Week 3: Better Late Than Never

*title credit goes to Diana Luc

The biggest difference I've noticed between working in a research lab and working at an internship is the amount of flexibility because I'm able to set my own hours. Furthermore, research is much more self-directed and creative than most internships - while the overarching problem I'm trying to solve is relatively defined, the technology has never been done before. My professor and I discuss the behaviors we're seeing and the overall goal, but he often leaves the next steps to be decided by me. It's been a great challenge to figure out what aspects of the project are the most pressing and make the most sense to figure out first and determine the most cost-effective, quickest, and robust way to complete next steps. At the same time, this process has allowed me to utilize my research strengths, develop skills, and increase my self-awareness. The lab itself is split into work stations and projects, with usually one graduate student or serious undergraduate tackling each project. All of our work falls under the umbrella of fluid power, but it's been exciting to learn more about the diverse challenges of the fields at our weekly presentation meetings.