Learn more about their experience and consider offering a similar opportunity in January.    

Company overview: Thespian Labs is an early-stage AI research team building foundation models that opens new possibilities for how humans and machines communicate. They are developing Large Behavior Models for human simulation, focused on expressive, embodied behavior that turns intent into natural, controllable performance.

The micro-internship was led by 

• Norbert Chang, CEO, entrepreneur and Lecturer with MITdesignX  
• Dr. Çağri Hakan Zaman, CTO, entrepreneur, researcher and MIT alum (PhD ‘20)

What made a micro-internship a good fit for your company?

“A micro-internship was an ideal fit because it allowed us to define a focused, short-term project around a real research problem we were actively working to solve. They produced actionable work that we were able to carry forward immediately.” – Dr. Çağri Hakan Zaman

What did you enjoy about working with the MIT students?

“The students brought a fresh perspective and energy to our team. They took initiative and worked through problems independently, often keeping things moving without guidance.” – Norbert Chang

The student perspective (from the team): 

“It was so much fun! Since day one, we were treated like part of the team and quickly got to work. The team was extremely knowledgeable, and we learned a lot from them. We’ll miss our metal friend (and the daily snacks) XD”

Photo (from left to right)

• Norbert Chang (Lecturer)
• Dr. Cagri Hakan Zaman (MS 14’ Computer Science, PhD 20’ Computational Design)
• Dr. Adam Kraft (SB 05′, MEng 07′, PhD 18’ Computer Science)
• Cheuk Hei Chu (Undergrad 6-4,18)
• Emmanuela Ilok (Undergrad 6-3)
• Mike Law (PhD Math)
• Alice Cheng (Undergrad 6-3,18)

Call to Action
Interested in hosting an MIT micro-intern? Learn more and express interest.

The Independent Activities Period (IAP2025) is quickly approaching. If you’re completing a micro-internship, review CAPD’s tips on making the most of your experience.

During the micro-internship interview process

• Prepare for the interview by mastering responses to the 4 most common internship questions
• If the micro-internship requires you to be in person, inquire about available housing and transportation support
• Ask if the employer hires or would consider hiring micro-interns for summer internships

Prior to the experience

• Reflect on your goals for the micro-internship: what would you hope to gain out of the experience?
• Confirm micro-internship logistics, including time commitment, payment structure, required equipment and whether it’s remote, in person, or hybrid
• If you are an international student, you must secure off-campus work authorization. Contact International Students Office for advice
• Carefully review any contracts associated with your work for the employer. You might be asked to sign a non-disclosure agreement. CAPD does not recommend signing a non-compete agreement for this project-based work. If questions arise, reach out to CAPD for advice on how to follow up with the employer
• Reach out to the employer a few weeks before the micro-internship, to confirm your start date
• Consider what other students look for in internships
  1. Ask about opportunities for receiving supportive mentorship, not only supervision
  2. Discuss potential access to company resources (trainings, workshops)
  3. Express interest and ask about opportunities to showcase your work (presentation, report)
  4. If interested, find out whether the employer has a history of hiring former interns

During the micro-internship

• Within your first week: clarify project goals, understand employer’s expectations, and determine their preferred communication channels
• If working on a team project, establish your lines of communication with the team
• Manage your time: create daily/weekly goals. Develop a plan and prioritize tasks
• Manage stress: work smarter, not harder
• Seek feedback on your work & show enthusiasm
• Keep an active list of accomplishments and responsibilities (as detailed as possible, using numbers to quantify achievements)
• Get to know people outside of your assigned team through informational interviews which can be conducted in person over coffee or via Zoom
• Be creative about how to network if your micro-internship is virtual
• Pay attention to the quality of your experience with the employer (look for “green flags”)

Addressing challenges that might arise during the experience

• Be proactive in communicating to your supervisor the challenges you experience
• Reach out to CAPD to talk through a particular situation and brainstorm potential solutions or ideas on how to address the challenge
• Ask questions if you don’t have the knowledge to complete a project
• Maintain open lines of communication, even if you make a mistake
• If within a disagreement, use a “yes and approach”
• If you find yourself disliking the micro-internship, navigate the situation professionally

After the micro-internship

• Reflect on your career exploration: What did you like and dislike? What skills did you develop? What do you want to learn more about? What meaningful connections have you established and how do you plan to foster them?
• Meet with CAPD to update your resume and LinkedIn profile
• Connect with the people you worked with on LinkedIn – set a calendar reminder to send them a check-in message at the end of the spring semester – this is how you build professional relationships

Are you looking for a summer internship?

• Micro-internships can sometimes lead to a summer internship offer. If you enjoyed your micro-internship and built skills relevant to your interests, consider asking how you can continue to contribute to the company through a summer internship
• Ask open-ended questions: “I really enjoyed X,Y,Z about this project. As I’m thinking about my summer, I’d love to explore the possibility of continuing to contribute to your company as a summer intern. What do you think is the best way for me to explore potential opportunities?”

By: Julie Fox | Jan. 5th 2023 | MIT Tech Review

“As the youngest of four girls, Rosalie Phillips ’21 looked up to her sisters, and everywhere they went, she went. As early as fifth grade, she recalls, she was joining her oldest sister at robotics meetings in the machine shop of a local college, Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio.” Learn more about Rosalie’s journey to product development with Milwaukee Tool and how IAP micro-internships helped her forge connections with other MIT alumni working there.