Anshuman Sharma

What motivated you to apply for Co-op/Internship

The thing that drove me to apply for this internship was that it is the most prestigious and highly competitive international internship for STEM fields. The RISE program offered by DAAD matches successful applicants directly to Ph.D. students under whose supervision you carry out a research project. I was always interested in visiting Germany as it is at the forefront of research, technology and innovation. Experiencing the German culture, travel and making new friendships was always the extra motivation!

Can you describe your position in a few sentences?

I worked as a student researcher under the supervision of my Ph.D. candidate in the Electromobility and Energy Storage Systems (EES) lab at the School of Electrical, Information & Media Engineering at the University of Wuppertal. I was working on the project for developing a high power wireless charging system for electric vehicles and investigating the design through hardware testing and software validation.

Did you receive training to perform your engineering duties? Please Explain.

Absolutely! My supervisor was extremely welcoming and provided me with all the help, guidance and training related to the research project throughout the duration of my internship. The technical discussions I had with my Ph.D. supervisor were highly valuable.

What was your work atmosphere like? (flexibility, formality, team-centric, supportive)

Work-wise it was very flexible. Although I reported to my Ph.D. supervisor for my research work, I interacted with all the other members of the research lab who were all very friendly, helpful and great conversationalists!

What new skills were you able to learn/develop during your Co-op/Internship?

I was able to learn and develop my technical skills through my exposure in the electrical fabrication lab on working on various testing and measurement equipment. Working on my presentation and public speaking skills and also learning the German language through the DAAD course.

How did your experience compare with your expectations?

The experience exceeded my expectations. I could not have asked for more. I learned new skills, made new friendships, experienced German culture, language travel, (riding on the Autobahn!) overall it was an amazing experience.

What was your proudest moment? 

My proudest moment was when I was selected as one of the students to present my research at the 3-day event, the 15th anniversary of the RISE program in Heidelberg.

What advice would you offer to current students thinking about pursuing Co-op/Internship?

My advice to current students thinking about pursuing co-op or internship is that it is a great opportunity that will prepare you for a better career!