Lessons learnt during internship at Penn State
This post has been copied from the report on experiences and lesson learnt, asked by my advisor.
This intern has been full of learning and events. I am going to divide this report in two sections, in first I will describe what I have learned as a researcher, and in second, as a person.
Research:
I just love doing research. I mean it makes me feel good. I always have difficulty in cramming stuff but in research you try to understand principles rather than mugging them. I had a mindset, before coming, about research and how to do research. This internship has made me matured and experienced as a researcher.
I always used to think research as a task; so, it is like any other competition. I think taking part in competitions invoked such attitude. It had been winning and loosing that competition for me, and research used to be no exception of that attitude. So, winning this competition would have been getting a paper published. All my efforts were focused on achieving that very goal. But after working with people like Dr. Lakhtakia, Drew, Dr. Fan etc., I realized it is not about winning or getting a paper published, it is much more than that. Being a researcher is a duty to give something new and improving the life of people. We have responsibilities to judicially and smartly use that money for the betterment of society.
Apart from this change in attitude, I realized how to think (Dr. L) and act like a researcher (Drew). I always used to think research as the best way to learn management. We make a strategy (meetings) and then use available resources to get it done. We have to deal with people to get things done. We have to analyze in between whether we are moving in right direction towards our goal. But there is a big difference in the end result of management and research. End result of management is all about achieving goals, set earlier, at any cost but research is to achieve TRUTH!! No matter whether you like it or not!
After doing experiments of optics, I am much more focused apart from learning patience, which is must for a researcher.
I saw many ups and downs during experiments, at times I felt this is so simple a project and sometimes I had doubts if I would be able complete this. This taught me the lesson of never underestimating anything no matter how small or easy it give the impression at first.
As a person:
I was made to realize, by Dr. L, that in life it is not just research that matters and we should not overlook our contractual obligations. One has to be careful about his other responsibilities. I observed how easily he manages his family and social responsibilities alongside research. Some of the mistakes that I have made taught me lesson for the life (especially, read carefully before signing :D). I never missed anything about India while being in US, Dr. L’s family has been so good to me (in fact for all students) which taught me that apart from being professional there is always a human value associated with any kind of work or profession.
Above all, I know how to accept failure, which at times are not failure actually, and learn from them and even overcome them. I watched Dr. Randy Pausch’s last lecture on youtube. He believed that failures are just like brick walls. They are there for a reason: that how badly you want things and keeps those away who don’t really need that as much you. I realized every single word of the sentence while working at penn state.
I consider myself to be very lucky to have worked with such persons. They made me realize my limitations at such an initial stage, which could have become incurable with time.
I know by asking me to write this report is in fact aimed at pushing all those lessons learnt permanently in my memory ad attitude.
I want to thank Dr. Lakhtakia, who is in my list of favorite teachers, for giving me an opportunity to work with him and his group and looking forward to work in future also.
P.S. : Getting an international paper published in electronics letter apart from all this :D :P
This intern has been full of learning and events. I am going to divide this report in two sections, in first I will describe what I have learned as a researcher, and in second, as a person.
Research:
I just love doing research. I mean it makes me feel good. I always have difficulty in cramming stuff but in research you try to understand principles rather than mugging them. I had a mindset, before coming, about research and how to do research. This internship has made me matured and experienced as a researcher.
I always used to think research as a task; so, it is like any other competition. I think taking part in competitions invoked such attitude. It had been winning and loosing that competition for me, and research used to be no exception of that attitude. So, winning this competition would have been getting a paper published. All my efforts were focused on achieving that very goal. But after working with people like Dr. Lakhtakia, Drew, Dr. Fan etc., I realized it is not about winning or getting a paper published, it is much more than that. Being a researcher is a duty to give something new and improving the life of people. We have responsibilities to judicially and smartly use that money for the betterment of society.
Apart from this change in attitude, I realized how to think (Dr. L) and act like a researcher (Drew). I always used to think research as the best way to learn management. We make a strategy (meetings) and then use available resources to get it done. We have to deal with people to get things done. We have to analyze in between whether we are moving in right direction towards our goal. But there is a big difference in the end result of management and research. End result of management is all about achieving goals, set earlier, at any cost but research is to achieve TRUTH!! No matter whether you like it or not!
After doing experiments of optics, I am much more focused apart from learning patience, which is must for a researcher.
I saw many ups and downs during experiments, at times I felt this is so simple a project and sometimes I had doubts if I would be able complete this. This taught me the lesson of never underestimating anything no matter how small or easy it give the impression at first.
As a person:
I was made to realize, by Dr. L, that in life it is not just research that matters and we should not overlook our contractual obligations. One has to be careful about his other responsibilities. I observed how easily he manages his family and social responsibilities alongside research. Some of the mistakes that I have made taught me lesson for the life (especially, read carefully before signing :D). I never missed anything about India while being in US, Dr. L’s family has been so good to me (in fact for all students) which taught me that apart from being professional there is always a human value associated with any kind of work or profession.
Above all, I know how to accept failure, which at times are not failure actually, and learn from them and even overcome them. I watched Dr. Randy Pausch’s last lecture on youtube. He believed that failures are just like brick walls. They are there for a reason: that how badly you want things and keeps those away who don’t really need that as much you. I realized every single word of the sentence while working at penn state.
I consider myself to be very lucky to have worked with such persons. They made me realize my limitations at such an initial stage, which could have become incurable with time.
I know by asking me to write this report is in fact aimed at pushing all those lessons learnt permanently in my memory ad attitude.
I want to thank Dr. Lakhtakia, who is in my list of favorite teachers, for giving me an opportunity to work with him and his group and looking forward to work in future also.
P.S. : Getting an international paper published in electronics letter apart from all this :D :P
Very well written..
ReplyDeleteIts always difficult to gather your memory when you have to draft it..But you have carried it very well..
Gud to see you had such a gr8 experience there!!!