2025 Summer Internship Reflections: Learning, Discovery, and New Horizons at Envista Forensics

This summer, Envista Forensics welcomed six exceptional students from across the country to our 2025 Summer Internship Program. Spanning three specialized disciplines, Digital Forensics, Mechanical, and Electrical, our interns brought fresh perspectives, curiosity, and an eagerness to learn.

Representing Digital Forensics were Jackson Aldridge and James Cangelosi. Ashley Anderson and Peyton Marciniak joined our Mechanical team, while Rishi Ketanbhai Patel and Jeremy Staigl gained hands-on experience in Electrical engineering.

The program was designed to give aspiring engineers their first step into the professional world, provide real-world, project-based learning, and introduce them to the fascinating field of forensic engineering, an area many have never encountered before. Over the summer, interns worked directly with our seasoned engineers, shadowed onsite inspections, and participated in lab exams, gaining insights they simply can’t find in a classroom.

As the program draws to a close, we asked several of our interns to reflect on their time at Envista. Below, three share their experiences in their own words—capturing their favorite moments, lessons learned, and how their internships have shaped their career goals. Stay tuned for upcoming video spotlights featuring more interns from the 2025 program.

Ashley Anderson

Mechanical Engineering Intern – Columbus, OH

“A summer of learning by doing, where each day brings something new.”

Primary Responsibilities
During my internship, I assisted with photo documentation for lab exams hosted in our office and at site inspections. I used lab equipment such as microscopes and material identification machines to analyze system failures. In my free time, I collaborated with another intern on designing, building, and testing research projects proposed by our full-time engineers to learn about various failure modes encountered in the field.

A Typical Day
No two days are the same, which is one of the things I love! In the office, I often handled evidence and ran lab tests to better understand the root cause of cases. I also worked on research projects that involved designing, building, and testing systems to see why they fail and how external factors influence them. On lab exam days, I documented evidence in detail alongside a team of engineers and interacted with lawyers to learn about the legal side of insurance claims. Field days gave me the opportunity to see the scene before evidence was extracted and speak directly with clients for valuable context.

Favorite Part
The best part was how much I’ve learned, from the unique systems in each case to the testing methods we use. Everyone here encourages curiosity, creating a fantastic learning environment. Our term projects focused on real-world failure modes, so we were learning together as a team.

Coolest Project
Designing a full-scale test procedure for vehicle accident recreation. From reading the original report to managing logistics, I enjoyed seeing a theoretical case come to life and applying my classroom engineering math in a real-world setting.

Skills & Knowledge Gained
I expanded my knowledge of material structures, failure mechanisms, and electrical component assessments. I also learned soldering for plumbing and electrical applications, wiring circuits, and using different 3D modeling systems. Non-engineering knowledge included the insurance claim process, site investigation protocols, and effective report writing for legal purposes.

Impactful Mentor
My supervisor, Andrew Schmit, taught me about materials, failure modes, and the unique role of forensic engineers in legal processes. He showed me how engineering knowledge can help uncover root causes and support recovery for those affected.

Career Impact
This experience has sparked my interest in pursuing a career in the forensic industry, and the supportive culture at Envista has made it a top post-college option for me.

Jeremy Staigl

Electrical Engineering Intern – Columbus, OH

“My time at Envista has been phenomenal. Being around engineers, attending labs and site exams, and learning how we solve cases has helped me grow both personally and professionally.”

Primary Responsibilities
I attended labs to observe and participate in testing, joined site visits, documented evidence, photographed critical site data, and learned firsthand what a forensic engineer does.

A Typical Day
Every day is different. Projects, site visits, and evidence reviews make up the core of my role.

Favorite Part
Seeing how projects evolve from receiving evidence to determining the cause. The methodology, experimentation, and final conclusions are incredibly rewarding.

Coolest Projects

Visiting Utah to inspect the aftermath of a building explosion at a rocket fuel manufacturing site was eye-opening. I worked on the cost estimate while engaging with affected individuals, team members, and the adjuster, a humbling reminder of the people behind each case.

A transformer fire damaged multiple circuit switchboards and created enough pressure to blow open the electrical room doors. The investigation revealed a likely cause, wire insulation damage from unclean conduits during installation years earlier, that explained the unusual fire pattern.

Skills & Knowledge Gained
I learned to avoid early assumptions, document evidence thoroughly, and communicate findings clearly.

Impactful Mentors
Brad Davis and Andrew Schmit both shared deep expertise. Brad in electrical fire causes and battery failures, and Andrew in mechanical failures and material sciences.

Career Impact
I entered thinking electrical engineering meant power distribution and utilities. This internship has opened my eyes to forensic engineering as a career path.

Rishi Ketanbhai Patel

Electrical Engineering Intern – Chicago, IL

“A hands-on, investigative learning experience that sharpened my technical skills in failure analysis and deepened my passion for forensic engineering.”

Primary Responsibilities
I assisted my manager during on-site fire inspections, documenting observations, photographing evidence, and helping trace electrical causes. In lab inspections, I researched wiring diagrams and equipment manuals to prepare for testing.

A Typical Day
Work ranged from site inspections, collecting evidence, creating chains of custody, and arc mapping, to troubleshooting equipment in lab exams.

Favorite Part
Inspecting loss locations and identifying causes of failure. For example, in a lab exam of a chest freezer fire, we determined the thermal cutoff failed, allowing the compressor to overheat and ignite.

Coolest Project
Inspecting a 3.4MW solar field in Wisconsin, after hail damage. Under Bruce Kivisto’s guidance, I researched UV light sources to detect even the smallest cracks in solar modules.

Skills & Knowledge Gained
Hands-on expertise in failure analysis, evidence handling, and technical communication for legal and insurance contexts.

Impactful Mentor
Wes Grandlienard guided me through identifying burn patterns, arc mapping, and documenting evidence, always explaining concepts in detail and with factual support.

Career Impact
I now see forensic engineering as a career path where I can apply electrical engineering skills to real-world problem-solving.

Thank You Interns!

We are incredibly proud of the contributions our 2025 interns have made this summer. Their curiosity, dedication, and willingness to dive into challenging projects embody the spirit of Envista Forensics.

If you’re a student looking to gain hands-on engineering experience in a dynamic, investigative field, stay tuned for details on our 2026 Summer Internship Program. And don’t miss our video spotlights featuring more of our interns as they share their stories and insights.