Exchange Diaries  

Abhikhya Tripathy | Electronics and Electrical Communication Engg.

Brown University, USA

Research Area: Quantum Information Theory and Quantum Computing

What was the University and topic of research that was taken up by you during the FT?

The University I interned at in the summer of 2021 is Brown University in Rhode Island, USA. The topic can be broadly categorized as quantum information theory and quantum computing, but more specifically, my area of work was to examine a quantum information theory metric known as Quantum Fidelity. I essentially had to study the properties of materials known as topological insulators based on that metric, and see if we can model some materials that could make for better semiconductor materials, using that metric.

Why is an FT important? How would one compare research in Indian universities and foreign universities?

I think an FT is essential for a number of things that you might want to do in your future. Firstly, if you want to pursue a PhD or a master's, especially in a foreign University with a good QS ranking, then an FT helps with that. Since a master's or PhD degree is more research-oriented - you have to produce a thesis, you have to do original work and you have to contribute to some lab while you're studying there - FT helps for your selection to those universities. If you have some sort of background in having done research, and if you have letters of recommendations from professors you have worked under, it helps leverage your application to those universities a lot more.
FT also helps if you want to go into the research and development sector of industry; in that case it helps if you have research experience and know how things work in that sector. Lastly, after your Master’s or PhD, if you want to be a professor at one of these universities and carry out your own research funded by your University, then an FT helps with that career path too.
For the second question, I think what matters most is just how good the University and the field of work are, absolutely and relatively. It so happens that most foreign universities are at the top because of their funding, lab and equipment, professors and researchers, in terms of both their global ranking and how lucrative research opportunities are at those places. So, if you really want to go to the top of the ladder in research, then it's always good for you to have, at least at the beginning of your career, experience at a high-ranked foreign university. However, eventually, it boils down to what kind of field you want to work in and what kind of research your supervisors are undertaking.

FT vs corporate internship, what are all the things we are missing out on and what are we gaining more?

I think this trade-off is best managed on an individual level; it depends on what you want to do. Both corporate and research internships have their pros and cons. Research internships, for example, might be a little harder to secure because, at least in our institute, we already have a centre like the CDC that carries out the process of getting most students placed in a corporate job in a streamlined way. I think it's a little harder, more uncertain and a little longer of a process, to get good research internships. I think the establishment of organizations like the IR Cell helps a lot in that sense, but it is still a comparatively new venture.
Secondly, research can get a little hard. You might be working on something novel, but you might feel like it's taking a lot of time to get results, there might be a lot of background studying to do, etc. Which is why, what matters most is the work an individual wants to do, and the career they’re aiming for.
When you are in your second year or at the end of your first year, it's a little hard to get corporate internships in well-established companies. At that time, it’s a good option to work and do projects under professors. I think that's a good idea because it gives you work ethics and experience, even if you’re not aiming for research. Lastly, many companies have a Research and Development industry. And if you want to excel in that field, it's better if you have a higher degree, like a Master’s. This is another avenue where research and corporate experiences intersect.

Should BTech students aspiring for higher studies from abroad opt for an FT?

Yeah, absolutely. A direct benefit of an FT is definitely that, if you want to apply to a University for a Master’s or a PhD, then prior experience gives a lot of leverage to your application, through work experience and recommendations, like I’ve said before. Secondly, if you get the chance to do your FT physically at the University, it's going to give you the opportunity to get to know other professors at that University, and visiting professors at that University. This way, you can build a lot of contacts. Since these foreign universities are among the best in the world, most students from any country would want to go study there. So when you're applying to these schools, a lot of students are going to have very good scores, a really good transcript, and really good academic records. You need things to differentiate yourself from the rest. And I think research experience, and displaying interest in the field that you're applying to, is really going to set your application apart and give you an upper hand.

What exactly is the application process for the FT? Are there any important documents one must keep?

There's a number of ways students get an FT. The way I got mine was through the FT portal of the IR cell and for that I had to prepare a statement of purpose, which is basically a letter to the University or the professor you're applying to, stating why you want to do this internship, what specifically about the project attracts you, how it will help you in your future and why you'll be a good asset. Further, I had to prepare a CV and submit that.
I think a student who is interested in research should always have a CV ready specifically for research internship purposes and mention in it any sort of research activity that they have done, projects that they have undertaken under professors and self projects. They should also mention courses they have completed that are relevant to their field of interest.
Another way that students apply to FTs is through research programs. This mostly starts in the third year because a lot of programs are not open to sophomores. Programs like DAAD or MITACS are open to Third-year students and above. The application process in these programs is more streamlined and systematic, especially if your institute has an affiliation with these programs. Again, the actual application process is more or less similar. You need your transcript and your academic records. You need a CV, and you need to prepare a statement of purpose. Some of these programs, especially the ones you apply for in your third year, need you to have letters of recommendation from your professors or from your supervisor. Professors generally take a little bit of time to give you recommendations, so you should start mailing them asking for LORs as early as August in your third year.
The last way people apply to FTs is through directly mailing professors, which is a good way to go about it. This way has proven to be beneficial for a lot of people. You can read up on research papers of professors of other universities to see if you're interested in their work, and if you are, then you can email them with your CV and your transcripts. The documents you need are basically the same in all three - your academic transcripts, which you can generate through ERP, a statement of purpose that will vary according to the professors and the programs you apply to, and your CV. Statements of purpose should include specific things about the particular project you’re applying to because that will help supervisors make up their minds.
I think all students who are interested in FTs should start working on these documents from their second year itself. By the beginning of the third year, they should definitely have these ready because application processes can take time.

How did the process get affected due to the online nature of the applications?

The application process and the selection itself probably didn't get affected a lot, because, for foreign universities, the majority of the process is usually always online through portals and emails. In my personal experience, getting recommendation letters from professors has become harder now, compared to a time when they had a higher chance of knowing you well personally.
Most importantly, the entire onboarding process after you get selected has become completely virtual and obscure now. If you don't get to physically be present at the university you're interning at, then there's also going to be a major difference in your experience of doing the required work. It's much harder to understand what you're doing and to communicate with your professor and your research group online.
It depends on the nature of the work you're doing. If you're doing something that requires you to use software or write up code and do simulations, it doesn't affect your work as much. But you miss a lot of opportunities, like meeting your professors, research group and fellow interns, people who help in building a network. Other than that, you miss out on a good travel opportunity, and the opportunity to experience life at a university abroad.

Did you have to mail the professor personally for the project? For how much time did you wait for a reply?

I applied through IRC’s FT portal in which there was already a project available, so I just had to apply there. Everything after that was internal in the sense that I didn't have to separately mail the professor, so I don't really have a lot of experience