Business student delves into technology

I’m Sofie, a Norwegian, London-based business student, spending the summer with Ericsson Research.

Students from many different fields join Ericsson Research for internships or thesis work. You could be next. Follow our blog to learn about the students at Ericsson Research this summer.

Outside the HQ of Ericsson in Stockholm, Sweden.

I love to explore and read about emerging technologies and future trends, so, naturally, I looked to Ericsson when pursuing my next internship. Although I don’t have a technical background, I saw an opportunity to apply my interest in innovation and technology, and a great way to learn and gain experience inside a tech company.

Running the Ericsson Research Blog

What do I do at Ericsson Research?

This summer I’ve been working with external communications in the Ericsson Research department. Ericsson Research delivers concepts and solutions, many of which go into standardization, inventions and patents, demonstrations, test beds and trials. External communications at Ericsson Research means deciding what, when and how papers, statements or research should be communicated through various channels. This requires careful planning, preparation and structuring, since so many people are involved. It’s important to see the balance between sharing research findings and keeping some things internal for business reasons.

Kaspian (another intern) showing me how Mixed Reality works in Kista. Very cool

My main responsibility has been in content creation, organizing and executing research promotion related to the campaign #SummerInTheLabs and other research outcomes here on the Research Blog. My summer intern colleagues, Emma S and Emma H and I have also focused on social media, trying to be creative to increase involvement, traffic and comments towards the blog.

Key take-aways

So what are my key take-aways from Ericsson?

The role challenged me to learn quickly and understand very different topics, considering blog posts span a variety of research areas. This provided me with a peek into many corners of Ericsson Research from IoT, AI, 5G and the Cloud, contributing to a better understanding of the technological world. I think mixed reality is one of the areas that fascinates me the most at the moment. It’s given me an insight into how much is being done in the labs and at desks, and the expertise that exists here.

Working from the Orangerie, a peaceful and relaxing hidden gem at the Ericsson headquarters. Perfect to work from.

Planning, discussing and communicating with employees globally has been truly valuable. In a world where automation, digitalization and technology are the future, and as a (hopefully) future manager, my experience at Ericsson Research has so far provided me with an increasingly deep understanding of the technology, systems and processes behind all these words, which is very important for a manager.

A hint of restlessness

Who I am and what I like to do

I’ve just completed my bachelor’s degree in London. Since I normally live in Oslo, I’ve just started to get into a routine here in Stockholm. Outside of business, I have a passionate interest in sports and the outdoors. I bike to work when I can, and usually spend my Tuesdays and Thursdays with Adidas Runners Stockholm or at a Megaformer machine. When I can, I also love to ski (downhill, cross-country and randonee), walk in the mountains and travel. I hope to climb Kilimanjaro as soon as I get time. Like most people, socializing and spending time with my family is never boring.

From my graduation this summer

I take opportunities whenever I can, and over the past 5 years I’ve worked and studied in 5 cities in 4 different countries, on two continents. The journey has taken me from Norway to England, Australia and Sweden before I head back to London, again for my MSc at Imperial College Business School this fall. My adaptability has definitely been tested, considering that I’ve moved back and forth between these countries 9 times over the past 5 years. One could say it’s about time to settle down…

Facts about London

• Residents (Including greater London): 8,787,892
• Number of Master’s Degrees: 4,065
• Number of students in London: 372,000 with around 121,000 Postgraduates (33%).
• Master students at Imperial College Business School (ICBS): 1,151 (Including Finance Master’s, Management Master’s and Specialized Master’s.)
• Nationalities at ICBS: 54
• Facts about London:
  More than 300 languages are spoken in London
  In 2014, 16 million people visited London, making it the most-visited city.