Reflections on my journey with Lumiere & Stanford University …
The more I learn, the more I discover my ignorance. Mrs. Jayu Ganesh, Head of School and
my first mentor, has constantly been motivating us to go beyond the comfort zone of class.
The lockdown forced by the pandemic provided scope to explore those new vistas to
quench my thirst for knowledge through a series of webinars anchored by Next Genius
Foundation.
I got to know about the “Lumiere Research Scholar Program” anchored by top-notch
Research mentors from eminent global universities and I explored the same in order to
reinforce my intellectual vitality in the area of my first love- Mathematics and Data Science.
In a competitive selection process, I portrayed my passion for research, my credentials in
programing languages such as Python/ R through courses conducted by MIT and previous
project modules in Computer vision and Data Visualization. In the interview conducted by
the Research Scholars from Harvard and Oxford, I demonstrated genuine interest to dig into
in the Research arena. The selectors appreciated my curiosity and insights. I was offered a
spot.
Engagement with my mentor from Stanford University was thought provoking. I learnt vital
aspects of Literature Review, Research methodology, interaction with domain experts,
honing academic writing skills etc. It bolstered my confidence, rekindled critical thinking and
instilled nuances of collaboration. Successful completion of research paper on Viability of
Application of Convolutional Neural Networks in early detection of diseases in developing
nations has given immense satisfaction as I have imbibed and internalized my obligation to
pay back to my motherland.
That I could undertake a high-quality pre-college level research activity, in its true sense, as
validated by my mentor has given me a head start in my pursuit of being a lifelong
researcher and student in my chosen area and has catapulted me to be “University-ready”.
It was indeed a vibrant and enriching canvass of fine learning!
Amiteshwar Palanivelrajan
IB Diploma Programme Yr 2
