Follow Vidula and Anjali through their exciting experience with the MIT institute!
By: Vidula and Anjali, Year 12
Vidula
Hi there, I'm Vidula Krishnakumar, and I visited the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Upon reflection on this experience, I am appreciative of the opportunity provided by Nord Anglia Education (NAE). Last year, when I heard that students in years 11 and 9 have the opportunity to visit MIT, I was thrilled and eager to enroll and take advantage. I had to cross two rounds, to be selected, which by itself was extraordinary. One of the most challenging parts is to create a hack known as "Hack the Tube". As a student with no prior DT experience, I had trouble coming up with ideas, but I still wanted to push myself. With a lot of thinking and research, I came up with the thought of a hydraulic arm that is a sustainable solution for removing thrash.
From October 29 to November 3 was a spectacular time I had at the MIT Museum, MIT Sea Grant, the Bodaborg Escape Room, the MIT Biology Lab, and numerous more. Above all, I got the experience of diverse cultures, as we worked as a team on projects. Those days have been the most collaborative I have ever been a part of. The knowledge I gained by being part of the Mercury team was immense and I found it difficult to say goodbye. This added insights to my career path, I increased my curiosity to learn more about biology labs and research happening at MIT. On the final day, we had our Project Expo, where we showcased the projects we created in our small groups. The “Record player” that my group created didn't turn out the way we had hoped, despite being an amazing idea. In spite of the failure of our project, I came back home improving my robotic skills, patience, and teamwork.
Anjali
Going to MIT has been a dream come true for me. Not only did the experience help me understand what it's like to attend such a prestigious university but it also gave me the opportunity to network with people from all over the world. This included other students from schools around the world who had similar aspirations and mindsets as me as well as staff and professors from MIT. These interactions allowed me to gain a new perspective on university life, the STEAM subjects and how different areas of study in science all link together. One of the most memorable experiences in the trip was our visit of the MIT Sea Grant where we got to speak with an MIT professor who specialised in building devices that encompass topics from marine biology and robotics. It was very interesting to see how the department combines the study of marine animals and locomotion with robotics to create submarines and other similar equipment. Overall, it was an unforgettable experience which allowed me to explore new subjects and speak with amazing new people!
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