Being a student ambassador boosts professional growth
Researchers' Network
Are you curious about what it’s like to be a student ambassador for the KTH Industrial Transformation Platform Researchers' Network? Well, the network got you covered and reached out to two former student ambassadors, asking them about their experiences. The ambassadors not only shared their reflections on how this role impacted their personal and professional growth but also gave some stellar advice for future student ambassadors.
Former student ambassador Sara Karam
Sara Karam, can you describe your experience as a KTH Industrial Transformation Platform Researchers' Network student ambassador and how it impacted your personal and professional growth?
“I worked as a student ambassador at the KTH Industrial Transformation Platform Researchers’ Network for a little more than a year and learned a lot during this time. Through our monthly webinars, my knowledge about sustainable production, today's industries and how these combined affect our society increased. As a student ambassador, I helped to look for and contact these key people who could present their research in these webinars.
Furthermore, my way of brainstorming new ideas for the platform with the rest of the team was developed through our regular meetings. Something I really appreciated about this team is that, even though I am not a researcher, I was still as included in the team as the rest. We had a great dynamic where everyone's opinions and ideas were heard.
The most valuable thing I have taken with me from this job is all the contacts I have made, both inside and outside KTH. It has been incredibly exciting and valuable to get to know people in both academia and industry!”
What advice would you give students considering becoming a student ambassador?
“If you are considering becoming a student ambassador for the platform, my short answer is that you should absolutely apply! I put in a maximum of two hours a week for the weeks that a webinar was not scheduled. The week we held a webinar, I worked a little more to make sure to get more viewers, make sure everyone got their invitations and promote the event on LinkedIn. In addition, we worked in teams, so if you had any questions or concerns, it was easy to get answers or discuss ideas with each other.
This job has given me many opportunities and contacts I can use in the future. For example, we had an event where researchers and students met to talk and discuss possible collaborations!"
Former student ambassador Mayari Perez
Mayari Perez, can you describe your experience as a KTH Industrial Transformation Platform Researchers' Network student ambassador and how it impacted your personal and professional growth?
“As a student ambassador, I got to develop my content creation skills by making flyers and videos as well as soft skills such as interviewing. It was a fun way to expand my network and knowledge in Industrial Transformation topics.”
What advice would you give students considering becoming a student ambassador?
“Be active and take the initiative to drive your role. Being a student ambassador can entail different tasks and projects. The platform is very open to new ideas and activities, so take advantage of this and suggest what you would like to work on or which skills you want to develop further. You can also adjust the workload, so communicate when you have more time and want to take on new tasks or if you have exams and need a slower pace.”