INTERVIEW
Telecommunications Engineering
Internship at Information Network R&D Center
Why did you want to intern for Sumitomo Electric?
I was looking for an opportunity to work abroad in a big multinational company related to my major for a short term. Sumitomo Electric Global Internship Program provided exactly what I was looking for.
What do you do in the internship?
I worked at Internship at Information Network R&D Center of the Radio Transmission Systems Department. My task is to evaluate passive and active radiofrequency (RF) devices that might be used in the next-generation (5G) radio communication system under development. One of the most important parameters to be evaluated in RF devices is the scattering parameter.
Analogically, consider a piece of glass as a device under test (DUT), a flashlight as a transmitter, and a person observing this DUT from the front (input) and from the back (output) as a receiver. The scattering parameter measures how much of the light is transmitted and reflected between the interfaces of the DUT. For this kind of measurement, equipment called Network Analyzer is used. Depending on the components of equipment, there are other features and characteristics to be analyzed. Some of the evaluated components are: bandpass filter, RF switch, low noise amplifier, front-end module integrated circuit, power amplifier. The final task was to connect these devices and check if they work as expected based on the project specification. I spent my time in the laboratory characterizing these devices and in the office summarizing the results.
What has been the most interesting you have learned in this internship? I would say that the most interesting thing that I learned was the technical terminology related to electronics and telecommunications in Japanese. We communicated in English when it was related to the project. However, getting some Japanese skills related to my field of study helped me to establish a good communication between me and my mentor.
How can the internship help shape your career? The internship provided a great opportunity to experience how it was to work in a big company. I believe that we can learn more about the company's culture by working there.
A message to students who consider participating in the internship. Sumitomo Electric Global Internship Program is a great opportunity to learn and share experiences. You will be working on the state of art technology development. People at the company are very kind and always willing to help you whatever you need. In addition, you will be able to immerse yourself in the Japanese culture.
