Exchange Diaries
Susobhan Chattopadhyay | Electrical Engineering
University of Regensburg, Bavaria, Germany
Research Area: chaotic systems of non-linear complex dynamic systems
Duration: 2 Months
Q: How did you apply for FT?
A: I started emailing professors from mid-August and I got replies from about 10-12 professors. Then I applied for DAAD scholarship. They asked me for the invitation letter which I got from the professor I was working with and then applied it.
Q: How was a normal day on the campus?
A: I went to the university around nine. My work was mostly theoretical so I needed to run some simulations, write codes, some analytical calculations. Then we went to lunch with my research group. We had tea sessions after lunch. Then we worked for about 2-3 hours and then we went back to our dorms.
Q: Were you involved in any extra-academic activities?
A: I was not really involved in any extra-academic activities. But during the weekends I did go out for outings and visited many cities with wonderful attractions. There was a DAAD Alumni Club with which I went on a trip to Passau.
Q: Why do you think FT is important?
A: I wanted to explore the facilities available outside India. The quality of work, equipment, and resources provided there were a bit better than available here. It gives you a completely different experience of working abroad.
Q: How did you manage your expenses?
A: As already mentioned I got a DAAD scholarship that covered all my expenses. So managing them wasn't an issue. Although the food and accommodation were quite expensive but having a scholarship is a very good support.
Q: What differences did you observe there in comparison to India?
A: In India, there are very few research groups that are involved purely in theoretical works. In India, we have groups focussed on technical or experimental works. In Germany, I found that in the university as well as outside there are groups focussed on theoretical works. This was the major difference I observed.
Q: Did you face any difficulty in your trip?
A: There was not much difficulty I faced during my trip. In the first two days, I had to settle myself after completing the formalities for eg. health insurance, registration etc. Once I had settled, everything went well and I did not face any difficulty. Though most of the people spoke German and could not speak English fluently they would try their level best to comprehend what others says.
Q: Did CGPA come of any use in FT?
A: CGPA obviously plays a role in the initial process when the professors select you. A good CGPA has a good impression on professors. After CGPA, comes your work which you performed before the foreign internship. Without any prior work getting FT is difficult. CGPA is definitely a factor and along with it, you need to manage your prior projects.
Q: What advice would you like to give to our fellow KGPians who aspire for FT?
A: I would first recommend them to take up a project in India and work on it very meticulously. So that the professors who see your work realises that you have worked well and will obviously take you. Try to maintain your CGPA above 8.5. If one keeps all these in mind then FT is not a very difficult job.