Ishaan Roy (Aeronautics)
I joined an ongoing research project exploring the creation of droplets during respiratory events such as a cough in relation to the airborne spread of disease. So far the research had been purely computational. Working alongside a PhD student, we aimed to experimentally test what the simulations had modelled.
Despite the originally limited scope of the project I was able to carry out a considerable body of work, producing a final report longer than any report that I had written previously at Imperial. I gained a huge amount from the experience professionally, notably because it gave me a very accurate depiction of research and what it would be like to do a PhD – it corrected many misconceptions I had about the field. The limited scope forced me to be creative and consider alternative testing methods that could provide greater insight into the problem. The simplicity and safety of the problem and associated equipment allowed me to work independently and gain far more than if I had needed supervision – I started knowing nothing and by the end was able to run the entire experiment by myself. For me the most useful takeaway was the ability to troubleshoot – most of the problems I had were due to equipment working incorrectly or not as expected, or making assumptions about existing work that were not valid. Having dealt with these issues I now feel more able to deal with new engineering problems and as a result more employable.
Having lived and studied in the UK for all my life I was excited to be able to study abroad and live independently in a new place – I recognised not only the opportunity for professional development but also personal development. Ithaca is a small town in upstate New York and presented a very different lifestyle to London – a quieter and more relaxing one that I enjoyed greatly. Despite being summer, the campus was fairly busy with many other students working on research projects and many of them became good friends of mine during the course of the placement. The campus is very large and built around a series of picturesque trails and waterfalls which we explored in our free time. In addition, Ithaca is home to a number of state parks containing lakes, gorges, natural springs and cliffs which we often travelled to during the weekend. A few of us were also able to make a trip to New York City and visited the 9/11 museum, walked the Brooklyn Bridge at sunset, and kayaked at Hudson Pier in sight of the One World Trade Center.
Overall, I would recommend this experience to anyone, especially those interested in pursuing further research. I would say, however, that to get the most out of the placement requires resilience, adaptability and an open mind as it is probable that things will go wrong or will not be as you had expected. Despite this I enjoyed every moment of the trip and could not imagine a better way to spend the summer.