NIS program opens new horizons for international student

Unlike the structured path in India, where research typically begins in graduate school, Khanikor sought to immerse himself immediately by leveraging UC's outstanding physics program and intimate adviser support.

“I chose UC after completing my first year in India because my adviser with the Manya Princeton Review consultancy and tutoring service had a strong and positive working relationship with a UC adviser, encouraging me to consider UC closely,” Khanikor said. “UC's physics program is robust with early opportunities for research, yet small and personal, which promised the one-on-one guidance I sought.

"The program's personalized approach was ideal for me."

Prior to graduating this spring with a bachelor’s degree in physics and a minor in economics, Khanikor’s path was significantly shaped by his participation in UC’s NEXT Innovation Scholars (NIS) program, located in the 1819 Innovation Hub. This cohort-based system, which funded Khanikor’s tuition at UC and opened doors to multidisciplinary projects including campus programs, research projects and professional collaborations accepted just 17 students university wide.

As an NIS strategic foresight project lead, Khanikor recounted his climb upward through the program. "One pivotal experience was participating in the Futures Project," he reflected.

“As a student, I engaged in strategic foresight work, starting as a research analyst under senior NIS mentors like Jonathan Raj,” Khanikor said. “Collaborating with peers from diverse majors, I found joy in the creative thinking required. By my final semesters, I was leading these projects.”

Each semester, the futures research project assembled teams of 10 to 12 students from diverse backgrounds to study the underlying forces across society that are shaping the future of everyday life and industries such as health care, entertainment and education.

“We analyzed what the next 15 to 30 years might look like based on extensive research across online media, articles and field research,” he explained. “We published a report annually, which I shared with UC co-op employers.”

Other opportunities to shine included his due diligence research with the Cincinnati Insurance Companies. “We collaborated in a team of three NIS students to better inform strategic decision-making regarding insurance product development,” Khanikor noted.

“By the end, we enjoyed delivering a comprehensive report to the company synthesizing our findings on industry products and risk assessment methodologies.”