Day-to-day Experiences within the Engineering Workshop

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Stacey Huang, Engineering Correspondent, reports on the trials and tribulations faced by a graduate student as they work towards their thesis deadline. The student, who remains unnamed, is currently combining an imaging system with an existing methane sensor in their research.

In a recent update, the student expressed frustration over the number of suggestions they've received and the time constraints on the project. "I'll see you on the other side of my thesis deadline!" they signed off, hinting at the pressure they're under.

The student has been struggling to align a laser return beam to a detector, a task that requires precision less than 1/100 the width of a strand of hair. After spending 8 hours attempting to align the beam with no success, they found a clue - the return beam isn't traveling in a straight line.

The student has encountered numerous problems during their lab work, including disconnected wires, power disconnections, and systems only working intermittently. Despite these challenges, they've sought help from a teammate who suggested improvements to the system.

Another graduate student working on a different project sympathised with the student's frustration. They noted that the difficulty often lies in the plan looking perfect in theory but not working in practice.

A senior graduate student offered words of encouragement, suggesting that persistence is key in the lab. They advised the student to keep trying and to hope for a bit of serendipity to solve the problem.

In a more optimistic turn of events, a postdoc who had been working on a similar project didn't see a signal for one-and-a-half years before finally detecting one. This gives the student hope that they too will find success in the coming weeks.

The student has made it clear that they will not have a summer intern do the dirty work on the system. They are determined to see this project through themselves.

As the last week before the thesis deadline approaches, the student expects it to be a long one. They are determined to see this project through to the end, no matter the challenges ahead.

Stacey Huang is associated with her laboratory work at China Medical University, specifically at Shengjing Hospital in Shenyang, China. She will continue to report on the student's progress as they work towards their thesis deadline.