Summer in Japan
Kruphalan Tamil Selva attended Tohoku University Engineering Summer Program
This summer master's student Kruphalan Tamil Selva from Electric Power Engineering participated in TESP-2016, a summer program organised by Tohoku University in Sendai, Japan.
How did you apply for this?
The process is a very straight forward one (infact, similar to many other such programs offered by KTH). It starts with taking note of advertisements of openings. One must send their credentials and motivation to the Programme Director (or submit in portals in certain cases), in my case, Patrik Hilber. The study team at KTH will then nominate selected students. Then, the partner university would then make a decision from their end. One could always contact the study adviser of their school for such activities. In my case, it was Ms. Anneli Åkesson.
What did you do in Japan?
I was in a team of three, working simultaneously with two other three-member teams on wireless power transfer techniques. The event was an introductory proceeding onto the technologies surrounding this concept. Some pools of topics discussed were Solar power, DC-DC conversion, microwave range power transfer, high frequency circuit design, instruments pertaining to it etc.
Would you recommend other students to do something like this?
Absolutely, yes! KTH has always been a gateway to the world and what better way to utilise it than going on exchanges and summer programmes as a student as it fetches you credits too! Such endeavours would always result in experiences one could harbour for a long, long time. In my case, I have learnt new things, met interesting people, experienced new cultures and most importantly made friends for life. Well, if I recollect right, someone even made a huge decision to stay back at KTH for his Master's after an exchange term during his bachelor's here. In context of Japan, to be a part of their their cutting edge research, one must definitely not miss it.
What did you do more during this summer?
I worked with the HVDC division ABB in Ludvika. Rightly called as the high voltage valley, it's home to high voltage components of ABB. High voltage capacitors, transformers, you name it. I was working with the team responsible for electrical design and development of converter valves. These are extensively used during power conversion.
And now you’re back at KTH for your final year, what will happened now?
I have a half year to finish before I take up my thesis. So, I guess I am right on track.
I have always been interested in machine and component design in electro-mechanical context. So, I have found a course Design of Electrical Machines , offered by Prof. Oskar Wallmark. The course is a fantastic choice for me as I see it's exercises and skills and competence it imparts are in direct requirements of what is happening in the industry. Very similar to an other course named Electrotechnical Design offered by Prof. Hans Edin. The skills I learnt from this was directly helpful during my intern period. Some of the industry standard softwares were developed at KTH and such courses extensively employ the same.