Meet the Interns: Neda Nišić

In our first post of "Meet the Interns" series, we would like to introduce one of our best interns - Ms Neda Nišić, who was kind enough to answer all our questions. Neda joined our programme in 2019 as a student enrolled to Mining Engineering graduate studies at the University of Belgrade and has also won the internship in 2020.

Welcome Neda, how did you learn about the ADRIA Internship Programme?

I learned about the ADRIA Internship programme from my sister, who works at the university as an assistant professor. She was informed by another professor, who knew that I was a good student and considered that this would be an extraordinary opportunity to gain additional experience before finishing my studies. She immediately suggested it to me and I, of course, I gladly applied.

You have been awarded with the Internship two years in a row, thus participating both in the regular and virtual form of internship. Could you compare the experiences?

It is true that I participated in the internship programme for two years in a row, which is certainly a great honor for me. In the first year, the internship went according to plan for a period of two months and was not virtual. During the second year, unfortunately, due to the epidemiological situation, the internship was carried out virtually. However, despite that, I managed to learn a lot of things and made new acquaintances. Of course, it was much harder to understand some things due to the inability to participate in the activities "live", but I certainly appreciated the opportunity to upgrade my knowledge. Benefit of the virtual internship was that I had significantly more time to dedicate to writing reports and learning to use new software programs and procedures. Of course, the essential thing was to preserve my health and safety and in parallel, use my time in the best and most productive way.

As an ADRA Intern, you worked in two different organisations. Was it difficult to adjust to the different environments and working culture?

It was not particularly difficult to adapt to different circumstances. My mentors in both organisations were extremely committed and dedicated and have introduced me to the environment and collective. Everything was much better than I could have expected. In addition, both companies were very well organized and I did not find it difficult to fit in and follow their rules.

What would you highlight as the greatest benefits of attending the Internship?

The benefits of participating in such an internship are countless, but among other things, I have significantly improved the knowledge acquired during studies and had the opportunity to apply many things that I knew only theoretically. In addition, I met people who are eminent experts in the field of science to which I myself belong. I was given the opportunity to learn their numerous experiences and guidelines that will surely help me in  further career.

What are your professional plans for the future?

My current plans primarily come down to enrolling in doctoral studies, since I found myself in the scientific aspect of my profession (mining), and would like my career to develop in that direction. After that, I hope to become employed in a scientific institution, maybe even at the faculty. I do not have precise information about that yet, but I certainly hope for the best and I sincerely believe that the experience gained through the ADRIA iNTERNSHIP programme will give me a great advantage and help me achieve my future ambitions.

Thank you Neda and good luck!