, has demonstrated how impactful automation can be for efficiency and productivity.

Manojdeep: Finally, working in a team has helped me enhance my collaboration and communication skills, which I know are crucial for any tech career. Overall, this internship has been incredibly valuable in preparing me for future roles and challenges.

Manojdeep participated in Karsun’s 2024 internship program as a member of the Karsun Innovation Center. Head over to our KIC page to learn more about our in-house research and development unit, Karsun Academy, our modernization toolkits, and ReDuX AI.

We recently completed one of our favorite annual traditions at Karsun, our intern presentations and celebration. Our onsite interns joined our local Washington, D.C., area employees for an ice cream social this year. We concluded the day with project presentations to our executive and leadership team. Working inside our Karsun Innovation Center, we are constantly inspired by the new approaches to government technology our interns develop. 

Presenting, demoing, and describing their work is crucial to the Karsun internship experience. Our interns presented to their Innovation Center colleagues twice a month during our “Show Don’t Tell” meeting. In addition to contributing to Innovation Center projects, each intern completed a specialized learning path and received mentorship from an Innovation Center leader. As part of their learning path, each intern worked toward a professional certification related to their internship project. 

This information technology internship cohort covered topics ranging from AI/ML and data driven decision-making to driving engagement through well-designed applications. We covered these projects in our blog over the past month. If you missed it, we summarized their incredible work below.

Applications That Drive Engagement

Mithran Mohanraj strengthened his UI/UX skills, built prototype applications, and experimented with approaches to improve engagement with those apps. As part of his internship, he adapted to changing requirements while training alongside design experts in the Innovation Center. In the question and answer portion of his final presentation, Mithran revealed his internship allowed him to experiment with human centered design principles like incremental changes to form designs based on ongoing user feedback. Learn how his experience helped him develop Applications That Drive Engagement.

Building Better with Business Automation

Sinduja Sankar, a computer science graduate student, explored automating dynamic workflows for her internship. Working with experts in the fast-paced Innovation Center, she built a proof of concept using the open source business automation platform Kogito. As she researched the implementation of this tool, she also engaged in bi-weekly Innovation Center “Show, Don’t Tell” sessions. She not only received recognition for her work, she learned from the work performed by other experts and innovators at Karsun. Learn how Sinduja was Building Better with Business Automation.

Exploring Code Generation for Contracts Management

Luca Moukheiber was part of a team developing an AI-assisted contracts management proof of concept. Using a Large Language Model (LLM) to generate code, he built custom interfaces for reporting. In this immersive experience, as Luca studied prompt engineering, he worked closely with teams using AI-assisted development methodologies. Learn more about Luca’s project, Exploring Code Generation for Contracts Management.

Leveraging Data for Agile Decision-Making

Soumya Nambi Ganesh worked with our Innovation Center team to develop a dashboard for executive reporting. The dashboard will ultimately be used for strategic decision-making. She assessed business needs and objectives while participating in every step of the process as part of this project. That included gathering requirements, building data pipelines, transforming the data, and constructing visualizations. She also deepened her understanding of Python as part of her learning path. Read her project and profile to discover how Soumya explored Leveraging Data for Agile Decision-Making.

Applying DevOps Skills to Real-Life Problems

Our final internship project spotlight is Nikhil Davangere Basavaraj’s application of DevOps to a platform developed by the Karsun Innovation Center. As part of this project, he leveraged tools like Terraform to enhance application logging and improve threat detection. While learning real-world security strategies, Nikhil worked with his mentor and prepared for his AWS certifications. Join Nikhil on his cloud journey and learn about his internship experience Applying DevOps Skills to Real-Life Problems.

Each summer, Karsun hosts an internship cohort. Once applications are open, they are listed on our career site, KarsunCareers.com. We hope you join us and Find Your Next in our Innovation Center next year.

A Master of Science in Business Analytics student, Soumya Nambi Ganesh tested her data science skills working with the Agile Decision Dashboard team as part of her Karsun Innovation Center internship. In taking on this project, which reports key metrics to executive and management-level decision-makers, she tackled everything from requirements gathering to data pipelines to transforming the data and constructing visualizations. Discover how Soumya worked with the Innovation Center Research and Development (RnD) team to build this dashboard and find her next.

First please tell us about yourself. Where are you going to school? What are you studying? What do you like to do in your free time?

Hi, I’m Soumya Nambi Ganesh. I’m pursuing a Master of Science degree in Business Analytics at the University of Southern California in LA. In my free time, I enjoy reading, writing, playing badminton and watching all genres of movies.

Could you share a little bit about the project you worked on as part of this internship? What challenge does it solve? What technologies and tools are you using?

As part of my internship at Karsun, I worked on building an Agile Decision Dashboard. This dashboard includes interactive visualizations built on company – data in terms of Objectives, Key Results, Costs, Management, Quality and Schedule. I was given the opportunity to be a part of the project right from the beginning – where I met with the executives of the company for personal interviews on their requirements for the dashboard. I worked on the entire data pipeline, which involved identifying various data sources, building scripts to extract data and transforming the data into desirable formats. I then worked on computing new metrics and eventually constructing visualizations that are to be used for intuitive decision-making by the executives. 

What is your favorite part about working with the Karsun Innovation Center? Is there a weekly meeting or ritual you enjoy? The opportunity to learn more or get a new certification?

My favorite part of working at KIC is the opportunity to meet with colleagues with different skills and expertise, in a close-net team and learn of their various perspectives. I love a good challenge and working with the KIC team offered me new tasks, with changing requirements in a sort of RnD environment. This pushed me to get out of my comfort zone, quickly learn new tools and methods and implement the same. 

I also was able to enhance my data science skills by undertaking a course on Udemy, through Karsun, which was a bonus to my learning here! 

What is your biggest takeaway from your experience as an intern at Karsun?

My main takeaway would be bridging the gap requirements and data. This involves understanding executive-level and management-level requirements and then finding a way to clean messy data, transform them into meaningful metrics and display them as visualizations to answer specific business questions. I was also able to improve on this process through the continuous feedback I received from various members of the team, for which I am grateful. 

Soumya completed her internship as part of the Karsun Innovation Center. Learn Karsun accelerate Data Solutions adoption. Connect with Soumya on LinkedIn to learn more about her experience.

Nikhil Davangre Basavaraj’s Innovation Center internship not only helped him prepare for an AWS certification, it also gave him real-life DevOps experience. Nikhil, a Computer Science Masters student, advanced these skills while working on tools used by Karsun teams. Along the way, he built Terraform scripts, assessed costs for AWS services and developed on Karsun’s AI-Asssisted Redux Platform. Take a deep dive into Nikhil’s process and his experience during his internship in this interview. 

First, please tell us about yourself. Where are you going to school? What are you studying? What do you like to do in your free time?

Hi all !! My name is Nikhil. I am currently doing my Masters in Computer Science at The University of Texas at Dallas (UTD). In my free time I like to play cricket or go for a swim. I love watching movies and anime as well.

Could you share a little bit about the project you worked on as part of this internship? What challenges does it solve? What technologies and tools are you using?

Initially, I built an Appsheet app called “Fedelivery”, which helps Government Organizations spread across the US to handle deliveries of confidential items. After this I was working with a fellow intern on implementing push notifications for the KIC Konnect app using Firebase. 

Later on, I started working on DevOps tasks. My first task was to configure logging in the Application Load Balancer level in AWS using Terraform. Although it was my first time working with Terraform, with the help of my mentors, I was able to understand and complete the task successfully. 

The next task that I took over was to enable Application Logging in the EKS level, where data is logged in AWS Cloudwatch from EKS using Fluent Bit. The logs in CloudWatch are to be stored for 7 days which will then be moved to an S3 bucket for further storage for 30 days. Later on, the data will be moved to Infrequent Access Storage for 60 days, and finally, the logs will be transferred to Cold/Glacier Storage for a year. I had to use Fluent Bit for log forwarding to Cloudwatch, and I wrote the script for the above in Terraform. I was successfully able to complete the task and push the code to [Karsun’s] Redux Platform. 

Right now, I am working on implementing a Terraform script to deploy WAF (Web Application Firewall) to the Load Balancers on AWS. WAF protects applications from web-based attacks and hence is very crucial. I even have to do research regarding the pricing of the WAF service to help the company plan budget-wise. So far, the tasks are going well, and I am enjoying the work I am doing here at Karsun.

What is your favorite part about working with the Karsun Innovation Center? Is there a weekly meeting or ritual you enjoy? The opportunity to learn more or get a new certification?

I think the best part about working with the Karsun Innovation Center is the opportunity to solve real-world problems and get mentored by top-notch developers. I even got the opportunity to prepare for my AWS certification because of the Udemy course offered by Karsun. I like meeting with my mentor weekly to discuss various things, like what we did during the weekend or what blockers I am facing. The people are what make the company, and I am delighted to be a part of this wonderful team.

What is your biggest takeaway from your experience as an intern at Karsun?

My biggest takeaway from Karsun is the insights I received from this internship. It has helped me to grow both personally and professionally. My entry into the field of DevOps was made possible because of this internship. Initially, I had to do a lot of reading and research to get the tasks done, which helped me learn a lot.

Nikhil’s internship was completed with support from the Karsun Innovation Center and the DevOps Practice Area. The resources in our Innovation Center’s practice areas are available to all Karsun teams. Connect with Nikhil on LinkedIn to learn more about his experience.

Sinduja Sankar’s internship pushed her out of her comfort zone, letting her experience building workflow solutions with new software and automation tools. In this interview, the Georgia Tech graduate student shares her experience working alongside the Karsun Innovation Center (KIC). Learn how working in the fast-paced center enriched Sinduja’s practice as she built a proof of concept using the open source business automation platform Kogito, presented at bi-weekly Innovation Center “Show, Don’t Tell” sessions and grew as an intern at Karsun.

First please tell us about yourself. Where are you going to school? What are you studying? What do you like to do in your free time?

I am Sinduja! I am currently pursuing my master’s in computer science at Georgia Tech. In my free time, I love exploring museums in the DMV area and trying out new local restaurants with my friends. I also enjoy reading and playing video games.

Could you share a little bit about the project you worked on as part of this internship? What challenge does it solve? What technologies and tools are you using?

My project involves creating a proof of concept for a federal agency application using Kogito, an open source business automation platform for managing workflows. This would reduce the amount of code written significantly to manage the automation of workflows. The task involved understanding the existing workflow in a large code repository and redesigning the workflow iteratively with other developers. The workflow automates processes and decision-making, thereby making it more efficient and adaptive.

What is your favorite part about working with the Karsun Innovation Center? Is there a weekly meeting or ritual you enjoy? The opportunity to learn more or get a new certification?

The best part about working at Karsun is the supportive atmosphere. I am genuinely grateful to be part of such a wonderful group. The “Show, Don’t Tell” sessions which happen every two weeks are very interesting and give us a bird’s-eye view of what everyone is working on. I also really appreciate the intellectually stimulating nature of every project undertaken by KIC and the opportunity to work with the latest tools and technologies.

What is your biggest takeaway from your experience as an intern at Karsun?

As an intern, my key takeaway is that change is constant. Throughout the internship, I’ve experienced various forms of change, from adapting to a new environment to taking up responsibilities out of my comfort zone by experimenting with new software. I am grateful for this experience as it has taught me to be open-minded and adaptable.  

Sinduja’s internship supported work performed by the Karsun Innovation Center. Learn how the Research and Development teams in the center created proof of concepts, prototype solutions and investigate emerging technologies. Connect with Sinduja on LinkedIn to learn more about her internship experience.