Swarnabh Bhattacharya, a PhD student at the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Israel, on bagging a full scholarship, enjoying Israeli delicacies and trying his hand at cooking
STUDY ABROAD
While doing post-graduate research at Indian Institute of Science, Education and Research (IISER), Mohali, I got fascinated with the wonderful world of stem cells. I learnt how these cells have the potential to develop into many different cell types in the body during early life and growth. And how these cells can help generate healthy cells in order to replace any type of diseased cells in our body. It took me no time to realise that the future belongs to stem cell research and I must be a part of it.
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Faculty of Medical Science, Technion University
This search of excellence in the field of stem cells brought me to the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology, a pioneer in the field of stem cell biology. This was the first institute to culture human embryonic stem cell outside human body.
I am a research scholar pursuing PhD in the lab of Dr Ruby Shalom-Feuerstein. Our lab explores the molecular events that underlie the formation of stem cells of the skin and cornea of the eye, and also how the perfect balance of these cells gets disturbed when we have a disease.
Founded in 1912, Technion- Israel Institute of Technology is the oldest university in Israel. Today, the institute is Israel's primary science-technology university and the largest center for applied research. Ranked among the top technological universities in the world, it is a major source of innovation and brainpower that drives the Israeli economy.
My study here is fully funded through a scholarship from the Israeli Ministry of Integration. The scholarship amounts to 5900 Shekels per month (Rs 1,03,050) for the first year and then increases to 6405 shekels (Rs 1,11,870) per month. If you get full scholarship, you do not have to pay any tuition fee. Although cost of living varies from person to person, it comes to around 3000 shekels (Rs 51,606) on an average.
I was chosen for this scholarship for two primary reasons --- consistently good academic background and motivation to do research (see box: HOW I MADE IT). I did my schooling at Kendriya Vidyalaya, Calcutta, securing 86 per cent and 90.75 per cent marks in Class X and Plus Two board exams respectively. This was followed by a graduate degree — with a 70.42 per cent score — in microbiology from University of Calcutta. In 2014, I completed my postgraduation in biotechnology from Jadavpur University. I ranked third, securing 73.43 per cent marks.
Meanwhile, I passed Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE) exam, National Eligibility Test (NET), and University Grant Commission’s Junior Research Fellowship (UGC- JRF) with top scores.
The best thing about my scholarship is that I don’t have to work as a teaching assistant or a research assistant to support my funding. I am really enjoying my time here. Technion, located on a beautiful 300-acre campus in the heart of Haifa, offers international students a wide variety of weekly athletic, social and cultural activities as well as top-notch recreational facilities like state-of-the art media centers and a full-service gym that includes an Olympic-size pool. With restaurants, cafes, banks, shops and student centers within easy reach, Technion campus has come to be known as “Technion City”.
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Faculty of Medical Science, a bird's eye view
Technion is home to students from all over the world - a diverse atmosphere that creates a vibrant, open and welcoming environment on campus. With over 20 cafeterias and restaurants on campus, it’s easy for students to find whatever food they fancy. There are around 100 Indian students with majority of them pursuing their postdoc although the number of PhD students is increasing each year.
I live in a rented apartment close to my lab. It takes me just a five-minutes walk to reach the lab. The public transport here is smooth and on time.
The city life is happening and people throng late night parties. I was really surprised to find people speaking in different languages in different localities — Russian, Spanish, German and Swedish. This is because the Jewish people immigrated here from all over the world. All these people have distinctive culture but are bound by a single religion. For them, it’s the Holy Land but for me it is the most ‘amazing place on earth’. Described in the Bible as the ‘land flowing with milk and honey’, Israel’s food has its roots in both Jewish and Arab cuisine. Jewish immigrants from the Mediterranean, Germany, Spain, and the Middle East have brought their unique recipes to result in a microcosm of diverse cuisines. My favourites are Shawarma, Falafel, Hummus and kebabs.
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The Church of the Holy Sepulchre in the Old City of Jerusalem
Haifa boasts a Mediterranean climate, with typical winter temperatures ranging between 5?C and17?C and summer temperatures between 19?C and 35?C or higher. The rainy season is usually from mid-November to mid-March. During summer I go to the beach by the Mediterranean, a walking distance from my house. I also engage myself in numerous social events to know more about the local people and culture. I take special interest in cooking and experimenting with various new cuisine.
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Background of the Bahai Garden
After completing my PhD, I plan to do postdoctorate studies in the US and continue my research on stem cells. I eventually come back to India and develop the framework for research here in my subject.
HOW I MADE IT
· The primary and most important criteria are good academic background and the desire and motivation to do research. Generally, many institutes here ask for GRE and TOEFL scores but exemptions can be awarded on the basis of good scores at national level examinations such as NET and GATE.
· The best time to start the application process is last semester of your master's.
· Before applying the candidate must find an advisor / scientist who would conduct an interview over Skype to find out if the applicant is serious about the research project. Once this is done, the rest is smooth.
· If your basic concepts are clear then there is no need to worry about the interview, just be honest and don’t cut corners. No external help is required.
· Although Hebrew is the official language for communication but it’s not mandatory for candidates
· There are numerous institutes which you can find through the Israel Embassy website and of course you can also Google it. Just opt for an institute which matches your interest
As told to Chandana Chandra