"It was my first time trying out physics research, and I had a wonderful time!"

26 August 2024

Photo: Shreya Mogulothu

Shreya Mogulothu is a physics major at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). She is currently a summer intern at the University of Hamburg, doing research on gravitational waves detection under the supervision of Dr. Thorben Schmirander. Her stay was funded by the Cluster of Excellence Quantum Universe. In an interview, she shared her experience.

Shreya, what made you choose Hamburg as a destination for your internship? What did you find here – regarding your scientific interests – that you could not find in other places?

I’ve heard good things from my friends about the universities here in Germany! The project I’m working on involves a mix of theoretical physics and engineering considerations, the interplay of which I’m curious about.

What kind of research are you working on in your research group here in Hamburg?

I’m looking at a possible source of noise in synchrotron gravitational wave detectors. We wish to determine whether the noise caused by heavy moving objects can be characterized and removed.

What, in your view, is the biggest difference between UHH/DESY and MIT? Do you feel, for example, that there are differences between Germany and the U.S. regarding lab or research group culture?

I work between DESY and the Hamburg Observatory, and in both places I’m happy that the people in my office have been friendly and welcoming! Mostly my research in the US so far has been individual meetings between me and my advisor, as I’m a student, so the company that comes with office culture has been nice. I also really like that my advisor emphasizes this internship as a learning opportunity for me, more than just achieving a result quickly.

Have you had a chance to get to know Hamburg and its surroundings a little bit? What are your favorite places or activities in Hamburg?

Yeah! I like walking around Sternschanze because it’s often very vibrant in the evenings and there’s good food to be had. I’ve taken the (public transport!) ferry several times just for fun because I love being on the water especially on sunny days! And Max & Consorten has really good vegan currywurst; the church next to it looks really pretty in the evenings.

In what ways do you feel this internship has contributed to your academic and/or personal growth?

Academically, I think I’ve learned a lot about model development in a physical setting--things that can be annoying and things that one can use to their advantage. Personally, I’ve learned a lot about living by myself and the importance of relaxing on weekends!

How do you think this experience will influence your future career or academic pursuits?

It was my first time trying out physics research, and I had a wonderful time! I’m looking forward to exploring similar research in the future; I’ve heard many things about astronomy that I’d be excited to study.

Would you consider coming back to Hamburg in the future, for example as a graduate/ PhD student?

Yeah! I’ve heard about lots of cool research that people are doing, and I’ve loved that the labs at DESY and the observatory are pretty laid back, social, and international-friendly. I also liked seeing the open discourse between PhD students, postdocs, and professors on Quantum Universe day; it seems everyone is interested in utilizing feedback to make the educational system work better.

Thanks a lot for your time, Shreya! We wish you a nice rest of your stay here in Hamburg!