Intern tells all: Working at Slingshot Simulations

Want to know what it’s like working with us?

Two interns have just finished their 3 month stint at Slingshot Simulations. From playing pool to battling JavaScript, Panagiotis Rodosthenous, a PhD Student in Quantum Physics, reflects on his time with us…

What did you work on with Slingshot?

Before joining Slingshot Simulations I was working on modelling nanocrystals with different shapes, sizes and compositions in order to observe their properties at nanoscale. I had been using multiple code bases to do that and understanding how a piece of code works is always vital.

The project that was assigned to me during this internship was the development of a equation syntax editor using the MathML standard, capable of not only forming equations but also performing the actual calculus. Apart from that, there was some really interesting research working directly with David.

What did you find hardest whilst at Slingshot?

Coming from a relatively different background (Electrical Engineering and Quantum Physics), it was a challenge for me to adopt using JavaScript for the first time. However, having a good background in programming and experience in the way of thinking behind coding, learning the basics of JavaScript was a straight-forward task.

What did you enjoy most?

Throughout my time there I enjoyed the pool table meetings where we could discuss anything work-related while playing pool. This is a smart way, for me personally, to discuss any issues and hear other thoughts by the other members of the team. This was helpful countless times for resolving issues in the code or throwing new ideas on the table. I believe that someone could be more creative and ingenious when playing pool. The hardest bit about working in a start-up is the constant pressure of getting the work done, which constitutes a big challenge. However, with the biggest the challenge comes the greatest the reward.