‘The only pressure here is to do good science,’ says UChicago PME student | Life in a Foreign University

During my third year, I secured a DAAD Fellowship, which took me to Germany for research in ultrafast optics. I later returned to Germany to complete my master’s thesis. Following that, I applied for graduate school and was accepted into the University of Chicago’s Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering (UChicago PME). After discussions with Professor Alex High, I decided to join his lab, where I am currently working.

I was very interested in experimental optics and most of the cutting-edge research at that time was being done in labs that were abroad. I also was keen on exploring both the scientific culture and how different communities and languages are. I always had a penchant for being a part of the larger scientific landscape.

Here’s why I chose UChicago PME 

During my undergraduate studies and master’s thesis, my research primarily focused on classical and ultrafast optics. While I was deeply fascinated by classical light-matter interactions, I was eager to explore new opportunities where I could apply my existing knowledge to a cutting-edge field — quantum optics.

UChicago PME, as an interdisciplinary engineering school, provided the flexibility I was looking for. Even if quantum optics didn’t turn out to be my true calling, I knew I could collaborate with researchers in materials science engineering or immunoengineering and engage in interdisciplinary research that aligned with my interests.

UChicago Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering Professor Alex High recommended me for a small fellowship, which I received, but the salary that UChicago PME was offering was already more than enough for me to decide to come here. The best part about doing a PhD is that you get paid for dabbling in cool science.

Application process: ‘Reach out to individual professors via email’

One of the big things that any application for a PhD program requires is a research background. I did internship in three different places throughout my five years of undergraduation that helped me to create a strong CV.

I took the GRE which is the general aptitude test, and TOEFL, which is the English language knowledge test. I did not use any resources to prepare for these other than just available questions online.

Most U.S. university applications open around mid-September to October. The process involves filling out an application form, listing courses, entering grades, detailing research experience, and submitting GRE/TOEFL scores. Typically, three to four recommendation letters are required from professors or mentors you’ve worked with during your undergraduate studies. Gaining research experience outside your home university or with different professors can be advantageous.

After submitting your application, shortlisted candidates receive interview invitations before final decisions are announced. I strongly recommend reaching out to potential advisors via email at least 2–3 months before applications open. Establishing a personal connection can be beneficial, and there’s no downside to initiating a conversation.

Once accepted, you must send an official transcript to your university. For U.S. applications, you’ll receive an I-20 form from your institution, which is essential for your visa application. Apply for your visa as soon as you receive the I-20. After securing a visa, start looking for accommodation—universities often have housing resources, and reaching out to student communities can help. Many Indian student groups on Facebook and other platforms provide valuable support in connecting with peers at different universities.

New country experience: ‘Networking is useful’

First things I did after coming here, once I had a place, got a SIM card for my phone, opened a bank account and applied for a credit card. My Indian phone didn’t work, so I had to buy a new phone overnight. If you are not sharing an apartment with someone who already has electricity and Wi-Fi set up, that is also something you would need to do. The university orientation also helped figure out most of the official stuff.

I already had a friend at the University of Chicago from my undergrad. He put me in touch with the person who became my roommate. He also picked me up from the airport and helped me navigate all the initial responsibilities. I highly recommend trying to get to know as many people as possible throughout undergrad — networking is extremely useful. Most universities already have a community of Indians that are  helpful in, for example, picking up people from the airport and bringing them to campus and just helping them settle in.

Managing my finances was extremely new to me. When I lived in a hostel, food and accommodation were included. I never had to worry about how much money was going where. Here, I had to figure out how to acquaint myself with all the official documents and complete all the necessary responsibilities. After setting up bank accounts, submitting the documents to ensure my salary got deposited there, I had to put money away for rent, electricity, Wi-Fi, groceries, and learn to save/invest the rest.

The University of Chicago campus is very different from what I was used to back in India, where the campuses usually have a boundary wall and dedicated gates that you can go in and out of. This is an open, sprawling campus with no gates. It is part of the community. The other thing that really blew my mind was the Pritzker Nanofabrication Facility cleanroom at UChicago Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering. I had never been inside a cleanroom. The magnitude of it and the tools and how spotless the cleanroom was were very surprising to me.

The University of Chicago campus has a lot of historical significance. I really like the Harper Library. It looks straight out of a Harry Potter movie. I generally walk in the summer and I take the bus in winter. If I knew how to bike, I would have biked.

Most of my work has been with four faculty members at UChicago PME – Alex High, Prof. David Awschalom, Asst. Prof. Peter Maurer and Prof. Supratik Guha. One of the things I really appreciate is that there was never a pressure or deadline to “get stuff done,” but there was always an expectation to “do good science and be self-motivated”.

The UChicago PME building is extremely new, so that’s different from the rest of the University of Chicago’s buildings, I would say. I really like the ease of access from my office space to the lab space to the cleanroom – and also the fact that there is a free coffee machine. Because it’s an interdisciplinary building, I can always see my friends who are not doing the same research as me.

Studies in Indian institutes versus UChicago PME
The thing that surprised me most was the quarter system. I did not know such a system ever existed. This was very different coming from a semester system. It is very fast paced. You have to parse through a lot of information in a shorter time. It is also useful because you have more diversity in what you learn over that short period of time. I really enjoy the coursework structure that UChicago PME has. I could take quantum-specific courses, but I also could take courses like nanofabrication or just instrumentation engineering courses that are not easily available in an undergrad focused on basic sciences.

One thing I like about UChicago PME is that it has very close ties with other institutions both on campus and off campus. I was able to take advantage of that and take several business courses at the Booth School of Business and also work with the Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation to do tech consulting. Additionally, I was also able to experience the national lab environment by working at Argonne National Laboratory.

The Indian education system is very theory heavy. It is very rooted in, for example, solving a lot of math and understanding how the basic stuff works, whereas my experience here has been very application oriented, which I have come to appreciate. I’m trying to go into R&D in industry, so it has been very beneficial to have firsthand experience with application-oriented science.

‘Be open to learning’
Be open minded as to how different things are going to be, how many additional responsibilities you’re going to have, like filing your own taxes and understanding immigration responsibilities. Be open to learning new things along with scientific research and how different your career path might gradually get from what you envisioned it to be. In general, be very proactive and take advantage of as many opportunities as you can, because the number of resources available is truly infinite.