My research internship at VUB’s Photonics research group B-PHOT motivated me to pursue this programme, and I don’t regret it: I have acquired photonics skills in theory, simulation, and experimentation in an international context. Furthermore, my internship at a Belgian SME active in spectral sensing solutions allowed me to gain practical and professional experience. I got the chance to train different soft skills in project planning (analyse a problem and implement solutions), communication (writing reports, making presentations), and how to work in a multidisciplinary environment towards the development of novel optical sensors at a fast pace.