Imagine interning at the renowned MIT Lincoln Laboratory in the heart of the summer and having the opportunity to work hands-on with underwater robotics. That was precisely the experience Ivy Mahncke, a robotics engineering undergrad at Olin College of Engineering managed to score in 2025 after developing her love for this fascinating field while interning at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution the previous year. Her work at the Advanced Undersea Systems and Technology Group was both thrilling and challenging, given the advanced algorithms she was exploring and developing.
The core of Mahncke’s summer project revolved around developing a robust algorithm. The task was to facilitate collaborative navigation underwater between a human diver and a robotic companion in the absence of traditional navigation aids like GPS—an interesting problem, to say the least. After meticulously developing and perfecting the algorithm in the lab, it was put to the ultimate test: live field trials. The algorithm was installed in an operational underwater vehicle, which was then tested in various locations such as the Atlantic Ocean, Charles River, and Lake Superior. Witnessing her software being put to use in real-world conditions was, undoubtedly, an invaluable experience for the young engineer.
However, Mahncke’s journey didn’t stop at just being an intern. In her own words, she was trusted by one of the lead engineers to take over her field testing responsibilities. As she recounts, “She said, ‘Here’s my laptop. Here are the things that you need to do. I trust you to go do them.’ I felt that my supervisors saw me as the future generation of engineers, either at Lincoln lab or just in the broader industry.” That meant not just being an extra set of hands but acting as one of the lead field testers, an exceptional feat for an intern.
Reflecting on her accomplishments, Mahncke’s internship supervisor, Madeline Miller, was all praises. She characterized Mahncke’s experience as “being thrown right into the water,” but was amazed at how well she adapted and was not only able to float, but also helped the project attain several key targets in the nick of time.
If you’re keen on following Ivy Mahncke’s footsteps and diving into immersive, hands-on research opportunities, note that the MIT Lincoln Laboratory’s summer research program runs from mid-May to August and applications are now open. You can get a peek into Ivy’s adventures in this captivating 2-minute video by Tim Briggs. For more on this story, check out the original news article.
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