CoECS Internship Stories
Yaso Deepika Morampudi ’25, MS in Computer Science
Yaso Deepika Morampudi ’25 is working toward completing a Master of Science in Computer Science at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi. As part of her educational journey, Morampudi served as an intern at Ramya Infotech from December 2022 to April 2023. Morampudi’s tasks ranged from learning computer programming languages like JavaScript to creating and designing websites. The internship helped Morampudi shift from her electronics engineering background and become more familiar with computer science.
Currently, Morampudi is involved with several research projects. These include collaboration with Dr. Jose Baca, TAMU-CC Assistant Professor of Engineering, on a project called “Crazyfile 2.1” and work with Dr. Yongzhi Wang, TAMU-CC Assistant Professor of Computer Science, on a research project titled “Stateful defenses for machine learning models are not yet secure against black-box attacks.” Morampudi also works as a volunteer research assistant under Dr. Thang Nguyen, TAMU-CC Assistant Professor of Electrical Engineering, assembling hardware parts of robots for Duckietown, which is a platform for delivering cutting-edge robotics and artificial intelligence learning experiences.
“Before attending TAMU-CC, I had zero knowledge of computer programming,” Morampudi said. “Because my previous degree was in electronics, every professor who I met at A&M-Corpus Christi helped me adjust and become familiar with the concepts of computer science. I am very thankful for all the research projects and growth opportunities as they have guided me in my higher education journey.”
Vernonika Castaneda ’24, BS in Civil Engineering
Vernonika Castaneda ’24 obtained her Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering at the Island University. In her first internship with Corpus Christi Water, she assisted engineers and contractors with local projects and assessed the conditions of manhole and pipelines systems for optimal function.
Her more recent internship with the National Hazards Engineering Research Infrastructure (NHERI) at the Kawaihae Harbor in Waikoloa, Hawaii, began in fall 2023. At NHERI, she researched the liquefaction of the soils in the Kawaihae Harbor. Soil liquefaction is a geotechnical phenomenon where soil temporarily loses its stiffness and acts more like a liquid than a solid. Therefore, before civil engineers build underwater structures, they need to assess the behavior of the soil and see if it remains solid enough to build on. Castaneda has received full-time job offers from both internships.
“The best advice I can give to a prospective student interested in engineering is to start your internships early,” Castaneda said. “As an engineering major, you want as many experiences as you can get specific to your field. For instance, if you get an internship working on buildings, that is amazing, but you also want internships that build or design other infrastructure, so you have a larger skill set when you graduate.”
Harshavardhanraju Buddaraju ’25, MS in Computer Science
Harshavardhanraju Buddaraju ’25, an international student, is working toward completing a Master of Science in Computer Science at TAMU-CC. Buddaraju completed a one-month internship at VEM Technologies Pvt. Ltd, which is an aerospace, defense, and homeland security systems solutions company based in Hyderabad, India. The company develops hardware and defense electronics. The company tests its aircraft designs in high and low temperatures, as well as windy or dusty environments, to ensure that the prototype can successfully operate in a variety of environmental situations. As an intern, Buddaraju got to observe, test, and explain to customers the engineering electronics at VEM Technologies. Buddaraju said his undergraduate degree in electrical engineering is complimented by his graduate studies in computer science.
“While at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, the professors who I worked with helped identify and explain anything I had trouble grasping,” Buddaraju said. “Even though I had four years of experience in electronics engineering, I feel just as knowledgeable and experienced in computer science because of the consistent support from the faculty at TAMU-CC.”