For Summer 2024, UTSI expanded to provide internship and law clerkship positions to a cohort of 30 including both undergraduate and graduate students enrolled at UT and law school partner institutions.
Summer 2024 Interns & Law Clerks
Aarnav Gakhar – UT Austin
Oil and Gas Accounting Intern – University Lands
Project: Price Variance Projects.
Used PowerBI to identify royalty underpayments from oil and gas operators with owed amounts calculated in Excel. Led to the successful collection of correct payments for University Lands.
Adam Amir – UT San Antonio
Security Operations Center Intern – Information Security
Project: Developing Playbooks for Abnormal
Implemented email security tool for Abnormal to improve threat detection. Playbooks and procedures created to ensure smooth use and consistent incident handling by future team members.
Anna McGilvray – UT Austin
IT Special Projects Intern - OCIO
Project: Private AI
Researched & documented an AI being developed for internal use at UT System which has potential implications for other System constituents.
Arian Riyahivafa – UT Arlington
IT Project Management Intern - OCIO
Project: Community of Practice development for project management
Conducted research on communities of practice (CoP) which focus on individuals sharing experiences and knowledge to advance professional domains. CoP promotes mutual support, collaboration, and idea sharing while fostering teaching and learning among its members.
Ayesha Anwer – UT Arlington
Data Analytics Intern – Talent & Innovation
Project: UTSI & LC Internship Applications Data Scraping using R
Automated batch-renaming and title scraping of PDF files, along with transferring renamed files to Hiring Manager's folders on Teams; ensured efficient and accurate delivery of internship applications using R Studio.
David Doan – UT Austin
Security Operations Center Intern – Information Security
Project: Constructing Environments for Malware Analysis using Windows Sandbox
Created a provisional instance of Windows Sandbox that’s equipped with all the tools necessary for the security team to conduct malware analysis.
Dinghan Wang – Texas A&M
Reservoir Engineering Intern – University Lands
Project: Well Spacing and Well Performance
Developed a Python code to calculate 2D and 3D distances between thousands of wells in West Texas and visualize well trajectories.
Dorothy Xu – UT Austin
Innovation, Analytics, and Process Improvement Intern - Controller
Project: High-Level IT System Mapping and Teams Site
High-Level IT System Mapping and Data Dictionary project aimed to combine existing inventories and fill information gaps by engaging the Controller’s Office and IT stakeholders.
Emily Bryan – UT Austin
Marketing, Digital Website and Tutorial Video Intern - Controller
Project: DCA Training
Interviewed DCAs across departments, defined their roles and responsibilities, identified gaps in existing training, researched training software, and created new DCA training programs.
Hossam Ebaid – Texas A&M
Reservoir Engineering Intern – University Lands
Project: Enhanced Oil Recovery through Optimization Of Cycling Gas Injection Strategy in South Midland Basin
Investigated the Huff and Puff mechanism using a simple mechanistic model to enable the creation of recommendations for the optimization of Huff and Puff Enhanced Oil Recovery.
Jasmine Cedeno – UT El Paso
HR Business Partner Intern – Talent & Innovation
Project: Performance Management Metrics
Utilized Excel PivotTables to create and organize performance appraisals based on status and ratings for each department and overall counts.
Jayden Ramirez – UT Austin
Digital and Video Marketing Intern – Talent & Innovation
Project: Capturing the Intern Experience.
Collaborated with External Relations and fellow interns to create the "A Day in the Life of an Intern" video series for UT System's social media, showcasing skills in animation, editing, and writing while learning to craft engaging, informative content within a 90-second format.
Joan Dimas Benitez – UT Tyler
Security Operations Center Intern – Information Security
Project: SharePoint Automation
Developed a streamlined system using SharePoint, Power Automate and Lists to simplify employee access requests. The process included automated email triggers for swift approval and logging interactions for auditing, with permissions accessible via SharePoint Lists.
Joseph Suess – UT Austin
Security Operations Center Intern – Information Security
Project: Cyber-Reconnaissance Tool – CertSleuth
Utilized Python, crt.sh API, and Flask to develop CertSleuth, a cyber-reconnaissance tool that helps organizations monitor SSL/TLS certificates often exploited by advanced adversaries. It enables proactive tracking of vulnerabilities, such as scanning domains like utsystem.edu on port 80.
Kapil Oswal – UT Austin
Internal Audit Intern – System Audit
Project: Contract Monitoring Audit
Assisted with the planning phase of the Contract Monitoring Audit by researching contract monitoring criteria from UT System guidelines, Texas Government Codes, and the Contract Management Handbook, and conducting risk assessments and departmental interviews.
Karen Li – UT Austin
Oil & Gas Accounting Intern – University Lands
Project: Price Variances
Analyzed possible reasons for variances between reported prices and UL audit prices for two operators.
Karianne Hosch – UT Austin
Tax Accounting Intern - Controller
Project: Unrelated Business Income Tax for UT System Institutions
Created training slide decks to help explain unrelated business income tax to decision makers at the institutions as well as a written guide for specific UBI activities.
Kelsey Conroy – UT Austin
Project Coordinator Intern - Academic Affairs
Project: Texas Credentials for the Future
Conducted qualitative research regarding the perceived value of earned micro-credentials. Micro-credentials are short-term credentials, often completed within 6-9 months in high-demand fields such as Data Analytics and Cyber Security.
Kyle Larson – UT Dallas
Human Resources Business Partner Intern – Talent & Innovation
Project: Performance Management Metrics
Cleaned weekly employee performance appraisal data and used pivot tables to display.
Kyungdon Baik – UT Austin
Information Security Intern – Information Security
Project: Tanium Deployment
Utilized Tanium to export endpoint data for UT System and Shared Information Services, identifying around 100 devices without the Tanium client, and deployed the client using Tanium to enhance network security. Troubleshot failed installations by reviewing Windows Event Viewer and firewall rules.
Lei Yan – UT Austin
Procurement Card Digitization & Automation Intern - Controller
Project: ProCard/OneCard Digitization
Designed ProCard Training Platform using Articulate 360, a Workplace Course Development Software. This interactive training manual equips Cardholders with the skills to effectively manage their cards while ensuring compliance with UT System policies.
Marco Nevarez – UT Austin
HR Wellness Program Intern – Talent & Innovation
Project: From Policies to Ping-Pong
Reviewed the Wellness Leave Policy, researched employee health screening data, and organized wellness events such as a blood drive and a ping-pong tournament.
Maria Rodriguez – UT Austin Law
Law Clerk – General Counsel
Project: Assisting and Advising UT System Institutions
House v. NCAA Settlement: The NCAA and a Power 4 conference are working to settle an antitrust lawsuit with terms including $2.75 billion in NIL restriction backpay and up to $20 million/year in revenue sharing per participating school. These terms could significantly impact academic institutions within the UT System.
Mariana Pasillas – UT San Antonio
Digital Communications Intern – Employee Benefits
Project: Expanding Digital Media for OEB
Expanded the digital presence by establishing an Instagram for UT Benefits. Devised strategies to attract younger audiences through digital media.
Matthew McDonald – UT Austin
Automation and Process Improvement Intern - Controller
Project: AFR Process Timeline
Created a dynamic timeline for planning the Annual Financial Reporting Process. Task dependencies and multiple concurrent timelines are included.
Muskan Bajaj – UT Dallas
Data Analyst Intern – University Lands
Project: Data Analytics and Visualization
This dashboard allows users to search for information entered in the Document Control interface and view key indicators of activity on University Lands, including operator changes, new wells, and production reporting. The dashboard consists of ten pages, providing business intelligence on properties, leases, well activity, open inventory, skip validation, and operators.
Nadya Zamora – UT Austin
Digital Communications Intern – Employee Benefits
Project: Enhancing Digital Footprint for OEB
Created a detailed campaign to advertise and remind employees about the Annual Enrollment period. These included posts featuring AE Fair recaps, answering frequently asked questions, and posting updates on benefits.
Nina Resen-Davidson – UT Austin Law
Law Clerk – General Counsel
Project: OGC Law Clerkship
Analyzed the Supreme Court of Texas' decision in Tex. DOT v. City of Sunset Valley and whether it applies to institutions of higher education.
Nishan Shyamsunder Shetty – UT Dallas
IT Application Services Intern - OCIO
Project: Legal Tracking
Created comprehensive technical documentation using MS Visio, detailing system architecture and user interaction flows to ensure a clear understanding of the system.
Nithya Chekuri – UT Austin Law
Law Clerk – General Counsel
Project: Sovereign Immunity & Texas Tort Claims Act (TTCA) Waivers
Monitored published opinions from Texas Courts of Appeals, focusing on sovereign immunity and the Texas Tort Claims Act (TTCA). One case involved City of Houston v. Ashley Harris (2024), where immunity was waived due to a police officer's negligence in a car accident.
Prachit Patki – UT Permian Basin
IT Data Management Intern – Health Affairs
Project: Building Data Governance and Lineage for UT Health Platform
Improved data quality and accessibility for the UT Health Intelligence Platform by implementing data governance best practices, including defining and documenting data elements with clear naming conventions and specifications.
Rachel Pazhoor – UT Dallas
Communications Intern – UTERC at Laredo
Project: Exploring Brand Marketing and Content Creation
Increased awareness of Laredo Center and its programs through the creation of a brochure for the Center, infographic of all programs offered, and event flyers.
Samantha Morales – UT Austin Law
Law Clerk – General Counsel
Project: Office of General Counsel Clerkship
Researched the reporting requirements under the Texas Medical Board and State Board of Nursing. UT Health institutions employ numerous doctors, nurses, and other medical personnel.
Sheetal Mule – UT Dallas
IT Application Services Student Associate - OCIO
Project: Taming the waterfall - one Kanban board at a time
Led revamp of Outside Counsel Web App for next release using agile methods. Defined requirements, designed documents, and managed the team with a clear plan.
Shirley Gadot – UT Austin
Marketing and Communications Intern – University Lands
Project: LinkedIn Content Creation
Managed and created content for University Lands' LinkedIn platform, including a summer content calendar, intern spotlight recaps, Midland trip posts, holiday content, and coverage of employee attendance at industry conferences.
Siddhi Javalkar – UT Dallas
IT Project Management Intern - OCIO
Project: Artificial Intelligence in PMO
Conducted research and documentation on AI solutions within the PMO, made observations in team meetings, and collated AI applications to potentially reduce project execution time.
Tatum Phillips – UT Austin
Communication Intern – Information Security
Project: Security Awareness Training
Developed a 12- month security awareness training program for UT System staff.
Utkarsh Mishra – UT Dallas
IT Special Projects Intern - OCIO
Project: 10 Weeks with UTSI
Automated data and time entry analysis using Cherwell data.
Valeria Garza – UT Rio Grande Valley
IT Support Specialist Intern – University Lands
Project: Automated Device Provisioning Project
Automated the provisioning of devices using Intune and Autopilot to streamline the setup process for new employees.
