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Pengxin Wang: The internship was an adventure filled with incredible research and unforgettable experiences

The Aalto Science Institute (AScI) International Summer Research Programme welcomed 68 talented students from around the world in 2024. Among them was Pengxin Wang, a master鈥檚 student from the University of Hong Kong, who spent three exciting months exploring Finland, conducting groundbreaking research, and making memories with new friends.
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Wang with his summer intern friends, standing third from the right. Photo credits: All the images were captured by AScI interns.

The Aalto Science Institute (AScI) International Summer Research Programme welcomed 68 talented students from around the world in 2024. Among them was Pengxin Wang, a master鈥檚 student from the University of Hong Kong, who spent three exciting months exploring Finland. Pengxin worked on a research project called Distilling Implicit Covariate Shift Induced by Node-Based Bayesian Neural Networks (BNNs) for Augmented Training. His goal was to make AI models not only smarter but also more reliable and efficient.

鈥楧eep learning based AI is often very accurate, but sometimes it can鈥檛 explain its decisions, or it struggles when the input data it sees changes,鈥 Pengxin explains. 'BNNs are great at solving this but are slow and require a lot of computer power.'

Pengxin designed a method to transfer knowledge into Deterministic Neural Networks (DNNs) that work faster while still being trustworthy.

The research group , where Pengxin conducted his project, is led by , who is deeply supportive of the AScI programme and is dedicated to mentoring young researchers. The group plays a key role in guiding interns to advance their careers and achieve significant breakthroughs in their fields.

With the invaluable guidance of Professor Kaski and PhD student Trung Trinh, Pengxin developed and tested his ideas. 鈥業 had the freedom to explore and experiment while getting great advice and support,鈥 he shares, reflecting on the collaborative and nurturing environment that defined his internship experience.

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The project taught me how to stay organized and handle challenges when things didn鈥檛 work as planned

Pengxin Wang

Starting the project wasn鈥檛 easy. 鈥楤efore the project, I wasn鈥檛 very familiar with the field of Bayesian Deep Learning, and my coding skills needed improvement,鈥 Pengxin says. But with his advisor鈥檚 help and a lot of determination, he learned how to manage experiments, document his work, and present his findings clearly.

鈥楾his was my first real research project in AI, and I learned so much,鈥 he says. 鈥業t taught me how to stay organized and handle challenges when things didn鈥檛 work as planned.鈥

This internship had a huge impact on Pengxin鈥檚 future. It inspired him to pursue a PhD in machine learning and continue working on AI that is not only smart but also reliable and trustworthy. He plans to stay connected with his advisor and collaborate on future projects.

Pengxin encourages students to apply for the program, even if they feel nervous about their abilities. 鈥楥hoose a project that excites you and talk to the supervisors early. Everything else will fall into place because the program is so well-organized.鈥

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Northern Lights and a meteor shower during a sauna night

The internship wasn鈥檛 all about work. Pengxin joined activities like a poster exhibition, where students shared their summer projects. 鈥楶resenting my work and learning from others was a fantastic experience.鈥

Outside of work, Pengxin and his fellow interns traveled to cities like Porvoo, enjoyed Finland鈥檚 beautiful forests, and even saw the Northern Lights and a meteor shower during a sauna night. One of his favorite memories was a group cooking event where everyone shared dishes from their home countries. 鈥榃e shared foods with people around the world, exchanged experiences in different cities and sang songs in different languages.鈥

Pengxin loved the Aalto University campus. 鈥楾he environment was perfect for research. Every day after work, walking along the trail in the serene forest, you can see adorable little animals, hear the rustling of leaves, and feel the gentle Baltic breeze.鈥

He especially enjoyed the Computer Science building, which had cozy spaces for coffee breaks and a lovely greenhouse for relaxation.鈥楾he architecture of Aalto truly lives up to its reputation!" he explains. "The Computer Science building blends high-tech and art seamlessly, creating a space where you can stay focused on your work but also relax when you need to.鈥

Living in Finland was also a refreshing change. 鈥榃orking culture here is quite different from busy cities like Hong Kong.鈥 he says. 鈥楶eople value work-life balance and well-being, allowing you to find your own rhythm to deliver high-quality work.鈥

Everything else will fall into place because the program is so well-organized

Pengxin Wang

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Aalto Science Institute (AScI)

AScI is a strategic initiative of the Aalto University School of Science that promotes internationalisation through a variety of instruments.

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Aalto Science Institute International Summer Research Programme

Bachelor鈥檚 and master鈥檚 students from around the globe: experience a transformative three-month research assistantship at Aalto University and make the most of your summer in Finland.

Aalto Science Institute (AScI)

How to Apply for the AScI International Summer Research Programme

How to apply to the AScI international summer research (internship) programme - The 2025 opened on January 7, 2025.

Aalto Science Institute (AScI)

Department of Computer Science

We are an internationally-oriented community and home to world-class research in modern computer science.

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