Exchange Diaries  

Uttam Verma | Ocean Engg and Naval Architecture

Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Norway

Research Area: Data Science

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

The University was the Norwegian University of Science and Technology also known as NTNU and my topic of research was regarding the use of AI for multiscale data processing.

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

Well getting an FT done at the Btech level will provide you with a lot of new exposure and skill set, which can ultimately open when career path for you. You also get to know how the research is done at the international level and which is very important if you are planning to do higher studies. Also, the work-life balance during internships at foreign Universities is very good as compared to India.

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

A foreign internship will provide you the core research topics that you have to investigate and implement solutions on your own and you usually get major ownership for your work, while in a corporate internship the task is allotted to a group of people and you have to use the already present research work to complete your task.

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

Yes absolutely why not this would give a taste of what you would be doing in MS or whatever degree you are applying for. I don't see a reason why not. It will also increase your chance of getting selected when applying for a PhD./MS.

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

In my case, the internship opportunity was offered by my department as NTNU and IITKGP has an MOU signed so under which every year they select at least two students. The most important documents are your CV and SOP that you have to submit at the time of application and after getting selected you are also required to upload your transcript.

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

The only thing affected due to the online mode was that I was not able to visit the campus of NTNU and explore their lab, but the online mode did not affect my research work and all the essential software and tools were provided by the professor.

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

As in my case, the FT opportunity was provided by our department so I was not required to mail the professor personally regarding the FT and I was only required to submit my CV and SOP to my departmental professor Anirban Bhattacharyya.

When should one start applying for an FT? How long did the procedure last till you got the desired FT?

So the information regarding the NTNU internship is regularly mailed to the students of the OENA department, so one must keep his/her CV and SOP updated as the application process is very fast. In my case, after getting selected for the internship I was called for the interview within 15 days.

What is the role of CGPA in the selection process?

CGPA is very important in the selection process. It shows how much hard work you have done but it does not always depend only on CGPA. One having a CGPA greater than 8.5 can easily get an FT provided that they have some prior experience in research. But a student who has a CPGA much lower than this can also be selected if he/her have the proper skill set and interest in the project.

How did the pandemic affect your application for the project? Did the pandemic have any positive impact on the project?

Due to the pandemic, my research was not that much affected, but due to the online mode, I only had meetings once a week and my working hours became very flexible.

How should a first-year student prepare beforehand for his FT application in their subsequent year?

I think, in the first year one should try to explore the emerging fields of research. Presently these can be DS/AI-related topics. This will help to realize the field of interest and then one can work on building a strong profile for FT application.

Does belonging to IITKGP provide any added benefits for getting your FT?

Yes, definitely. The internship opportunity was provided to me was by IIT Kharagpur itself. Even if I had to mail the professor the IIT tag would have mattered as IITs are very famous around the world.