Hi, my name is Liam. I’m an M. Sc. candidate at the University of Alberta and a member of the NSERC CREATE TrUST program. I undertook a 4 month internship at GeologicAI at their Calgary, Alberta office where I developed a Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) unit for detecting elemental signatures within drill core and grading ore samples. It was a great extension of my work as an M. Sc. student at the U of A, and despite the short term of work, I was able to design, build, and test — from the ground up — a laser system for them. I was able to work with a team of extremely field-diverse individuals across their respective areas of expertise, and was able to learn about, and help further, work in X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) spectroscopy as well as Hyperspectral Imaging (HSI).

It was a unique experience and I’m extremely grateful to both GeologicAI and the NSERC CREATE TrUST program for the opportunity. I was able to expand my knowledge of LIBS and the underlying physical processes by applying my existing knowledge to new problems in a different application than I had worked on before. This gave me good experience and insight into the differences between academic and industrial research, allowing me to make better informed decisions for my future career path. The internships I’ve taken throughout my undergrad and M. Sc. have been some of the best decisions I have made, and I would strongly encourage existing and incoming undergraduate and graduate students to pursue opportunities such as these.

My name is Amin, and I am a PhD candidate in Physics at the University of Ottawa, as well as a member of the CREATE TrUST program. I recently began an internship at Lumentum, a leading photonics company based in Ottawa. The internship was initially offered for 8 months, with the possibility of extension based on performance, and I’m happy to say the company has been very satisfied with my contributions.

At Lumentum, I’ve been working on the design of optical verification tests and the characterization of optical performance for WSS (Wavelength Selective Switch) modules — one of the key technologies developed by the company. This was a new area for me, but thanks to a well-structured onboarding process, I was able to quickly get up to speed and begin making meaningful contributions to the team.

This internship has been a valuable complement to my academic training. It has deepened my understanding of many theoretical concepts by applying them to real-world projects and has given me insight into how industrial research and development differ from academic work. Experiencing both environments has been incredibly helpful in thinking about my future career path and where I see the best fit for my skills and interests.

I strongly encourage other students in the ultrafast science field to take advantage of internship opportunities like this. It’s a chance to gain hands-on experience, expand your professional network, and explore new directions for your future. I’m truly grateful to the CREATE TrUST program for providing this opportunity and supporting students in building meaningful connections between academia and industry.