The first step is gauging your interest in the subject. The initial subjects that I found interesting were fluid mechanics, mathematical methods and heat transfer. It is the primary way through which you can learn about what kind of applications you could be working with in your field in terms of technical challenges. These subjects made me confirm that I can look forward to pursuing chemical engineering. At the start of my second year, I also took a couple of finance courses, but the momentum to pursue that died out once I decided to explore chemical engineering. During 2-1, I started reading about the research various groups in the US and Germany carry out while emailing professors for a potential summer gig that helped me gauge this field’s potential.

The thing that helped me the most was a study project I did with a professor on developing a mathematical model on biomass gasifier. I wouldn’t accredit it particularly to my GPA. Luckily, I stumbled upon the research going on at D-Lab. So, I emailed the researcher asking about the possibility for a summer gig. Luckily, he was interested and replied to my email, set up an informal call which eventually led me bagging this opportunity. The project helped me learn how a system couples at different length and time scales. I learnt first-hand about the challenges of applying the knowledge from my coursework to real world problems.

It was my undergraduate thesis. I was emailing many professors in Germany and in the US during my third semester when I was searching for a summer internship. Amongst them, there was a researcher from Max Planck who was looking for someone with prior experience in application of numerical techniques for fluid mechanics. Things didn’t work out with him then for the summer internship, however, when I finished a course learning the subject, I reached out to him again, and interviewed for a position. He got back to me and he agreed to fund my accommodation and a part of living expenses. My work was based on the Finite Volume Method (FVM) based simulation of an Electrochemical reactor. While applying, I wasn’t 100% sure about the field of research I wanted to pursue further in Chemical Engineering, so I took the opportunity to explore the different facets of ChemE and made the best out of it. I planned PS2 as the fall-back option in case the thesis gig didn’t work out

I took two courses-computational optimization and advanced mathematical methods in my first semester at Cornell which helped me in getting an internship at Las Alamos National Lab. It was based on application of supervised learning. I worked on space weather prediction. I didn’t want to dwell deep into the data science part, so the major outcome of this internship was the tools and computational techniques I learnt that I could apply to my research.

Cornell is a bit different from the rest of the schools. Here, one is not required to complete coursework and credits. At Cornell, you have to do a research-based thesis. Select an advisor during your first semester, join his lab and start working on the project. Second semester onwards, you start getting familiar with research work, lab-mates and research opportunities in your particular field. You are not required to take courses. So, it's a mini-Ph.D. program without the course requirements.

The best aspects were that the research focused at Cornell allows you to get a taste of what an extensive Ph.D. program would be like. If you are looking for a course-based MS, Cornell might not be the best fit. Also, the campus is very beautiful- with a number of waterfalls ON the campus. But the negative parts were that the winters are really cold and not the best part about studying here. (going to -20 degree C). And it's a moderately expensive school.

I was inclined towards pursuing finance courses at one point but there is some sort of risk or gamble that is associated with everything. So, at one point I thought that if I don't commit to chemical engineering as a whole I don’t think I’ll be able to do justice to it. I was willing to give chemical a shot because of my interest in mass transport in general. Numerical methods for fluid mechanics and heat transfer also played a very important role as the professor gave assignments, projects and his way of teaching was important in terms of gaining an interest.

Basics of learning computation techniques (maybe ML these days) gives you an edge as you can know how the black-boxes work. Other than that, understanding your coursework and good research experience are the most important factors that are in demand nowadays.

I have decided to pursue a Ph.D. Currently, I am inclined to come back to India and contribute to the industry with some deliverable of my own research. It’ll be a good use of my research if I can make use of the great potential that Indian market has.

My wingies and I were constantly mailing and applying for labs and internships. So, their company inspired me to overcome the initial inertia of writing the first email. Once I started the process, I gained the momentum to write about 100 emails over a period of 4-6 weeks.

Try to narrow down your interests, but at the same time, if you commit to a particular aspect of the field, it’s not that you have to pursue it indefinitely, there’s always the freedom to switch. It might be slightly difficult but always possible. If you find conducting research interesting, then go for it since there is always room to work on multiple things. It's okay not to be 100% sure. There will always be the question ‘will it work out for me or not’. You have to give it a shot to know whether it works out or not.