{"id":1405,"date":"2026-05-21T15:29:53","date_gmt":"2026-05-21T14:29:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.imperial.ac.uk\/materials\/?p=1405"},"modified":"2026-05-21T15:30:18","modified_gmt":"2026-05-21T14:30:18","slug":"undergraduate-spotlight-vanessa-ussalim-awarded-rank-prize-undergraduate-vacation-grant","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.imperial.ac.uk\/materials\/2026\/05\/21\/undergraduate-spotlight-vanessa-ussalim-awarded-rank-prize-undergraduate-vacation-grant\/","title":{"rendered":"Undergraduate Spotlight: Vanessa Ussalim awarded Rank Prize Undergraduate Vacation Grant"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>From discovering the opportunity through \u201cmany Google searches\u201d 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 \u201ccan\u2019t wait\u201d to get started on the project this summer.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Question 1. What is the studentship you\u2019ve been awarded, and what does the proje<span class=\"outlook-search-highlight\" data-markjs=\"true\">c<\/span>t broadly involve?<\/strong><\/p>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">I was awarded the Rank Prize\u2019s Undergrad Va<span class=\"outlook-search-highlight\" data-markjs=\"true\">c<\/span>ation Grant for Optoele<span class=\"outlook-search-highlight\" data-markjs=\"true\">c<\/span>troni<span class=\"outlook-search-highlight\" data-markjs=\"true\">c<\/span>s, whi<span class=\"outlook-search-highlight\" data-markjs=\"true\">c<\/span>h will provide funding support for my UROP under Professor Mark Oxborrow for 8 weeks. My UROP will fo<span class=\"outlook-search-highlight\" data-markjs=\"true\">c<\/span>us on optimising the opti<span class=\"outlook-search-highlight\" data-markjs=\"true\">c<\/span>al pumping system for the development of an extremely high <span class=\"outlook-search-highlight\" data-markjs=\"true\">c<\/span>o-operativity room-temperature maser. Spe<span class=\"outlook-search-highlight\" data-markjs=\"true\">c<\/span>ifi<span class=\"outlook-search-highlight\" data-markjs=\"true\">c<\/span>ally, I will be modelling and determining the best possible refra<span class=\"outlook-search-highlight\" data-markjs=\"true\">c<\/span>tive index and geometry of the invasive opti<span class=\"outlook-search-highlight\" data-markjs=\"true\">c<\/span>al inje<span class=\"outlook-search-highlight\" data-markjs=\"true\">c<\/span>tor.<\/div>\n<h4 class=\"elementToProof\" role=\"presentation\">Question 2. How did you first hear about this opportunity, and what made you de<span class=\"outlook-search-highlight\" data-markjs=\"true\">c<\/span>ide to apply?<\/h4>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">When in the pro<span class=\"outlook-search-highlight\" data-markjs=\"true\">c<\/span>ess of filling out the Imperial UROP Bursary appli<span class=\"outlook-search-highlight\" data-markjs=\"true\">c<\/span>ation, my UROP supervisor urged me to look at external funding options and to not solely rely on the <span class=\"outlook-search-highlight\" data-markjs=\"true\">c<\/span>ollege\u2019s bursary out<span class=\"outlook-search-highlight\" data-markjs=\"true\">c<\/span>ome given its <span class=\"outlook-search-highlight\" data-markjs=\"true\">c<\/span>ompetitive nature. Many Google sear<span class=\"outlook-search-highlight\" data-markjs=\"true\">c<\/span>hes later, I was in<span class=\"outlook-search-highlight\" data-markjs=\"true\">c<\/span>redibly lu<span class=\"outlook-search-highlight\" data-markjs=\"true\">c<\/span>ky 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\u2019m in my penultimate year and my UROP was optoele<span class=\"outlook-search-highlight\" data-markjs=\"true\">c<\/span>troni<span class=\"outlook-search-highlight\" data-markjs=\"true\">c<\/span>s-related so it falls within the grant\u2019s s<span class=\"outlook-search-highlight\" data-markjs=\"true\">c<\/span>ope), I told my supervisor about it and he was very willing to support my appli<span class=\"outlook-search-highlight\" data-markjs=\"true\">c<\/span>ation.<\/div>\n<h4 class=\"elementToProof\" role=\"presentation\"><span class=\"outlook-search-highlight\" data-markjs=\"true\">Question 3. C<\/span>an you briefly des<span class=\"outlook-search-highlight\" data-markjs=\"true\">c<\/span>ribe the appli<span class=\"outlook-search-highlight\" data-markjs=\"true\">c<\/span>ation pro<span class=\"outlook-search-highlight\" data-markjs=\"true\">c<\/span>ess and what you found most interesting or <span class=\"outlook-search-highlight\" data-markjs=\"true\">c<\/span>hallenging about it?<\/h4>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">The appli<span class=\"outlook-search-highlight\" data-markjs=\"true\">c<\/span>ation <span class=\"outlook-search-highlight\" data-markjs=\"true\">c<\/span>omprises 2 se<span class=\"outlook-search-highlight\" data-markjs=\"true\">c<\/span>tions: one to be <span class=\"outlook-search-highlight\" data-markjs=\"true\">c<\/span>ompleted by the supervisor and one by the student. For my se<span class=\"outlook-search-highlight\" data-markjs=\"true\">c<\/span>tion, I had to submit my <span class=\"outlook-search-highlight\" data-markjs=\"true\">C<\/span>V and a personal statement on how the studentship would help me a<span class=\"outlook-search-highlight\" data-markjs=\"true\">c<\/span>hieve my <span class=\"outlook-search-highlight\" data-markjs=\"true\">c<\/span>areer ambitions. I would say the personal statement was the most <span class=\"outlook-search-highlight\" data-markjs=\"true\">c<\/span>hallenging as the word limit means that I have to be very sele<span class=\"outlook-search-highlight\" data-markjs=\"true\">c<\/span>tive and effe<span class=\"outlook-search-highlight\" data-markjs=\"true\">c<\/span>tive with what I write. Overall, the pro<span class=\"outlook-search-highlight\" data-markjs=\"true\">c<\/span>ess was very straightforward as there were no interviews nor additional stages after submitting the appli<span class=\"outlook-search-highlight\" data-markjs=\"true\">c<\/span>ation form.<\/div>\n<h4 class=\"elementToProof\" role=\"presentation\">Question 5. How did you feel when you found out you had been awarded the grant?<\/h4>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">I was in<span class=\"outlook-search-highlight\" data-markjs=\"true\">c<\/span>redibly happy and also very relieved as it meant that I <span class=\"outlook-search-highlight\" data-markjs=\"true\">c<\/span>ould still partake in the UROP, sin<span class=\"outlook-search-highlight\" data-markjs=\"true\">c<\/span>e I found out about it a few days after my unsu<span class=\"outlook-search-highlight\" data-markjs=\"true\">c<\/span><span class=\"outlook-search-highlight\" data-markjs=\"true\">c<\/span>essful out<span class=\"outlook-search-highlight\" data-markjs=\"true\">c<\/span>ome from the <span class=\"outlook-search-highlight\" data-markjs=\"true\">c<\/span>ollege\u2019s bursary s<span class=\"outlook-search-highlight\" data-markjs=\"true\">c<\/span>heme.<\/div>\n<h4 class=\"elementToProof\" role=\"presentation\">Question 6. What are you hoping to take away from this experien<span class=\"outlook-search-highlight\" data-markjs=\"true\">c<\/span>e, and how are you feeling about starting it?<\/h4>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">I hope to gain a more realisti<span class=\"outlook-search-highlight\" data-markjs=\"true\">c<\/span> perspe<span class=\"outlook-search-highlight\" data-markjs=\"true\">c<\/span>tive on what resear<span class=\"outlook-search-highlight\" data-markjs=\"true\">c<\/span>h work is like through immersion (e.g. delivering presentations, <span class=\"outlook-search-highlight\" data-markjs=\"true\">c<\/span>ontributing to writing a resear<span class=\"outlook-search-highlight\" data-markjs=\"true\">c<\/span>h paper), whi<span class=\"outlook-search-highlight\" data-markjs=\"true\">c<\/span>h <span class=\"outlook-search-highlight\" data-markjs=\"true\">c<\/span>ould guide me on my <span class=\"outlook-search-highlight\" data-markjs=\"true\">c<\/span>areer de<span class=\"outlook-search-highlight\" data-markjs=\"true\">c<\/span>ision as I will be graduating soon. I also hope to understand how to turn theory into pra<span class=\"outlook-search-highlight\" data-markjs=\"true\">c<\/span>ti<span class=\"outlook-search-highlight\" data-markjs=\"true\">c<\/span>e and learn new design skills in mi<span class=\"outlook-search-highlight\" data-markjs=\"true\">c<\/span>rowave ele<span class=\"outlook-search-highlight\" data-markjs=\"true\">c<\/span>troni<span class=\"outlook-search-highlight\" data-markjs=\"true\">c<\/span>s and opti<span class=\"outlook-search-highlight\" data-markjs=\"true\">c<\/span>al waveguides that are beyond the s<span class=\"outlook-search-highlight\" data-markjs=\"true\">c<\/span>ope of my Materials degree. I feel ex<span class=\"outlook-search-highlight\" data-markjs=\"true\">c<\/span>ited and <span class=\"outlook-search-highlight\" data-markjs=\"true\">c<\/span>an\u2019t wait to spend my summer working on this proje<span class=\"outlook-search-highlight\" data-markjs=\"true\">c<\/span>t!<\/div>\n<h4 class=\"elementToProof\" role=\"presentation\">Question 7. Anything else you wanna share?<\/h4>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">I highly en<span class=\"outlook-search-highlight\" data-markjs=\"true\">c<\/span>ourage students who are planning to undertake a UROP to <span class=\"outlook-search-highlight\" data-markjs=\"true\">c<\/span>onsider applying to Rank Prize\u2019s Undergrad Va<span class=\"outlook-search-highlight\" data-markjs=\"true\">c<\/span>ation grant.<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>From discovering the opportunity through \u201cmany Google searches\u201d 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 [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1728,"featured_media":1406,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[48173],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1405","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorised"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.4 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Undergraduate Spotlight: Vanessa Ussalim awarded Rank Prize Undergraduate Vacation Grant - Imperial Materials<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/blogs.imperial.ac.uk\/materials\/2026\/05\/21\/undergraduate-spotlight-vanessa-ussalim-awarded-rank-prize-undergraduate-vacation-grant\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_GB\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Undergraduate Spotlight: Vanessa Ussalim awarded Rank Prize Undergraduate Vacation Grant - Imperial Materials\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"From discovering the opportunity through \u201cmany Google searches\u201d 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 [&hellip;]\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/blogs.imperial.ac.uk\/materials\/2026\/05\/21\/undergraduate-spotlight-vanessa-ussalim-awarded-rank-prize-undergraduate-vacation-grant\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Imperial Materials\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-05-21T14:29:53+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-05-21T14:30:18+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/blogs.imperial.ac.uk\/materials\/files\/2026\/05\/Blog-cards.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1920\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1080\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Sanjana Kakar\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Sanjana Kakar\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Estimated reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"4 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/blogs.imperial.ac.uk\\\/materials\\\/2026\\\/05\\\/21\\\/undergraduate-spotlight-vanessa-ussalim-awarded-rank-prize-undergraduate-vacation-grant\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/blogs.imperial.ac.uk\\\/materials\\\/2026\\\/05\\\/21\\\/undergraduate-spotlight-vanessa-ussalim-awarded-rank-prize-undergraduate-vacation-grant\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Sanjana Kakar\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/blogs.imperial.ac.uk\\\/materials\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/e186f3dd9e9056c823d53f105fb829c7\"},\"headline\":\"Undergraduate Spotlight: Vanessa Ussalim awarded Rank Prize Undergraduate Vacation Grant\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-05-21T14:29:53+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-05-21T14:30:18+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/blogs.imperial.ac.uk\\\/materials\\\/2026\\\/05\\\/21\\\/undergraduate-spotlight-vanessa-ussalim-awarded-rank-prize-undergraduate-vacation-grant\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":593,\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/blogs.imperial.ac.uk\\\/materials\\\/2026\\\/05\\\/21\\\/undergraduate-spotlight-vanessa-ussalim-awarded-rank-prize-undergraduate-vacation-grant\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/blogs.imperial.ac.uk\\\/materials\\\/files\\\/2026\\\/05\\\/Blog-cards.jpg\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/blogs.imperial.ac.uk\\\/materials\\\/2026\\\/05\\\/21\\\/undergraduate-spotlight-vanessa-ussalim-awarded-rank-prize-undergraduate-vacation-grant\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/blogs.imperial.ac.uk\\\/materials\\\/2026\\\/05\\\/21\\\/undergraduate-spotlight-vanessa-ussalim-awarded-rank-prize-undergraduate-vacation-grant\\\/\",\"name\":\"Undergraduate Spotlight: Vanessa Ussalim awarded Rank Prize Undergraduate Vacation Grant - 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