When Dr Tayebeh Namayeshi first joined APR.Intern as a PhD candidate, she was looking for more than just work experience, she was motivated to bridge the gap between her research background and the local industry.
That opportunity came at BioEye, where her APR internship gave her a crash course in industry problem-solving, and a new mindset. “The APR internship was transformative. It taught me to adopt a product mindset—framing problems in terms of users, constraints, and measurable impact. I learned to sharpen my communication with non-academic stakeholders and move quickly from a literature review to providing decision-quality evidence. That experience was the catalyst for my transition into industry and continues to inform how I scope and execute projects today.”
Years later, Tayebeh found herself on the other side of the table, this time as a host supervisor. “My decision to host was driven by my own positive experience,” she says. “I knew firsthand the value a PhD candidate brings: not just fresh thinking and exceptional energy, but a disciplined approach to problem-solving.”
Her leadership team shared that confidence, having seen the program’s impact firsthand. Hosting, she explains, was a strategic way to assess talent and bring specialised skills into the team. “Evaluating a candidate’s fit based on their performance on a real-world project is far more insightful than relying on a resume alone. It’s a low-risk, high-reward way to test ideas and assess potential future hires.”
The results spoke for themselves. “The intern raised our bar on experimental design. The primary outcome was a concise evidence-based result that validated a strategic direction for a key project, ultimately saving us weeks of exploratory effort. It gave us the confidence to proceed, backed by solid data, which is an incredibly valuable asset for any team.”
For Tayebeh, what sets APR.Intern apart is its ability to accelerate innovation while minimising risk. “What makes APR.Intern unique is that it reduces the risk of innovation. The program’s frameworks for handling IP, supervision, and deliverables eliminate common friction points, allowing teams to focus purely on the outcomes. It provides cost-effective access to highly specialised research skills on a project basis, which is perfect for validating ideas before committing full-scale resources.”
Her advice to organisations considering hosting is to start with a clear problem statement, not a vague exploration. Define key decision checkpoints where the intern’s findings will trigger a go, stop, or pivot decision. Nominate an engaged mentor, ensure datasets and tools are accessible from the start, and integrate the intern fully into your team.
“Treat them as a core member and you’ll be amazed at the impact they can deliver.”
From intern to industry leader, Dr Namayeshi’s journey demonstrates the full cycle of value the APR.Intern program delivers, for PhD students, for organisations, and for innovation.
This internship project, with Tayebeh serving as the industry mentor, was delivered in collaboration with the ARC Centre for Medical Implant Technologies, which nominated a PhD candidate and co-funded the research costs equally with the industry partner.
