Albert is studying software engineering at Arizona State University. He is supporting us for a total of almost 8 weeks with research into safety systems for autonomous vehicles.

How was the arrival at the Institute?

The arrival experience at the Institute was a bit challenging. Being unfamiliar with the local public transport system, I initially bought a more expensive flexible ticket, which allows travel on any train but was unnecessary for my needs. Additionally, I had difficulty locating the train station platform.

How did you get accepted at the institute?

I was accepted as a DAAD-RISE intern, with the acceptance notification arriving in March.

How were you supported?

Most of the funding for my stay came from DAAD.

What do you like about TMDT, and what don't you like?

I enjoy the scenery and the weather, which is much more pleasant compared to Arizona—it's warm but not excessively hot. The food is also relatively cheap compared to the US. In terms of resources, I typically had access to 2-3 GPUs, which was crucial for my research. The ice cream is also nice

SCIENCE/RESEARCH

What was new in your studies?

My work focused on detecting traffic accidents involving the ego vehicle, a unique problem with not much existing research or datasets available. This was a new and exciting challenge.

What did you learn? Any surprises in your research context?

The most important lesson I learned was understanding the gaps in my knowledge. Prior to this, I wasn't involved in computer vision, so this internship provided a valuable opportunity to learn concepts like object tracking, sensor fusion and nonlinear filtering, 3D object detection, to name a few. Additionally, spending a week resolving issues with conda environments taught me a lot about dealing with software conflicts.

What is the biggest difference between here and your home university?

The atmosphere is definitely different. The cost of rent, food, and travel is much cheaper here compared to my home university in the US.

What is the biggest difference between your hometown and Wuppertal?

There are many similarities, but notable differences include more advanced public transportation, despite occasional delays, and numerous playgrounds and castles.

LEISURE TIME

Where did you stay?

I stayed in a dormitory, which was an amazing experience. Normally, I share living space with a friend in the US to save on rent, but here, I could afford to live alone in a great atmosphere.

What did you do outside of work?

Outside of work, I continued studying online courses. On weekends, I would often travel to nearby cities like Cologne and Bonn.

What was the best trip during your stay?

The best trip was when I got lost in Gyrostadt after visiting a national park. It was a bit frightening, but I was fortunate to be helped out.

What were your first German words?

"Halo, wie geht es dir?" (Hello, how are you?), "Danke" (Thank you), "Morgen" (Morning), and "Tschüss" (Goodbye).

Have you ridden the Schwebebahn?

Yes, I have. It was a pleasant experience.

What is the best food in town?

I rarely eat out, so I can't say for sure what the best food in town is.