I joined Intel Labs as a Sociotechnical Research Intern in May 2022. As a first-generation college student, this is a major accomplishment that brings me much pride. Though, the journey was more complex than the offer letter I have in my hand today. During the fall, I joined Slack groups, Discord channels, and list servs. I signed up for alerts from all the major tech companies. Each of these spaces revealed the folks actively doing social science research in the tech world. I compiled a list of names and began sending emails for informational interviews. I synthesized notes, followed up on leads, and began strategizing cover letters and responses to interview questions. Applying during the fall semester was essentially an unpaid, part-time job. ...

Or preliminary exam or prelim or A-exam or or or… Every PhD program has a number of requirements you must fulfill to earn your doctorate. While coursework should seem straightforward and you’ve no doubt interacted with TA’s (or taught already), there is one facet of the PhD program that has an unusually high level of ambiguity. The qualifying exam(s). See? I even had to put parentheses to cover for a plural because language and structure around this milestone are so inconsistent. The qualifying exam comes at a pivotal moment in the PhD experience. You will be formally transitioning out of a more familiar, structured student experience into an unstructured, self-led experience. ...

If you are reading this, then you are at least curious about what industry internships are and how to get one. You are in the right place. I will take a moment to describe what I mean by “industry,” who my audience is, and why you may (or may not) want to pursue one. Then I will talk about steps you can take to increase your chance of landing one. ...