Raashi Basu

Raashi joined Kromek for a 10 week placement during the summer before her final year of her integrated master’s in Chemistry at Durham University. Here we ask her what it was like to work with Kromek and what her plans are for the future.

Why did you want to do a summer placement at Kromek?

Kromek was known well within the university, and hearing about the reputation of the company made me look into it further. It has a great balance of high-end technology development and business. The work is also very varied, and I wouldn’t be sitting in a lab for 10 hours a day.

What did you do at Kromek in your placement?

My main role was to help refine the small form factor radiation detector product line. This included things like building up user manuals, production manuals and installation manuals. I worked on understanding how our products (D3S and D3M) integrated into the CIRIS software.

I also helped the sales and marketing departments with research into our product benefits compared to the other products on the market, producing competitive analysis and “kill sheets” as well as FAQs for the D3S product range.

Did you enjoy working for Kromek?

Yes, it was fantastic, the people within Kromek are extremely kind and generous with their time and knowledge. No question was unanswered, and I felt the team worked with me to ensure that I had a full understanding of all the different aspects of the products and work involved.

What was the best thing about working for Kromek?

Building up the D3M manuals. It allowed me to speak to so many different people and teams. It made me understand that teamwork is really important when you are developing and selling products, especially with multiple teams across the company.

What was the worst?

The benefits of working in Sedgefield is the countryside that we can see from our windows, the downside of the countryside can sometimes be the smells from the neighbouring farms.

Would you recommend Kromek to other university students?

Definitely! It is a great environment to learn and it fosters a very good work ethic.

Do you know what you want to do after you finish university?

I have been in two minds about whether to do my PHD or not. Coming here and gaining the experience I have though has also made me think about going into industry. There are just so many options now.

What will you take back from Kromek into your final year at uni?

My final year will be based around a functional device that can detect organic matter in water. This is a little different to what I have been doing at Kromek. But the amount of transferable skills I will be taking with me is fantastic, from teamwork, working to deadlines, understand that it’s ok to ask for help. This will definitely help me in my final year as well as in the future, wherever I go.

What advice would you give to school kids who are thinking about starting a career in science?

I studied in Malaysia before coming to the UK and I loved Chemistry going through school, which is why I chose to study it at university. People should choose a career in subjects that they find the most interesting. Don’t just pursue a subject because you think it will land you the best paid job. Find a career that you enjoy and makes you happy, then it isn’t just a job.