# <center>Experience Reflection on My BMW Lab TEEP Internship</center>
###### tags: `Internship`

## Background

For context, I am a Taiwanese-American student from Fairfax, Virginia. I recently graduated from the Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology and was originally admitted into the Harvard College Class of 2024. However, due to COVID-19 and the prospect of a year of online classes, I decided to instead defer my admission and take a gap year in Taiwan.

My goals for this gap year were relatively simple: to strengthen my technical background, to make friends from wholly different backgrounds, and to experience Taiwanese culture. I am incredibly lucky to say that my time at the BMW Lab has helped me accomplish all three goals!

## Choosing the BMW Lab

The TEEP program is not so much a unified program as it is a centralized scholarship fund. Many labs across Taiwan may gain access to this funding by accepting international students as research interns. That being said, prospective TEEP interns have a wide variety of choices when it comes to choosing a laboratory to join--so why did I choose the BMW Lab?

Before coming to NTUST, I had sent out emails with my cover letter and resume to numerous professors, including ones at NTU, NTUT, NTNU, and more. All were well-accomplished in fields relating to computer engineering and offered similar conditions (work hours, pay, dormitories, and etc.). However, none could match Prof. Ray in his ability to reach out and extend a welcoming hand towards interested international students.

From the moment we came into contact, Prof. Ray has been incredibly helpful in answering questions and helping students integrate into the productive workflow of his lab. I was afraid I would be left alone in the lab for most hours of the day--he explained that all the lab members worked there on a daily basis, and that collaboration was required on all project aspects (three months later, I can confirm this to be true!). I didn't have much background in network technologies--he immediately gave me a wealth of resources and taught me how to use HackMD to record daily notes. I wanted a lab that was perpetually making progess and innovatin--he invited me to their (then virtual) weekly meetings where all members reported on their progress status. He also introduced me to other interns and lab members and encouraged me to talk with them.

Furthermore, the BMW Lab has years of experience taking in interns and students from all over the world, from France to Indonesia to the United States. Not only was Prof. Ray familiar with the logistical and personal needs of students travelling abroad for the first time, the local students at the BMW Lab were well-accustomed to speaking English and making friends with people of all backgrounds.

Because of Prof. Ray's attentiveness and openness, my first actual day at the lab did not feel like a first day at all. There were no feelings of alienation or hesitation. I immediately fell into the groove of work and felt at home among my fellow lab members.

## Daily Life at the Lab

The basic terms of the lab were relatively simple: be there from 9-5 every weekday, write progress notes on HackMD every day, and prepare to report said progress at the weekly meeting every Thursday.

Before the internship, I met with Prof. Ray to further discuss my individual goals and details. Because I had already done a summer's worth of prior reading as most prospective students do, it wasn't a blind discussion--I could hit the ground running. My pre-internship notes largely consisted of topics related to network technology (specifically LEO satellites, 6G, and IEEE 802.11ax), but after further consideration, we decided to make IoT-related maching learning as my topic for the formal internship.

Of course, Prof. Ray was very understanding of the individual needs of each student. Given my relative inexperience in the field, he allowed me a degree of flexibility to explore different aspects of the lab--he encouraged me to ask around each lab member to learn more about their project and their specialty. As it were, everyone was very welcoming and helpful. By the end of the summer, not only had I learned so much about machine learning and WiFi 6, but also bits and pieces of my fellow members' projects in NB-IoT, ORAN, AI DJing and more.

To broaden my perspective, I also audited a few classes at the university. On Mondays, I took the Multimedia Wireless Network class with Prof. Ray and many first-year lab members. On Fridays, I took a Thingworx-based IoT class. I also took a History of Asia class at NTU--I thought taking a humanities class in Taiwan would be a unique opportunity to see the world from a different lens. Each class was an extra chance to supplement my learning and meet new classmates.

Some miscellaneous notes:
- Daily notes may seem tedious, but it pays off to put time and effort into them! They truly are helpful in recording and recalling the progress you've made. Do not follow my footsteps and slack off on these, only to regret it when you have to organize everything in the end.
- Weekly meetings are really helpful for knowing the current state of the lab outside your own project. Prof. Ray also takes a lot of time to listen and give suggestions/direction as needed.
- If you have any questions or concerns, it's easy to ask other lab members or schedule a time to discuss with Prof. Ray.
- The lab has a great social atmosphere. People are really friendly, and every couple of months we have lab dinners or get-togethers. Sometimes the Taiwanese lab members may get a bit lazy with speaking English, but you can just nudge them with some English or secretly tease them with the other international students! (Just kidding. But there really are quite a lot of international students.)
- The lab is almost like a home. The 9-5 requirement isn't particularly strict--partly because you'll find a lot of people just chilling there past 5. Prof. Ray actually disapproves of people staying late (he thinks people should have a good work-life balance), but it's a comfortable place to be with good Internet.
- Collaboration is key!

## Daily Life Outside of the Lab

Outside the lab, students have access to all the benefits of NTUST and the greater Taipei area!

At NTUST, I made a lot of friends through school clubs. There is a huge selection to choose from--I personally spent most of my time at the board games club, guitar club, and HDC dance club. It was so much fun to be able to get off of work and go directly into relaxation time at the clubs every evening. I made some unforgettable friendships here.

In Taipei--what can I say? Taipei is an amazing metropolitan to live in. It's safe, the transportation system is incredibly efficient, and the food is great. Just outside NTUST, you have access to the Gongguan night market and the MRT station, so the world is your oyster. You can also run along the Riverside Park, bike to Tamsui, visit the big memorials, see Taipei 101, ride the Maokong, hike Huangdidian, and so much more. There are too many great places to visit in and out of Taipei (Hualien! Kenting! Yilan!) for me to list here. Feel free to ask me if you'd like any suggestions on how to experience the different corners of Taiwan!

## Departure and Reflection

In total, my internship only lasted for the semester of Fall-Winter 2020, but the experience will stay with me forever. Many other students have told me similar things--after a short internship here, they couldn't help but return for a longer stay.

If you want to strengthen your technical abilities, further your academic career, get a global education, make friends from all different backgrounds, and broaden your horizons--if any of those appeal to you, I highly encourage you to consider joining the BMW Lab. Be it as a summer intern or a full-time student, you will grow and gain.

I am incredibly grateful for my time here, and I hope you will be as well.