Student Spotlight: Somdatta Basu

She is from Pittsburgh, PA, and comes from a close-knit family. In her free time, she enjoys playing the piano, reading, painting, and spending time with her dog. Last summer, she was a PIPELINE intern in State College and had a fantastic experience exploring the area trying out coffee shops, going on hikes, and even hiking Mount Nittany for the first time.

Somdatta is an active leader at Penn State, serving on the Leadership Team for the Women in Engineering Program, where she advocates for diversity in engineering and supports female-identifying students. She is also a LEAD mentor for Engineering Ambassadors, helping to introduce K-12 students—especially in underserved communities—to the opportunities available in STEM. Through this role, she mentors new members, develops leadership and communication skills, and represents Penn State at the annual Engineering Ambassadors Network conference.

Somdatta is excited to apply her engineering knowledge to real-world projects and deepen her understanding of materials science. Even though she’s an Aerospace Engineering major, she developed a passion for materials and structures through her coursework, leading her to pursue this research opportunity. Looking ahead, she plans to attend graduate school and sees this internship as a crucial step in gaining hands-on research experience and building professional connections in the field.