Hello everyone, my name is Julia Carlson, and I am an analyst with Ensemble. I’m excited to introduce and highlight one of Ensemble’s newest employees, Elyse Schetty, who joined our team for the summer as a product management intern with Ensemble Space Labs. I sat down and discussed Elyse’s background, what led her to Ensemble, and what she finds most exciting about her work since joining Ensemble!
Note: Responses have been edited for clarity.
Julia: Can you tell me a little bit about your background before coming to Ensemble?
Elyse: I am a rising senior at the University of Pennsylvania, studying Networked and Social Systems Engineering. At school, I am involved in the Society of Women Engineers. Additionally, I am a coding instructor at Steppingstone, an organization that provides coding classes to youth in Philadelphia.
Julia: What led you to Ensemble?
Elyse: I was part of the Venture Initiation Program (VIP) Practicum at UPenn. The program connects students with startups. I learned about Ensemble through VIP and was able to do a fellowship with Ensemble Space Labs through the program, and I am so excited to continue supporting the team into the summer!
Julia: What has been most exciting to you about working with Ensemble Space Labs this summer?
Elyse: Most of my work involves supporting Space Weather Daily. I have enjoyed learning about the different areas of innovation in the space economy. I am excited to implement the new dashboards for Space Weather Daily. Additionally, we have almost achieved our MVP! I have learned a lot about communicating across different teams, from working with software developers to space physicists, and how to collaborate to reach our milestones.
Julia: What part of your internship work/project has been most rewarding or exciting to you?
Elyse: It has been rewarding to see aspects of our product go from the idea stage to the production stage. Additionally, I have enjoyed tailoring the dashboard to different customer bases, such as space insurers. There is a lot involved in this process, including software development and UX design.
Julia: What is something you have learned so far from working at Ensemble that you weren’t expecting to learn?
Elyse: I have learned a lot about the different avenues in the space economy. There are many areas for innovation. This includes identifying areas for improvement in our product and how to tailor Space Weather Daily to best support clients. It has been inspiring and surprising at the same time. It is not just NASA deploying satellites now; the space economy has expanded beyond the old bureaucracy.
Julia: What do you enjoy doing in your free time? Any favorite hobbies?
Elyse: I am from Long Island, so I love anything involving the beach and swimming. I also love yoga and long walks, as well as spending time with family and friends. Also, going to the movies!
Julia: What are you looking forward to going into your senior year?
Elyse: I am sad to be graduating and having my friends and I all go to different places. I am looking forward to being a leader in the Networked and Social Systems Engineering program as well as in the Society of Women Engineers. I am excited to help expand the program and have more students join it!
