Epic interns

“By the time you read this, I’ll be working full time in Tokyo at a venture capital firm. I won’t be a stranger to the role though, since I interned at this company last year.

When I joined NTU, I did it with the intention of becoming a “global student”. I knew NTU would offer opportunities to see the world beyond Singapore.

My first adventure overseas was an internship in Bangkok through the Overseas Entrepreneurship Programme (OEP). There, I worked with a startup focused on social impact where I was tasked with building partnerships. Over three months, I secured collaborations with two organisations, expanding both the company’s network and its revenue. More importantly, the experience reshaped how I saw business, not just as a vehicle for profit, but as a platform for meaningful impact.

Following a six-week internship at a technology company in Ho Chi Minh City and a semester exchange at Korea University, I jumped at another OEP opening. This time, it was an eight-month internship in Tokyo, which I took a leave of absence for. I later learnt that Assoc Prof Liu Lerwen, who taught me Venturing into Entrepreneurship at NTU, personally recommended me to the CEO.

One of my tasks there was to conduct market research on expansion in Southeast Asia. I shared my analysis with members of the C-suite, and recommended they explore opportunities in Thailand. To my surprise, they responded positively and sent me on my first business trip. Having previously worked in Thailand, I was able to navigate cultural nuances confidently as I met with industry partners to present our ideas.

Even after the internship ended, I continued working remotely while completing my studies in Singapore. It was demanding, but also one of the most rewarding phases of my university journey.

Today, alongside my day job, I run several startups, including an e-commerce business and a platform connecting Japanese tutors with students. Entrepreneurship has been a constant throughout my journey, and I intend to keep pursuing it as I create platforms, ideas and opportunities that bring people across borders together.”

“Working for Wilmar International in Uganda gave me a new perspective on where livestock and everyday products like vegetable oil come from.

I started in the palm plantations, assisting with tasks such as nursery operations and learning about the maintenance of mature palm oils, soil analysis and disease management, before continuing at the refinery. I also conducted market research by talking to residents, farmers and local associations.

Seeing the entire process – from upstream operations to the packaging of the final product – made me appreciate how the company supports the community, from the local farms it works with to the plantation workers it houses.

Because I stayed on the plantation, I bonded with the staff there, as well as their kids. They found joy in simple things, like chatting with one another or fishing at the pier. Of course, it helped that we were living in a beautiful island in Lake Victoria, where we could go rafting on a whim and spend nights stargazing.

“In the final months of my internship at a Boston startup, I earned more than $6,000 a month.

But the real reward wasn’t the pay. It was contributing to something groundbreaking. I spearheaded the extrusion process – the final stage of a system that created the world’s first commercial-grade yarn from textile waste with 80% less energy compared to other competitive technologies. Today, less than 1% of waste textiles is recycled, but our invention will change the game.

When I first started this internship, I had no idea it would become such a defining experience. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t feel out of my depth, being surrounded by talented people in Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s startup incubator where we were based.

Instead of letting imposter syndrome overwhelm me, I focused on adjusting to the environment quickly. Though I was the only undergraduate on a team largely made up of PhD holders, I pulled my weight from day one. I started in the lab, gathering data and contributing to the team’s efforts. Soon after, I was asked to share my work with potential partners and investors.

About two months in, the CTO said he saw me playing a key role in the company and asked me to extend my internship from six months to a year. At that moment, moving the project forward mattered more than anything else, so I took a leave of absence from NTU.

Over time, the trust the team placed in me grew, and my pay was revised four times.

Working with green materials during this internship has further clarified my ambitions. One day, I hope to become a science entrepreneur in the climate tech space, translating lab discoveries into real-world solutions.

Looking back on my journey, it certainly wasn’t without struggles and rejections along the way. One important lesson I learnt is that it’s crucial to identify and leverage the strengths that are unique to you. These strengths don’t have to be purely academic – and you don’t need to be at the top of the class to make an impact. Driving real impact comes from grit, and a willingness to take risks, embrace failure and keep pushing forward with a ‘make it happen’ mentality."

“There’s a 14.6% chance voice recognition artificial intelligence (AI) will transcribe a mispronounced word incorrectly. I’m working to bring that number down as a machine learning researcher at a startup that builds AI tools for clinical purposes. At the same time, I’m also writing a paper on this. I didn’t know you could do that at an internship.

Before arriving in Silicon Valley, I was worried the work might feel routine. I’ve studied neural networks and interned at other tech firms, and at one point even wondered: Is this all machine learning is? That changed quickly. Here, I’m working on problems that could change the way people around the world use AI.

Although the learning curve has been steep, working in Silicon Valley has forced me to grow exponentially and become more independent – I made a conscious decision not to live with other Singaporean students to avoid being stuck in a bubble.

At work, I have plenty of autonomy in how I conduct my research. The trust placed in me motivates me to give my best. My manager is supportive, checking in regularly to help refine my role and build on my strengths while suggesting how to improve my weaknesses. Not only does he have mad technical skills, he’s an exceptional team leader – a rare combination. He has built a team that enjoys working together.

Rubbing shoulders with founders of successful startups in Silicon Valley has also changed how I view entrepreneurship. What once felt distant now feels within reach. Being around people who have done it makes it seem like something I could achieve too.”

“Did you know that NTU has its own Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) clinic? As part of my curriculum, I intern there twice a week. While I’m not allowed to treat patients, being able to watch countless TCM treatments firsthand is an exciting and invaluable experience.

One case that stayed with me involved a patient who came in almost every day for insomnia. Each time, the physician would apply acupuncture to the same points. After a while, it became clear that the patient needed someone to talk to, and the treatment also helped ease his worries. Watching the physician patiently reassure him at every visit taught me that healthcare is not just about treating symptoms, but also about supporting a patient’s overall wellbeing.

Outside of NTU, I interned at a private TCM clinic for three months last year to gain more hands-on exposure. This year, I also completed a seven-week attachment at Kwong Wai Shiu Hospital.

Apart from my internships, I did an exchange programme at Harvard University. Through a module on pseudoscience and mental health, I learnt to critically evaluate scientific claims in clinical psychology. I also explored topics like controversial diagnoses, and possible bias or methodological flaws in research and clinical practice. The classes pushed me to think more critically and reinforced the importance of evidence-based thinking in healthcare.

After graduation, I hope to bridge the gap between Eastern and Western medicine, and to care for patients more holistically. TCM is a field that requires lifelong learning, and I want to continue deepening my skills and knowledge.”

Mei Hui reads a patient’s pulse at Kwong Wai Shiu Hospital.