ASTRI’s internship brings out the best in applied technology talents

Hong Kong Applied Science and Technology Research Institute (ASTRI) organizes “Summer Internship Programme” and “Fintech Future Leader Academy (Internship)” devoted to talent development and cultural exchange. This year, they involve nearly 100 students from Hong Kong, mainland China and overseas who are given the opportunity for a first-hand appreciation of innovation activities and technology development in Hong Kong.

This year’s applications top the 3,000 mark, an increase of 20 percent on last year. Applicants have to go through a competitive selection process with the pass rate at only 3 percent. Among the accepted interns, more than 40 percent are from the United Kingdom, 30 percent from the United States and 10 percent from the Asia-Pacific region.

The interns are primarily engaged in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines while those from a non-STEM discipline background are also welcomed and provided an insight into discovering their interests in science.

“Our eight-week summer internship program helps students explore their future career development through hands-on experience, and, at the same time, provides our researchers with valuable cross-culture exchange experiences,” says Dr Denis Yip, Chief Executive Officer of ASTRI.

Interns were assigned to different departments of ASTRI according to their academic backgrounds and preference, including Communications Technologies, Integrated Circuits and Systems, IoT Sensing and AI Technologies and Trust and AI Technologies (TAIT). For instance, Zhou Yi, a financial technology major from the TAIT group, participated in a project to design a game that would allow players to purchase green bonds through NFT.

With an AI-background, Yan Jia took part in a project on AI modeling which uses image classification to determine the status of transport, and extract video text to output information. She is thrilled with the internship which, she says, sharpens her research skills, “I find that I can use theoretical knowledge to solve real-life problems,” she remarks. “This is a completely new experience for me, as in the past, most of my knowledge came only from textbooks.”

The interns also found that with each person assigned a mentor, they were able to get very prompt answers to their queries. Sena Clarke, a physics major, points out that it is something of a luxury that they don’t get to enjoy in the university.

Apart from learning hard skills, the interns also participated in a range of activities like ‘Tech Talk’ sessions and networking events that broaden their perspectives and hone their communication skills. They were also introduced to industry experts from large enterprises and organizations to gain real industry experience.

The multicultural composition of the interns also exposes them to cutting-edge developments in different countries. Yan Jia describes her experience: “Before, I wanted to explore the whole world, but now it's as if the whole world has come to me. I find that I now have more confidence to further my studies overseas.”

Non-local interns also find that Hong Kong is an ideal place to pursue their career. Zhou Yi from the Mainland notes that the superior financial infrastructure provides a very good soil for nurturing the development of fintech. During her company visits, she observed the enthusiasm for blockchain among startups, prompting her to probe deeper into this technology.

Sparsh Khurana, from Australia, has never been to Hong Kong before. He was most impressed with the fast pace of life and the enterprising spirit in Hong Kong. These positive factors, he said, are definite attractions for him to come to work in Hong Kong in future.

Denis Yip is very pleased with the outcome of the internship program, emphasizing that ASTRI can always benefit from the injection of creative ideas. “It’s also an effective way to better develop the talent pool to enhance Hong Kong's competitiveness in applied research,” he said.

“People‘s general impression of Hong Kong is often that of a place for business and finance, but, in fact, we are fast developing a comprehensive ecosystem for technological developments,” Denis Yip observes. “The enthusiasm and caliber of the interns reflect a bright future for the young generation to pursue a career in technology industries.”

ASTRI has initiated several talent attraction programs to recruit young I&T talents. In addition to organizing summer internship programs annually, it has also launched a "Top Technology Scholar Programme" to attract advanced degree holders with a promotion plan and scholarships. In partnership with the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology and the University of Hong Kong, a joint Work-Study Programme (PhD) has been established this year, providing high-quality I&T talents to develop Hong Kong into a smart city and an international I&T Hub.