Research Internship at IBM
Once the start date and funding for my PhD was confirmed, I started searching the internet for what makes a successful PhD student in Computer Science. Many blog posts, vlogs and interviews later, it stood out to me that many of those aspiring researchers had completed summer internships with flagship technology companies. Digging deeper into the archives of the internet, I found a few companies that offered research internships – one of them was IBM. This really excited me as I already knew about IBM’s well-regarded reputation for advances in cognitive technologies as well as artificial intelligence (AI). After some further reading on their website, I felt that IBM’s research focus and values matched my own, and I excitedly searched for open positions and application deadlines. When I discovered that there was an internship available within IBM in Daresbury, I knew that this is something I should apply for. There was a nervous wait, but eventually I heard back from IBM and was invited for an interview! That was a success, and a few weeks later a formal offer was sent to me.
After months of excitement, confirming details and moving to the other side of the country, the first day of my Summer internship at IBM had finally arrived. At first, I felt nervous, knowing that I would be working with a team of highly experienced and successful researchers after only just finishing the first six months of my PhD. Luckily, I had a number of calls with my IBM supervisor prior to starting, and I broadly knew what type of research I would be conducting during my time here. The first few days passed in a blur of information, faces and names. It is now hard to believe that as I’m writing this blog post that I am in my final week of the placement. There are so many things I could talk about in terms of the experiences and opportunities I was presented with during my time here, but I have chosen my top three:
(1) The thing that I expected the least was having the opportunity to have one of my ideas getting submitted for a patent. I have no prior experience in intellectual property or patenting, so it amazed me to see how much work, time and effort is spend on making these things happen. It was truly inspiring for me to see that, no matter how junior you are as a researcher, your input is truly valued and taken seriously.
(2) One of the best parts of my internship was the open and friendly research environment. It allowed me to have interesting conversations with people from a range of different research areas next to the coffee machine, or get feedback on my own research during lunch. There was also always plenty of opportunities to attend research meetings on a range of topics or go to workshops and seminars.
(3) Another great aspect of this internship was the people I met at socials, and friendship within the team. I'd moved to a part of the country where I did not know anyone. I was therefore happy to find that many members of the team often met up after work to have a chat to wind down. It was great to talk to people and getting to know them and their work in an informal context.
Overall, I have had a great time during my summer internship. I have gained real work experience in industry, new research skills and made valuable contacts within IBM. Returning back to University to complete my PhD, I hope I'll be able to build on this experience. I feel like I have gained a distinct advantage on completing my PhD.