Exchange Diaries  

Yash Jain | Mathematics

None, Canada

Research Area: 3D PRINTING AND DEFECTS

Duration: 1.5 Months

Q1: How did you apply for your FT?
Y: I want to pursue my higher studies and always wanted to research abroad. I was trying to find out the projects which are relevant to my skill set and were aware of UARE. I submitted an application on UARE which is an official portal to get a research project at the University of Alberta. Additionally, they asked for a professional letter of recommendation. Then, I applied for two projects and both of them are based on Natural Language Processing.

Q2: How your typical day spent there?
Y: It was a wonderful stay in Canada. People, there were very friendly and welcoming. My professor helped me a lot and my comfort was their one of the top priority. There I managed to make many friends from different nationalities. My day was really very flexible. They believe in work-life balance. I usually go at 9 in the morning and returned back at 4. After that, we generally explore the city, beautiful campus, enjoying the sunset on the bank of the Saskatchewan river. The university also planned a trip and they have taken us to Calgary and Banff National Park which you’ll never want to miss. It is like Kashmir but highly accessible.

Q3: How was your stay in Canada?
Y: It was a great and comfortable experience. We stayed in an Airbnb and because all of us are vegetarians so we used to cook our own food. Exploring a new country, a different culture, a different environment sets your mood straight. It was overall an excellent learning experience that I will cherish forever. People there were very welcoming and helpful. Our weekends are always engaged and planned to visit other cities and nearby places.

Q4: How you managed your finances?
Y: I got the stipend from the University Of Alberta which was sufficient enough for a comfortable stay in Canada and even after this I managed to save as well.

Q5: Role of CG in FT?
Y: In UARE, there is not so much importance given to CG, but in MITACS, they generally filter resume on the basis of CG so it is highly competitive. CG plays an important role, having a high CG always boosts your resume. But as I said, focusing on other aspects like projects on campus increases your chances of getting an FT.

Q6: Any suggestions to your fellow Kgpians?
Y: Don’t stress too much. If you are not getting an FT then keep patience as the research in KGP is also decent. During your FTs, those two months will be amazing and you will be exposed to a plethora of opportunities and I strongly recommend a 5-year course student to try for an FT in one summer.