Meet Michael - ATS Summer Program Intern!

We are pleased to welcome Michael to the 2025 Internship Program at Asphalt Testing Solutions& Engineering (ATS) in Jacksonville,Florida. Michael will start his senior year this upcoming semester, and over the course of 11 weeks, he is gaining hands-on experience in asphalt research, laboratory testing, and roadway quality control.

Michael began his internship in the ATS Performance Testing Lab, where he learned the foundation of constructing durable asphalt pavements. From sorting and mixing raw materials to conducting hands-on testing, he saw firsthand how each step of the process affects the roads we drive on daily.Many of the tests he observed follow standard practices outlined by The American Association of State HighwayTransportation Officials  (AASHTO), a standards-setting organization that focuses on establishing guidelines and specifications for the design, construction, maintenance, and operation of highways and transportation infrastructure in the United States.

Recently completing his first month, Michaelis now working with the ATS Quality Control (QC) team, both in the lab and on the roadway to understand how real-time data is used to make informed decisions during live paving operations.

During his time with the QC team, Michael will learn how to sample asphalt, monitoring job sites, and recognize how test data supports quality results that meet specifications set by Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT).

When asked what surprised him most about asphalt, he said: 

“I did not realize there was so much more behind the scenes work that goes into asphalt, just thought it was batched and paved. I am really thankful I got the chance to see how it all works and be a part of the process here at ATS”

The summer internship program reflects ATS’s commitment to investing in young talent. We believe exposing students to real-world applications in testing and engineering strengthens both our industry and community.

Curious to learn more about asphalt testing, quality control, and all that goes on behind the scenes? Visit our Resources page to explore more!

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