This summer so far has been a valuable learning experience in which I finally obtained some clarity on my future.

As an engineering student entering my fourth year, the concept of planning my next step after college is now starting to hit me hard. I have loved my 3 years of engineering classes up to this point. Although challenging, I never had any doubt once I took my first engineering class that this is what I wanted to do. However, I have taken courses covering such a wide breadth of engineering fields such that my specific career path has appeared very fuzzy in my mind.

This was my first time doing summer research, under AIM Photonics, and the cliché of “better late than never” has certainly held true thus far. Both the panels and especially the two dinners have greatly assisted in the processes of planning out my next chapter in my career. These events have given me some key lessons on how to be successful, including the main takeaways of the importance of communication, networking, and simply being easy to work with. From the industry dinner I learned that a master’s degree or higher is not a requirement if you want to be a leader in a company, which was a huge question that I had been itching to find the answer to.

At the very same dinner, I experienced the power of networking as I met one of the CAPSTONE project leaders from FLIR, and had a lengthy discussion that got me deeply interested in that project and the opportunities that it can bring me. Furthermore, my specific research project which is focused mainly on design has helped give me a glimpse into what I can expect if I enter an industry position.

I still have a few months to help clear up my vision for the next few years, but this summer has helped me tremendously in doing so.

Aim Photonics is my first internship where I do real research; I was surprised of the abilities and qualities that someone needs to have in order to explore new fields and discover new ways to make life easier by building new devices. I believe that is very difficult to do research because the people who are doing research are working in something that nobody worked before. Sometimes there are not a lot of reference or papers similar to what they are doing; therefore, there is a lot of fails every day in the labs. I am having a very good time working in my research cleaning and preparing silicon surfaces to grow III-V epitaxy with my mentor Dan Pennachio; I am learning a lot from him because he always helps me and explains things in a way that I can understand. Also, all the members of the Palmstrom’s group helps me by giving their opinion about my research and suggest me things to do to improve results.  Palmstrom’s lab is super interesting because is hard to believe that such technology can exist. I am performing several methods to clean the surface of the silicon and I am using several equipment to analyze how good the procedure is. Using these devices makes me to feel lucky because I am using apparatus of millions of dollars that not everybody can have the opportunity to use. Also, all members of the Palmstrom’s group motivated me to continue my education and I started to think that maybe I would like to become a research scientist.

Before this internship, I honestly had no idea what research meant. The idea of being a researcher didn’t seem exciting. I am the type of person that likes to be hands on. Whether I am working on a project or even studying. Hands on studying to me is achieved by getting up and using whiteboards and organizing study groups. This is one of the reasons I believed that I wasn’t the right type of person to fit into the research field. Thankfully, my mind has opened up to the idea. My perspective on my future has changed in positive and exciting ways.

Research is much more team oriented than I expected. My colleagues and I tend to have similar questions as we use and learn very similar simulation programs to carry out our experiments. In most cases, it isn’t ideal to ask the mentors questions for every minor road block. This is when our small office conversations allowed us to learn from each other. A majority of the time, the learning was reciprocal. Progress achieved independently is so rewarding.

Cutting edge technology comes from universities with these programs. I didn’t know this was true. I believed it was all industry that was responsible for this. This internship has given me a new found inspiration to pursue research. I will pursue a undergraduate research program in hydrogen technology thanks this experience at my new school because of this internship.

For those students who are living in an apartment and conducting summer research for the first time, maintaining a balanced life can be a new experience. Here are a few tips to make your survival easier:

1. 1.  Create a routine in the beginning of summer.

During the regular academic year, each day of the week can be different depending on the courses you are enrolled in. In full-time summer research, however, you can create a routine which you can follow every day. This could entail setting aside an hour each day for a workout because you are on a weight loss mission. Following a routine is excellent practice, as it provides structure and a sense of purpose, builds good habits, and also negates the need for willpower. By negating willpower, I mean that instead of waking up and thinking “should I go for a run today,” you think, “time for my daily run”.

2. Make your own meal plan.

By creating a meal plan, you can eat healthier foods as well as save money. You can cook something different every day. If you do not have the time to cook lunch and instead plan on eating out, try relatively healthier and cheaper options such as the soups or salads at Courtyard Café. Incorporate this meal plan into your routine, so that you feel more obliged to follow this plan and are less likely to impulsively eat outside.

3. Plan your research.

If you’re feeling motivated and productive, set some research goals and deadlines for the upcoming week. You should already know what the end goal of your research is, but the steps necessary to achieve that goal can sometimes be elusive. Hence spend some of your spare time pondering over your research. This will help you gain more control and decrease the likeliness of thoughts such as “I don’t know what I’m doing.”

4. Ask questions.

Although a cliché, it is true that research is all about asking questions. This is a skill that is useful in all aspects of life. Don’t understand how an interferometer works? Google it. Cannot find it online? Ask your peers or mentor. Train yourself to ask questions that don’t solely address the “What”, but also the “Why”.

I hope you find these tips helpful. Good luck, and have fun researching!