Academics do research and development differently. For one thing, the team was not developing a single product, but using the same tools for related yet independant projects. My previous experiences with commercial research involved a single point of contact, school projects had delegation towards one end, and this was a form of collaboration I had not encountered before. A most useful form, as being thus imbedded in an active research group provided an ongoing, raw view of computer vision research, in a bitesize wider-yet-consistent context, that made long monday meetings much more an exciting seminar than bureaucracy.

This aspect of a broader exposure to the subject was also greatly helped by a last-minute invitation to attend the one-week BMVA Computer Vision Summer School, an annual event by the British Machine Vision Association and Society for Pattern Recognition (BMVA) that just happened to be being held in Durham this year, for the first time in its 27 years running. This was a unique opportunity to meet with delegates from across the british isles, discussing how the talks could relate to their work, and bouncing around ideas. If I end up in Dublin these next few years, I know who I'll call.

All this learning reinvigorated my curiosity, and gave me confidence enough of themes in computer vision and pattern recognition, where many AI advances are traditionally pioneered, to offer to report on the Royal Aeronautical Society's 2024 Young Proffessionals Conference for Durham Diplomatic Society, as in another well-timed coincidence, this was entitled "Skyward Sovereignty: pioneering autonomy...". I'm not a journalist. I've never even journaled. Yet, this has been a perfect series of events as I look to translate my STEM experience towards defence, development, and diplomacy.

While there were several disruptions, especially in this last month, that the project wasn't expected to extend into, these broke up the experience in a way quite conducive to reflection. An absence of research data to analyse, means that I have been forced to switch focus from attempts to drive direct research impact out from this short intership, and instead approach its impact on myself. I am more than satisfied with the progression of my confidence in career direction, and understanding of who I am in the absence of academic work or study, what I value and am good at.

I will carry these Laidlaw experiences forward with me, eagerly exploring new opportunities to positively impact the world with an honest, wonky career, that I'm happy to not yet know the shape of.

Thank you for the patience and guidance of all involved, especially my supervisor, Prof. Toby Breckon, local Laidlaw coordinator, Kelci Jacoby, and the members of Durham's computer vision lab.

My report on this research will follow tommorow, on Monday, and my report on the RAeS automation conference will be published on Durham Diplomatic Society's Substack in the coming weeks.