From discovering the opportunity through “many Google searches” to preparing for a summer of hands-on research, Vanessa Ussalim is set to begin an exciting new chapter in her academic journey. The undergraduate Materials student has been awarded the Rank Prize Undergraduate Vacation Grant for Optoelectronics, which will support her 8-week UROP project under the supervision of Professor Mark Oxborrow. We spoke to Vanessa about applying for the grant, the challenges of writing her personal statement, and why she “can’t wait” to get started on the project this summer.
Question 1. What is the studentship you’ve been awarded, and what does the project broadly involve?
I was awarded the Rank Prize’s Undergrad Vacation Grant for Optoelectronics, which will provide funding support for my UROP under Professor Mark Oxborrow for 8 weeks. My UROP will focus on optimising the optical pumping system for the development of an extremely high co-operativity room-temperature maser. Specifically, I will be modelling and determining the best possible refractive index and geometry of the invasive optical injector.
Question 2. How did you first hear about this opportunity, and what made you decide to apply?
When in the process of filling out the Imperial UROP Bursary application, my UROP supervisor urged me to look at external funding options and to not solely rely on the college’s bursary outcome given its competitive nature. Many Google searches later, I was incredibly lucky to stumble upon the Rank Prize grant webpage. After finding out that the deadline was still a few weeks away and that I was eligible (as I’m in my penultimate year and my UROP was optoelectronics-related so it falls within the grant’s scope), I told my supervisor about it and he was very willing to support my application.
Question 3. Can you briefly describe the application process and what you found most interesting or challenging about it?
The application comprises 2 sections: one to be completed by the supervisor and one by the student. For my section, I had to submit my CV and a personal statement on how the studentship would help me achieve my career ambitions. I would say the personal statement was the most challenging as the word limit means that I have to be very selective and effective with what I write. Overall, the process was very straightforward as there were no interviews nor additional stages after submitting the application form.
Question 5. How did you feel when you found out you had been awarded the grant?
I was incredibly happy and also very relieved as it meant that I could still partake in the UROP, since I found out about it a few days after my unsuccessful outcome from the college’s bursary scheme.
Question 6. What are you hoping to take away from this experience, and how are you feeling about starting it?
I hope to gain a more realistic perspective on what research work is like through immersion (e.g. delivering presentations, contributing to writing a research paper), which could guide me on my career decision as I will be graduating soon. I also hope to understand how to turn theory into practice and learn new design skills in microwave electronics and optical waveguides that are beyond the scope of my Materials degree. I feel excited and can’t wait to spend my summer working on this project!
Question 7. Anything else you wanna share?
I highly encourage students who are planning to undertake a UROP to consider applying to Rank Prize’s Undergrad Vacation grant.