Making a Dream a Reality

Ananya Agarwal (MSR ‘24) turned her internship into a dream job at the RAI Institute.

Ananya Agarwal (MSR ‘24) sat at her desk, staring intently at the lines of code briskly scrolling across her screen.

It wasn’t just any code, though. It was the culmination of months of work, a project that could help robotics engineers at the RAI Institute (formerly the AI Institute) handle data – and one that would lead to her dream job.

Ananya Agarwal
Ananya Agarwal
As Agarwal put the finishing touches on her work, she couldn't help but reflect on the journey that led her from being a curious student in Northwestern Engineering’s Master of Science in Robotics (MSR) program to working with a top robotics and AI company.

“RAI Institute is one of the most recognized places for a robotics engineer to work,” said Agarwal, who started as a full-time robotics software engineer there in February. “The company has the top minds in the world, and an opportunity to work and learn with them was exciting.”

Agarwal’s path to the RAI Institute began with the MSR program. After she earned her Bachelor's in Technology from the Indian Institute of Information Technology Allahabad, Agarwal wanted to pursue an advanced degree. She was drawn to the MSR program's project-based curriculum and small cohort size.

A video on the MSR website showcasing student projects and featuring innovative robotics applications sparked her imagination and solidified her decision to apply.

The intensive nature of the MSR program prepared Agarwal for the fast-paced environment at the RAI Institute, she said. She learned more during her year in the MSR program than in any other year of her life, she said. Those learnings included how to manage her time effectively under pressure and with short deadlines, skills that proved invaluable during her internship.

During her internship at the RAI Institute, Agarwal quickly found herself immersed in cutting-edge projects. As part of the tooling team, she focused on simplifying the development experience for scientists and engineers. Her main project involved creating a tool to optimize data formatting across projects.

“My work started with researching the best data formats for robotics, then building a tool to convert some standard formats to a better option,” Agarwal said.

The project didn't stop there.

Agarwal collaborated with various teams, adding features based on their specific needs. The experience taught her the value of clear communication and the importance of asking questions – skills she honed during her time in the MSR program.

"I was developing features for people around me," Agarwal said, "so my learning helped me ask better questions until I understood the problems faced and proposed a solution that fit their problem.”

Weekly team updates and sessions with industry leaders enhanced Agarwal’s internship experience, allowing her to learn from projects beyond her immediate responsibilities. This comprehensive exposure to the field of robotics reinforced her desire to continue working in a similar environment after graduation.

Now she's doing just that. Prior to her time in the MSR program, Agarwal would have felt overwhelmed at a place like the RAI Institute. Now, thanks to her internship and experience at Northwestern, she feels right where she belongs.

"It's easy to get intimidated by so many smart people all around you," she said. "Asking questions does not make you less smart. It's helped me grow."

McCormick News Article