who has interned in IIT Kanpur and talks about various experiments undertaken by her during her internship.
Read on to know more.
InternFeel (IF): Please tell us something about yourself. Where are you studying currently?
Vaishali Mishra (VM): Hello, I am Vaishali Mishra from Banasthali University, Rajasthan. I am a 4th-year student working towards a Bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering.
IF: Tell us something about your internship including stipend, duration and place?
VM: I did my 7th-semester major internship from Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur. I had emailed my resume to the professor under whom I wanted to do my internship. I got a call from his collaborators who later on conducted a telephonic interview with me which was technical. After clearing that, I got a confirmation email from them.
The duration was 6 months in Kanpur and there is no stipend.
IF: How competitive was the selection process? According to you, which qualities have helped you have an edge in the selection process? Also, what were the key things that selectors were looking for?
VM: Getting an opportunity to intern with such a reputed institution, that provides you an environment of professional development, is a great deal. The technical interview was a bit tough as one had to be quick and clear in the responses with proper explanation. According to me, my technical skills and other quality things in my resume helped me in the selection process. The key things that selectors were looking for were technical knowledge, communication skills, willingness, and ability to learn new things.
The experimental area of the lab
IF: Could you please highlight the work/research you carried out during your internship period?
VM: My research internship was in the field of electrochemistry. I did the following work-
1) I started my work by reading all the basics and brushing up the fundamentals of electrochemistry.
2) Then I was assigned to work on “Corrosion analysis of alloys in acidic medium”. I read many research papers for the same, conducted number of experiments, made reports and compiled all the data along with its interpretations.
3) There is also one startup in the institution in which I worked as a part-time Research Associate and did an industrial project in which I experienced temperature based corrosion rate analysis of different industrial samples.
4) I have also worked on another research project “Taste Sensor”. The project started with the development of sweetness sensor using lipid/polymer membranes. I studied many research papers on the same and conducted various experiments.
IF: Can you give us interesting details about your experience – good and bad?
VM: The experience was obviously good and different from whatever I have done till now. The location is really nice with all its greenery. Moreover, Kanpur is my hometown so accommodation was never a problem. There are good seniors and scholars who help you and guide you in all the possible way they can. I met a few summer interns too and we developed a good bond. I used to work in my research lab from 9 to 6. The lab had separate areas for experimental work and for study.
IF: How do you think this internship has helped you grow? In other words, what are your key takeaways from the internship?
VM: I have learned a lot of things from this internship. It has been one of the great experiences of my life. It made me understand how the research work is carried out, how to perform experiments with accuracy, manage data along with their significance. Apart from technical knowledge, I also made good contacts there for any sort of guidance I may need in future.
IF: Has this internship had a decision altering impact on your career? Do you now think of a different future path as compared to before doing the internship?
VM: Yes, of course, it had a decision altering impact on my career. I was more interested in doing job earlier and never thought of further studies. Working here was an entirely different experience for me. I got to know that for carrying out any research you need a lot of motivation, hard work, patience and dedication to reach the final destination. I have gained my interest in the research field and so I will try to pursue the same in future.
IF: Lastly, do you have any words of advice or caution for students aspiring for this internship and reading this piece?
VM: The students who are aspiring for this internship should be hardworking and dedicated to the work assigned to them. You have to be very patient, as you need to read a lot and perform experiments before making any conclusion. Thinking out of the box may sometimes help in your research and always have a broader perspective on anything you do.
We would like to thank Vaishali for giving our readers such insightful information and would like to wish her all the best for the future.
