Name: Angelina Rogatch
Class Year: 2025
Major: Chemistry and Physics
Hometown: Minsk, Belarus
Internship Organization: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Job Title: MIT Summer Research Program
Location: Cambridge, MA
What's happening at your internship? We would love to hear what kind of work you are doing!
I am working on a research project under Dr. Timothy M. Swager in the MIT chemistry department. We are developing novel materials based on organic semiconducting polymers for magnetic sensing technologies – it’s a unique blend of organic synthesis, material science, and magnetism! We also have weekly professional workshops, research seminars, department info sessions, faculty chats, and informal outings as a part of the MIT Summer Research Program.
Why did you apply for this internship?
As cliché as it may sound, research in chemistry is the passion that I want to dedicate my life to! MIT is among my top choices for graduate studies, and the MIT Summer Research Program gave me the opportunity to explore research areas that I didn’t have access to at my home institution, as well as show a glimpse of grad student culture and MIT community in general.
What has been your favorite part of this internship?
Easily, the community! The concentration of talent, motivation, ambition, and passion for science in the intern cohort feels almost unreal. Naturally, the nerdiness level is also through the roof – we ask about favorite Greek letters to name variables as an ice-breaker question :) Everyone has their own unique challenges that they have overcome in their personal and academic journey, and everyone is here for each other. These people are the future of research, and I can tell with confidence that the science of tomorrow is in good hands.
What is something you have learned from your internship that you didn't expect?
I was told by many people about how unwelcoming and overly competitive the environment can be at such a rigorous institution as MIT. I was pleasantly shocked to discover how far this statement was from the truth! The Swager lab that I am joining for the summer welcomed me with open arms, and every postdoc/grad student in the group was eager to help me and answer any question I had. Indeed, the research (and the summer program!) is incredibly fast-paced and overwhelming at times, but I am beyond grateful for the support I have received from the MIT community, including my lab, grad students in other departments, and MSRP staff. It is certainly true: MIT is competitive, but people compete with themselves while encouraging each other.
Visit the Summer Internship Stories page to read more about student internship experiences.