Internship at MITACS- Dreams and exploring Machine Learning

Meet Aryan Gupta, an aspiring Computer Science and Engineering undergraduate who worked as a research intern for MITACS Globalink Research Internship program at OTU, Canada. He talked about the procedure that was required to apply for this internship and the projects he did related to Machine Learning, Data Science and Raman Spectra. In addition, he shared his experiences of exploring the serene beauty of Canada, discussed the process of developing his research papers with the support of his peers and professors, and offered valuable tips to his juniors!

Introduction

Hello, I am Aryan Gupta, a Computer Science and Engineering undergraduate. This summer, I had the incredible opportunity to work as a research intern at Ontario Tech University, Canada, under the prestigious MITACS Globalink Research Internship program. My project title was “Detection of Trace Concentrations of Cannabinoids by Surface Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy”. The title might sound heavy with scientific terminology, but the project work was primarily based on machine learning applications. Although science and research is not my domain, I was more excited to explore Canada, experience how things work in institutions outside India, and gain insights into research culture abroad.

What is MITACS GRI?

The MITACS Globalink Research Internship (GRI) is a program that provides 12-week research opportunities in Canada, allowing undergraduate students from partner countries to collaborate with leading faculty across diverse fields, including science, engineering, mathematics, humanities, and social sciences. Interns work in Canadian institutions under the supervision of their professors. The program offers around 8500 CAD to cover expenses, making it a well-supported opportunity. Unfortunately, for 2025, India has been excluded from the program due to financial constraints, though there’s hope it may reopen to Indian students in the future.

Application Procedure

The application process for the internship was straightforward but required careful preparation:

1. You need to submit your academic transcript, resume, and two Letters of Recommendation (LORs).

2. You are allowed to choose up to seven projects, and I shortlisted three in Speech Processing and Machine Learning, two in Data Science, and two related to Raman Spectra.

3. I’m grateful to Prof. Surya Pratap Singh, who gave me an LOR and helped me select projects related to Raman spectroscopy from the long list available.

4. Once you apply, professors review your profile, and if your background aligns with their project, they may call you for an interview.

If selected after the interview, you are matched to a project. MITACS supports you throughout the process, from guiding visa applications to booking flights. However, you need to initially pay for flights and other expenses, which MITACS reimburses once you arrive in Canada.

My Experience

During my internship, I worked with datasets containing molecules and their vibrational spectra, aiming to find the relationship between molecular structures and their spectra. To achieve this, I created an end-to-end pipeline in Python, leveraging techniques like Principal Component Analysis (PCA) for dimensionality reduction, DBSCAN clustering for pattern recognition, and regressors such as Linear Regression, Decision Tree Regressor (DT), and Random Forest Regressor (RF) for predictive modeling. Most of my work was computer-based, and I had weekly meetings with my professor and lab mates to discuss progress. The professors and research scholars were very supportive, always ready to help if I encountered challenges. Weekends were free, giving me the chance to explore Canada and experience its culture and natural beauty. My primary deliverable was a detailed report in research paper format and codes, though deliverables may vary depending on the professor’s requirements.

Suggestions for Juniors

If you’re planning to apply for international internships like MITACS, here are a few tips based on my experience. Securing projects in fields like machine learning, AI, or deep learning can be challenging without prior experience or research papers in similar areas. When applying, make sure your resume highlights any work you’ve done that aligns with the project you’re targeting. Additionally, don’t focus solely on big or complex projects— include smaller, manageable ones that match your expertise, as this can significantly boost your chances. Keep an eye on other international internship opportunities such as SURF Stanford, SURF Caltech, CERN, DAAD WISE, Charpak Lab, Berkeley SUPERB USA, etc.

Wishing you all the success in your journey ahead!

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The views presented above are the blogger’s own and are not in any manner representative of the views of Drishti or IIT Dharwad in general.