By Pratyasha Mohapatra
Pratyasha is a graduate student at Iowa State University and the FY20 International Graduate Team Lead (IGTL)
Hello everyone! For my first blog post of 2020, I wanted to interview one of my fellow international graduate students and former Iowa State University (ISU) GradSWE Exec member Dr. Arpa Ghosh. Arpa completed her PhD in Chemical Engineering at Iowa State University and has worked in the semiconductor industry for a brief period after graduation and is now working as a Postdoc researcher at ISU. I met her 4 years ago when I first came to the US for my graduate studies. She encouraged me to join the Iowa State GradSWE team and I am always thankful to her for introducing me to this wonderful community. I here share her unique experiences for anyone who is looking forward to pursue graduate studies abroad.
IGTL: When did you first move to the US and from where?
AG: I moved to US in Fall 2013 for pursuing for my PhD at the Iowa State University. I was born and raised in Kolkata, India. I just completed my masters in Chemical Engineering at IIT Kharagpur, India before I moved here.
IGTL: Why did you pick ISU and what made you decide to go for a PhD degree?
AG: During my Masters I got introduced to what STEM research is about and wanted to work on a global issue. I became quite passionate about research and wanted to advance my career and gain research experience at a world class institute. ISU has a very impressive program, faculty and that inspired me to join here at ISU. Also, I wanted join academia as a faculty in a premier institute. So getting a PhD from this university would be the best way to prepare me for it.
IGTL: So you have attended grad school in both the US and in India. Did you find any significant difference between the graduate schools?
AG: From my experience, there are a few differences between the two school systems.
Firstly, the infrastructure and facilities are more developed here in America and so cutting edge technologies are more easily accessible to graduate students for research.
Both the graduate programs are quite structured well. The course works are also comparable in the graduate programs. But I found that in India, the course work in mostly completed during Masters, and so we do not have much course work load in the PhD program, so most of the time is dedicated to research.
Another difference is that in the American grad schools you find an abundance of diversity, so I got a chance to work with a very diverse group of researchers and scientists. That really enhanced my overall experience.
IGTL: Was this your first experience of living abroad? What are the challenges you faced and how did you overcome them?
AG: This was my first experience away from home and that too 8000 miles away! I have no family members here. So initially it was very difficult to relate and share with someone here. This made me feel quite homesick. But the gradually I met a lot of friendly and interesting people during my grad school experience. This was both inside and outside my research group and classmates. Few of the best ones outside were ISU Sankalp (nonprofit organization) and ISU GradSWE group where I could connect with a lot of likeminded people working towards similar goals. I am lucky to have met a very diverse set of people and learned a lot from their experiences and share mine. I was also a singer in an Indian music group at ISU, Punk Pundits, and it served as a great refreshing experience outside work. It really helped me find balance in my busy graduate life.
Another thing was I learnt driving here and that made me quite independent and I have had many fun trips with friends exploring the US. Ames finally felt like my home away from home.
AG: I moved to US in Fall 2013 for pursuing for my PhD at the Iowa State University. I was born and raised in Kolkata, India. I just completed my masters in Chemical Engineering at IIT Kharagpur, India before I moved here.
IGTL: Why did you pick ISU and what made you decide to go for a PhD degree?
AG: During my Masters I got introduced to what STEM research is about and wanted to work on a global issue. I became quite passionate about research and wanted to advance my career and gain research experience at a world class institute. ISU has a very impressive program, faculty and that inspired me to join here at ISU. Also, I wanted join academia as a faculty in a premier institute. So getting a PhD from this university would be the best way to prepare me for it.
IGTL: So you have attended grad school in both the US and in India. Did you find any significant difference between the graduate schools?
AG: From my experience, there are a few differences between the two school systems.
Firstly, the infrastructure and facilities are more developed here in America and so cutting edge technologies are more easily accessible to graduate students for research.
Both the graduate programs are quite structured well. The course works are also comparable in the graduate programs. But I found that in India, the course work in mostly completed during Masters, and so we do not have much course work load in the PhD program, so most of the time is dedicated to research.
Another difference is that in the American grad schools you find an abundance of diversity, so I got a chance to work with a very diverse group of researchers and scientists. That really enhanced my overall experience.
IGTL: Was this your first experience of living abroad? What are the challenges you faced and how did you overcome them?
AG: This was my first experience away from home and that too 8000 miles away! I have no family members here. So initially it was very difficult to relate and share with someone here. This made me feel quite homesick. But the gradually I met a lot of friendly and interesting people during my grad school experience. This was both inside and outside my research group and classmates. Few of the best ones outside were ISU Sankalp (nonprofit organization) and ISU GradSWE group where I could connect with a lot of likeminded people working towards similar goals. I am lucky to have met a very diverse set of people and learned a lot from their experiences and share mine. I was also a singer in an Indian music group at ISU, Punk Pundits, and it served as a great refreshing experience outside work. It really helped me find balance in my busy graduate life.
Another thing was I learnt driving here and that made me quite independent and I have had many fun trips with friends exploring the US. Ames finally felt like my home away from home.
Arpa performing at ISU with the Punk Pundits music band
IGTL: Could you share some of your best experiences in your graduate studies at ISU?
AG: The best experience was working in my research group ‘the Bioeconomy Institute’. I was fortunate to work with an amazing group of talented and collaborative researchers, always ready to go out of their way to help me whenever I needed them. I am still actively in touch with them even after graduation. My advisor has been an exceptional mentor not only for my research but also in shaping my overall professional career at ISU. In and outside the Institute, I got a chance to meet and collaborate with one of the leading scientists in my area and that helped in enhancing my learning experience a lot.
AG: The best experience was working in my research group ‘the Bioeconomy Institute’. I was fortunate to work with an amazing group of talented and collaborative researchers, always ready to go out of their way to help me whenever I needed them. I am still actively in touch with them even after graduation. My advisor has been an exceptional mentor not only for my research but also in shaping my overall professional career at ISU. In and outside the Institute, I got a chance to meet and collaborate with one of the leading scientists in my area and that helped in enhancing my learning experience a lot.
Arpa with her research group from Iowa State University
IGTL: Where do you work now and tell us about your transition after graduation?
AG: Currently I am working as a Post-Doctoral research associate at ‘the Bioeconomy Institute’ at ISU. Before coming back to ISU, I worked at Intel Corporation at Hillsboro, OR. After my PhD I got an opportunity to work at Intel as a Process Engineer through campus interview. It was a very enriching experience to work in the leading semiconductor industry with amazing engineers. But my heart was always set on academia. It so happened that my PhD supervisor was looking for advancing one of the upcoming projects, and coincidentally I was also looking into going back to academia, and that’s how I found my way back to ISU.
Now working as a Post doc, I am a fully independent researcher. One of the best parts is I get to learn about future faculty life up close, and it’s really exciting. I get to mentor graduate students, and it’s a great learning experience even on the other side of graduate school. Through various training programs at ISU I am learning a lot about being an effective teacher in STEM field. In my spare time I enjoy connecting with other post docs in the ISU Post Doc Association.
AG: Currently I am working as a Post-Doctoral research associate at ‘the Bioeconomy Institute’ at ISU. Before coming back to ISU, I worked at Intel Corporation at Hillsboro, OR. After my PhD I got an opportunity to work at Intel as a Process Engineer through campus interview. It was a very enriching experience to work in the leading semiconductor industry with amazing engineers. But my heart was always set on academia. It so happened that my PhD supervisor was looking for advancing one of the upcoming projects, and coincidentally I was also looking into going back to academia, and that’s how I found my way back to ISU.
Now working as a Post doc, I am a fully independent researcher. One of the best parts is I get to learn about future faculty life up close, and it’s really exciting. I get to mentor graduate students, and it’s a great learning experience even on the other side of graduate school. Through various training programs at ISU I am learning a lot about being an effective teacher in STEM field. In my spare time I enjoy connecting with other post docs in the ISU Post Doc Association.
Arpa with fellow Chem grads, winners of a poster competition at ISU
IGTL: You have been involved with GradSWE Leadership team at ISU. Can you share why you decided to join and how was your experience?
AG: As an international woman, coming from a developing country, it was personally important for me to give back to my community. When I came to know about GradSWE from a colleague (then ISU GradSWE leader Dr. Radhika Rao), I got excited about this opportunity. I served in multiple posts as the Treasurer and Events Committee lead. I got many opportunities to help in organizing many professional development activities for the ISU grad student community. I got a chance to work with a lot of inspiring women who worked really hard for the promotion of the core values of SWE. I always suggest new incoming grad students to be a part of GradSWE if they get a chance.
IGTL: One final question, what would be your advice for incoming international graduate students?
AG: Pursuing grad school in the US was one of the best things that happened to me. It changed my perspective about education, world and life. So I truly believe that if one gets the opportunity to pursue graduate study abroad, take it! Trust me it worth it! It’s a great way to meet new and diverse people and learn so much about the upcoming frontiers of STEM.
AG: As an international woman, coming from a developing country, it was personally important for me to give back to my community. When I came to know about GradSWE from a colleague (then ISU GradSWE leader Dr. Radhika Rao), I got excited about this opportunity. I served in multiple posts as the Treasurer and Events Committee lead. I got many opportunities to help in organizing many professional development activities for the ISU grad student community. I got a chance to work with a lot of inspiring women who worked really hard for the promotion of the core values of SWE. I always suggest new incoming grad students to be a part of GradSWE if they get a chance.
IGTL: One final question, what would be your advice for incoming international graduate students?
AG: Pursuing grad school in the US was one of the best things that happened to me. It changed my perspective about education, world and life. So I truly believe that if one gets the opportunity to pursue graduate study abroad, take it! Trust me it worth it! It’s a great way to meet new and diverse people and learn so much about the upcoming frontiers of STEM.
ISU GradSWE, Spring 2018
