Throughout the semester, I have been researching possible applications of self-driven microparticles. What got me interested in this specific research is the ability of something so small to be able to have such large impact on the world around us. The research was first introduced to me when my mentor, Dr. Jeffery Moran, came to present his research at one of my classes. It was only soon after that I contacted him and eventually became an OSCAR undergraduate research assistant.
When I graduate I want to work in the field of sustainability and focus on the everyday improvement of the quality of human life. This research provides me with the opportunity to take the essential first steps to pursuing my long-term goals. This is because many of the applications of microparticles can aid the effort of improving the quality of life for humans all over the world. A big example of these applications is wastewater decontamination which could help over a 3rd of the worlds global population.
On a weekly basis, my mentor holds meetings named “Journal Clubs” in which one of the members of the research group is to find a scholarly article based on the current research they are doing and present it to the rest of us. This helps me understand and learn certain topics at an efficient and relaxed rate. Apart from the Journal Club meetings, weekly one-on-one meetings are conducted as well to ensure the retention of information and also to keep track of how much work each individual has done. One thing I discovered throughout my semester of doing research is how important and connected research really is. One researcher will never fully understand or make a discovery without the help of hundreds of previous researchers making their own, separate discoveries.
