Day in the Life of an IPinfo Research Intern: Santiago

Hi everyone! My name is Santiago Klein, and I'm a second-year PhD student in Computer Science at Northwestern University, where I'm advised by Dr. Fabián E. Bustamante. My research focuses on Internet measurement and distributed systems.

Before starting my PhD, I pursued a Computer Engineering degree at the University of Buenos Aires in Argentina. During my thesis, I worked on an Internet measurement project and became fascinated by the challenge of studying the Internet through large-scale observations.

After completing my degree, I spent more than three years as a Software Engineer at Salesforce, where I worked on large-scale cloud systems and gained experience designing, building, and operating software in a production environment. While I enjoyed working on engineering challenges, my interest in research continued to grow, eventually motivating me to return to academia.

I joined IPinfo because I wanted to experience how research ideas evolve when applied to real-world products and datasets. Working alongside researchers and engineers has been a great opportunity to see how ideas explored in research can become practical tools and insights that help us better understand the Internet.

What I'm Working On

When we think about neighboring countries, we usually think about physical borders. However, the Internet does not always follow the same paths as geography. Two countries that share a border may have limited direct connectivity, while traffic between distant countries may travel through unexpected routes.

My project focuses on identifying Internet neighbors by studying large-scale traceroute measurements and Autonomous System (AS) connectivity. By analyzing how networks exchange traffic at both the country and AS levels, we can better understand the relationships that shape the global Internet and detect unusual routing patterns. This information can help improve IP geolocation and provide a more accurate view of Internet connectivity around the world.

My Day at Work

Morning

I usually start my day around 8 a.m. with breakfast before heading to the office. I enjoy having a good breakfast to start the day, usually with yogurt and cereal, avocado toast, and eggs. After that, I walk across Northwestern's campus on my way to work.

The walk is one of my favorite parts of the morning, especially during the summer. I often take a small detour through one of the campus gardens, where I enjoy the peaceful surroundings and the occasional visit from the bunnies that roam around campus. 

Before jumping into research, I review the notes from the previous day, organize my priorities, and plan the tasks I want to focus on. When I have a meeting with my mentor or the research team, I also prepare specific questions and topics to discuss.

A typical morning involves a combination of reading recent research papers, exploring IPinfo's large-scale datasets, and analyzing traceroute measurements. Research rarely follows a completely predictable path, and I enjoy the process of investigating unexpected results and figuring out what they reveal about the Internet.

Midday

I usually bring lunch prepared from home and eat outside when the weather is nice. After lunch, I take a short walk around Northwestern's lakefill before returning to the office.

The lakefill is one of my favorite places on campus. Walking next to Lake Michigan, with the open view of the water and the surrounding nature, gives me a chance to step away from the computer and come back with a fresh perspective. On clear days, it also offers a beautiful view of the Chicago skyline across the lake.

Afternoon

During the afternoon, I continue working on my analysis, testing new ideas, and following up on discussions from research meetings. A large part of the project involves combining different sources of information and gradually building a better understanding of how networks connect with each other.

At the end of the day, I usually summarize my progress and write down the next steps so I have a clear direction when I start again the following morning.

After finishing work, I often head to the beach in Evanston with my mate. When the weather allows, I enjoy swimming in Lake Michigan before going to the gym. Spending time by the lake has become one of my favorite ways to relax after a day of research.

My Internship Takeaways So Far

This internship has given me the opportunity to work with datasets at a scale that is difficult to encounter in an academic environment. It has been interesting to see how IPinfo combines research, engineering, and operational experience to build a deeper understanding of Internet data.

Beyond the technical aspects, I have really enjoyed being part of a collaborative research environment. Discussions with the team have helped me approach problems from new perspectives and better understand how research can contribute to practical solutions. This experience has been a valuable complement to my PhD journey and has given me a broader view of what research can look like outside academia.