“During my internship, I worked on characterizing prototype sensors for the MightyTracker, part of the LHCb Upgrade II. This upgrade is itself part of the continued development of CERN’s Large Hadron Collider. The idea that your work ultimately contributes to such a large experiment is very motivating. The work itself was sometimes quite challenging, involving a lot of measuring, analyzing, and figuring out why things didn’t quite behave as expected. But that is exactly what made it interesting.”

“Edinburgh is a fantastic place to stay. It is a beautiful city full of characteristic, historic buildings, each of which seems to tell its own story. You can feel the rich history everywhere, while at the same time the city is full of life. The iconic castle towers above everything and is visible from almost every angle—impressive and captivating every time.”

“One of the highlights outside my internship was a trip through the Scottish Highlands. Together with my girlfriend, who came to visit me, I spent a week traveling around. The landscape is truly impressive—much more rugged and vast than I had expected. One moment you are driving along a loch, and shortly after you are in the middle of the mountains, or suddenly standing in a place you recognize from the James Bond film Skyfall.”

“We also climbed Ben Nevis, the highest mountain in the United Kingdom. It was quite tough, but absolutely worth it. It was one of those days that feels almost surreal, especially once you reach the summit and look around. “

“Looking back, my time in Edinburgh was not only important for my studies, but also simply a wonderful experience overall. I learned a lot, met great people, and did things I will not easily forget.”