MONTEREY PHOENIX INTERNSHIP PROGRAM
A Monterey Phoenix (MP) internship is an experience like no other. Learn how to probe, uncover, and challenge perceptions of behavior reality, and design systems for good behavior.
This in-person training is designed to equip students and professionals with the skills to model, analyze, and control complex system designs, uncovering hidden behaviors that can impact real-world operations. Guided by expert facilitators, you will engage in a dynamic learning environment where theory meets practice and logic meets creativity.
Experts bring the problems. Experienced coaches teach the tools and techniques. Students take on assigned problem topics in small teams. Everyone learns.
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College students from sponsored schools are admitted via an application and selection process, and take online basic training in preparation for in-person immersion. No prior coding or engineering experience is required.
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Experts bring real or simplified problems from their domain of knowledge. As they mentor the students, they develop enhanced awareness of system or process behaviors that are permitted as designed but may violate intent.
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Coaches are advanced students, recent graduates, or experts who are familiar with MP. They assist the students in advancing their MP skills while furthering their own as the student teams model the topics provided by their expert mentors.
Students apply, are selected and registered, and make arrangements for the in-person portion of the internship experience. While students learn the basics of MP via an online tutorial, the coaches coordinate problem topic formulation with the expert mentors. Real problems inspire the selected topics, without disclosing unnecessary or sensitive details.
Students are assigned workspace, a team, an expert mentor, and a problem topic. Each topic is allocated a team of 1-2 part-time mentors, 3-4 full-time students, and 1 part-time MP modeling coach. Materials are distributed, mentors present their problem topics, coaches conduct icebreaker activities, and students get to know one another, their mentors, and their coaches.
Teams model their expert mentor's system or process using Monterey Phoenix (MP), a powerful language, approach and tool for exposing and controlling emergent behaviors.
They inspect the model outputs for unexpected system interactions—behaviors that can arise from the interplay of individual components but are not immediately obvious. Some behaviors surprise the students; and some surprise even the experts.
With advice from MP coaches, students develop control strategies for these behaviors, enhancing system safety, security, efficiency, and performance.
Each team presents their problem topic, model, analysis, and results to an audience of invited senior leaders from the sponsoring organization. The presentations highlight how the students under expert mentorship have applied critical thinking to real-world problems, challenged assumptions, and identified overlooked risks or opportunities with help from MP coaches. The fresh perspectives contributed by students across a wide range of backgrounds often have real impact on their mentor's professional work, and provide the students with invaluable experience and exposure for workforce recruiting.
Teams and individual students are acknowledged for original discoveries and outstanding contributions in various award categories. Students receive advice on resume writing and next steps for their professional career. Experts have refined their understanding of the nuances of their system or process, and coaches have leveled up their MP skills by exposure to more problem topics and coding challenges. Some students return as coaches in a future internship experience, or use their MP immersion experience for school projects or career connections.
...the technology that enables exposure and control of emergent behaviors.
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