As part of the Argentina Internship Program, American-Mexican Ruby Saldívar spent her university summer break at Tecpetrol’s DITE in Buenos Aires, where she researched industrial membranes applied to the energy industry.

At just 20, Ruby Saldívar already has a story worth telling. An Industrial Design student with her sights set on a future master’s in Mechanical Engineering at Stanford University in the U.S., she spent this past June to August working as an intern in Tecpetrol’s Energy Transition Directorate (DITE), coming away with an experience she’ll never forget.

Like dozens of students before her, Ruby’s journey began with the Argentina Internship Program, run by Puentes Abroad. The initiative bridges classroom learning with real-world work, linking students from U.S. universities with companies in Argentina. Since 2015, it’s given 125 young talents the chance to gain professional experience—a major achievement, considering they were chosen from a pool of nearly 3,000 applicants. Past interns have landed at some of the country’s biggest players, from the Techint Group and Pan American Energy to Honeywell, CGC, and Aeropuertos Argentina 2000.

Originally from El Monte, just outside Los Angeles in California, Ruby has been interested in sustainability since her freshman year at college and this shaped her first projects. “When I heard about the program, I found out how competitive it was. But in my interview, Tecpetrol’s approach clicked with me straight away,” she told Tecpetrol Hoy. “However, I didn't expect my summer to revolve so much around chemistry! It was a real challenge because you need to translate technical concepts so that the whole team can understand them.”

Based in Buenos Aires, Ruby threw herself into the fascinating world of industrial membranes and their applications and challenges for use in the energy industry. "They’re these thin, semipermeable barriers that play a key role in industries from food and beverages to chemicals, as well as in the energy sector. Here, I focused on ion exchange membranes which are crucial for various technological applications in the energy transition."

Guided by her mentor Abigail Rozenblit, Technology Energy Transition Expert, Ruby got an insider’s view of TechEnergy Ventures, before diving into her own research projects. Along the way, she explored areas such as fuel cells, redox flow batteries, and water electrolysis.

“I learned to keep asking questions, dig deeper, see things from different angles—and not be afraid of not having all the answers,” recalled Ruby of what she learned. “My mentor always reminded me that this is about practice and that it doesn’t need to be perfect. She was there every step of the way. It was a great experience.”

“From day one, Ruby showed herself to be responsible, curious, and fully committed, qualities we value deeply in our technical team, no matter the discipline,” explained her mentor Abigail. She added that Ruby’s work on membranes touched on a field that will either unlock or limit tomorrow’s energy solutions. “The internship program lets us bring in fresh perspectives and develop talent that makes a real impact. Our experience with Ruby is a perfect example of that,” she concluded.

At the DITE, Ruby discovered a fast-paced, well-structured workplace, where every task has its time slot. “At first I was pretty quiet, as everyone seemed so professional,” she admits. “But little by little, I opened up more to my teammates. I went to see a Boca Juniors game, and they were really excited to hear I’d been.” Ruby even gave mate a try—and liked it. “They joked that I was already more Argentine than some of them,” she laughs.

Ruby’s internship was also her first trip abroad, swapping her quiet California neighborhood for a city with stylish architecture and plenty of buzz. “That’s what I enjoyed the most about Buenos Aires.” Although she was taken aback by late dinner times and traditional greetings with kisses (a throwback to family visits with relatives from Zacatecas in Mexico), she made sure to record some slang words on her phone along with their meaning. She dived straight into the culture too, not only drinking mate but also sampling Argentine cooking at a class where she tried her hand at chipá, empanadas, asado, flan, as well as vermouth.

As the summer drew to a close, Ruby looked back on the lessons learned: navigating a more technical environment that sharpened her curiosity, and building relationships with other interns, like her English colleague, with whom she went out for ice cream—every day! “I have more friends now,” says Ruby with a smile. “I carry with me connections and memories I'll never forget.”