Le Hoang Vuong Nguyen, a PhD candidate at USN has recently returned from a four-month internship at Nanize* in Narvik working with nanotechnology and coatings. She shares the value of conducting research in collaboration with industry and how this experience has reshaped her understanding of research itself.
From Simulation to Real-World Testing
In academia, research typically begins with simulations and theoretical models before materials are ordered and tested in the lab. In contrast, Vuong discovered that industry often takes a more agile and experimental approach. “In the company, they sometimes skip simulations and goes straight to testing”. They can have several ideas, and consequently several plans to be tested, and the materials are already there so it is easier. She explains. “It’s 80% academic and 20% practical experimentation. You test, then analyze why it worked.”
This shift in approach taught her to think more flexibly and helped her solve long-standing questions in her PhD project because she gained access to experience-based knowledge in the industry that isn’t published in academic literature.
Industry as a Laboratory
Vuong describes the company as a “real-world laboratory,” where challenges are immediate and solutions must be practical. She chose Nanize because of its alignment with her research interests. Her master degree at USN was in nanotechnology, and Nanize’s work in materials and coatings was a perfect match. "They’re an emerging company on the rise, and I was able to gain exposure to the full R&D process. That was very attractive to me." Working with large-scale reactors and commercial materials, she learned to navigate constraints that don’t exist in academic labs, such as supply chain delays, equipment sharing, and cross-departmental collaboration. This environment helped her develop a deeper understanding of how research is applied within real-world conditions.
Confidence and Independence
This experience helped her build confidence, not only in her technical skills but in her ability to troubleshoot and make decisions independently. “Before, I doubted myself when experiments failed. Now I know how to adjust conditions or add a catalyst to solve problems. I understand the difference between academic limitations and practical challenges.”
Mutual Value Creation
The internship wasn’t just beneficial for Vuong, it created value for Nanize as well. Her academic perspective led to new insights and questions that prompted reflection among experienced professionals. "My colleagues told me I made them think differently,” she says. Some of her findings were adopted by the company, while others, though not commercially viable, were valuable for her PhD. She exceeded expectations, not only strengthening her lab skills but also bringing back results that could be used in her doctoral work.
Time Management and Work Culture
The internship was also an opportunity to experience working culture. While PhD workdays can vary from 6 to 12 hours depending on experiments, the company operated on a consistent 7.5-hour schedule. Manufacturing processes started and stopped at fixed times, which required her to adapt and manage her time more effectively. “When I sit at the computer to read papers, I can easily lose focus. But in the company, I knew I only had a limited number of hours for research before joining the lab process. It forced me to be more structured and intentional with my time.”
A Platform for Connection and Growth
For her the connection between academia and industry is very important. Vuong sees INRESCOS as a community. “It’s a place to connect with industry, with other PhD students, share experiences, and learn from each other,” she says. She supports initiatives like alumni networks to stay connected to academia, and for new PhD students to learn how to reach out to the industry.
Advice for Other PhD Candidates
Vuong encourages fellow PhD students to seek internships that align with their research interests and long-term career goals, not just their current skills. “I contacted the company myself, showed them what I could offer, and we found a common ground.” She emphasizes the importance of doing background research on the company, checking their scope of interest, and proposing a tailored project. In her case, she sent not only her CV but also a proposal outlining what she could contribute, based on her understanding of the company’s needs. “The project I proposed was slightly different from what I ended up doing, but it helped start the conversation.”
Advice for INRESCOS
Vuong suggests that INRESCOS could organize more in-person events across different campuses to reach new PhD candidates early in their journey. She proposes informal breakfast meetings hosted by current PhD students to introduce newcomers to the opportunities INRESCOS offers. “Some students don’t realize the value until it’s too late. We need to reach them earlier.” She also recommends continuing the soft skills training, especially in communication techniques. What she learned through INRESCOS helped her during her internship interview and explaining her research to the company. During her internship, she also had to communicate with teams outside academia, such as marketing and production, requiring her to simplify complex ideas while preserving their core meaning. “As researchers, we often need to communicate with non-academic teams. We don’t need to explain everything, but we must highlight what matters to them.”
Scholarship for Industry stay
The INRESCOS scholarship made the internship possible. Without it, the company, like many small businesses, would not have had the budget to host a PhD candidate. The funding also allowed Vuong to travel to a partner company in France, Sikemia**, where she visited a large chemistry lab and saw a reactor bigger than herself, an experience that further broadened her perspective. Initially, her supervisor had concerns about intellectual property and potential delays in her PhD timeline. But with clear communication and planning, they agreed on boundaries and expectations. Even after the internship ended, the company remains open to supporting her PhD, and she can contact them if she needs some further assistance. She now sees that the internship accelerated her research and opened doors to future collaboration.
Visiting Montpellier, "a city I love for being not only full of charm, but also a great hub of scientific innovation".
* Nanize AS - a materials and coatings company developing PFAS-free, ultra-fast curing polysilazane coatings. Their technology provides durable, low-friction, hydrophobic surfaces that cure at temperatures below 100 °C—reducing processing times from days to seconds. Nanize delivers tailored solutions for industries including automotive, electronics, optics, industrial applications, and building materials, offering a sustainable alternative to conventional PFAS-based coatings.
** SiKEMIA - a chemistry company focused on advanced ligands for surface treatment and material engineering. It provides custom synthesis and tailored solutions to address challenges in automotive corrosion resistance, healthcare, self-lubricating systems, cosmetics, and environmental treatment.