Week Six: For your final post, upload a video presentation or create a written or photographic narrative in which you discuss your project: why did you become interested in this project, what was the goal of the project, what was its significance or impact (real or potential). How did the project evolve or change over the course of these six weeks? Finally, please consider how your understanding of leadership (curiosity, empathy, teamwork, resilience, etc.) has informed your work or been deepened by your work.
I initially became interested in my project as a result of the work I did last summer researching gravitational wave events. This summer was more focused on educating others on the current state of gravitational wave physics as opposed to conducting new research. The impact of this project is that it informed the general public and academic circles on current problems and concepts regarding gravitational waves, and what the future of the field could be. The scope of the project changed throughout the summer as I learned to handle different audiences and groups of people. The leadership skills I've developed over the last year were very helpful in navigating a foreign country and learning to work with different people. I had to become independent in a variety of ways and developed and refined many leadership skills.
Week Five: What new skills and/or knowledge have you gained from your summer experience? Have you met anyone who has been instrumental in shaping/helping you conduct your project? Briefly, how has this person impacted you? What have you learned about leadership from this individual, and how might it influence your actions, work, and self in the future?
In terms of soft skills I feel like I have learned a lot. Living by myself in a foreign country helped me to become more independent and resourceful in a variety of ways.
My coworkers were impactful in that I was able to learn from them and ask them for advice. Since they were older, seeing where they were at in their careers helped me to figure out what I want to do.
Week Three: What does a typical day look like this summer? Aside from a narrative description, upload a photo, video and/or other media submission!
My typical day follows the conventional 9-5 work schedule. Throughout the day I have meetings with various professors and groups to touch base and go over my progress. Recently I've been put in touch with a professor at the University of Tokyo Main Campus, so I have been traveling there once a week to meet with him. I am also currently preparing a talk at Chiba University on gravitational wave physics.
Week Four: What challenges and/or difficulties have you encountered and how did you go about resolving them? Speak to a specific challenge you have encountered and some of the ways that you tackled the problem.
The language barrier has been a challenge that I've had some difficulty surmounting. While I have been practicing my Japanese, it is not nearly at the level necessary to effectively communicate complicated ideas. Therefore, I've adjusted my approach to focus more on preparing materials for others to use and targeting groups that can speak English.
If your project connects with your research from last summer, explain the ways in which it picks up on themes, issues, or questions that are important to you. How are you expanding on your project from last summer? How is your understanding of this topic evolving?
Much of my work this summer centers around ideas in gravitational wave physics that I studied last summer. While last summer was about pushing the field forward, this summer is about taking a step back and figuring out how to present the problems and concepts associated with gravitational waves in a more accessible way. So in that way I'm gaining a more conceptual understanding of how the field has developed and where it is going.
If your project this summer differs from your project last summer, has last summer’s project influenced your project this year, and if so how? If your project is different, what tools have you developed to help you work on this project?
This summer I am working at the Kavli Institute for the Physics and Mathematics of the Universe in Tokyo, Japan. My work differs from the research I did last summer in that my focus is now on presenting my research to the public and devising ways to make it more accessible. Last summer laid much of the foundation for my work this summer, since I am basing my current work on the knowledge and expertise in astrophysics I gained from my previous research. Presentation and communication skills will be important to the success of my project this summer, so these are things that I am currently trying to improve.
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Week Six:
For your final post, upload a video presentation or create a written or photographic narrative in which you discuss your project: why did you become interested in this project, what was the goal of the project, what was its significance or impact (real or potential). How did the project evolve or change over the course of these six weeks? Finally, please consider how your understanding of leadership (curiosity, empathy, teamwork, resilience, etc.) has informed your work or been deepened by your work.
I initially became interested in my project as a result of the work I did last summer researching gravitational wave events. This summer was more focused on educating others on the current state of gravitational wave physics as opposed to conducting new research. The impact of this project is that it informed the general public and academic circles on current problems and concepts regarding gravitational waves, and what the future of the field could be. The scope of the project changed throughout the summer as I learned to handle different audiences and groups of people. The leadership skills I've developed over the last year were very helpful in navigating a foreign country and learning to work with different people. I had to become independent in a variety of ways and developed and refined many leadership skills.
Week Five:
What new skills and/or knowledge have you gained from your summer experience? Have you met anyone who has been instrumental in shaping/helping you conduct your project? Briefly, how has this person impacted you? What have you learned about leadership from this individual, and how might it influence your actions, work, and self in the future?
In terms of soft skills I feel like I have learned a lot. Living by myself in a foreign country helped me to become more independent and resourceful in a variety of ways.
My coworkers were impactful in that I was able to learn from them and ask them for advice. Since they were older, seeing where they were at in their careers helped me to figure out what I want to do.
Week Three:
What does a typical day look like this summer? Aside from a narrative description, upload a photo, video and/or other media submission!
My typical day follows the conventional 9-5 work schedule. Throughout the day I have meetings with various professors and groups to touch base and go over my progress. Recently I've been put in touch with a professor at the University of Tokyo Main Campus, so I have been traveling there once a week to meet with him. I am also currently preparing a talk at Chiba University on gravitational wave physics.
Week Four:
What challenges and/or difficulties have you encountered and how did you go about resolving them? Speak to a specific challenge you have encountered and some of the ways that you tackled the problem.
The language barrier has been a challenge that I've had some difficulty surmounting. While I have been practicing my Japanese, it is not nearly at the level necessary to effectively communicate complicated ideas. Therefore, I've adjusted my approach to focus more on preparing materials for others to use and targeting groups that can speak English.
Week Two:
If your project connects with your research from last summer, explain the ways in which it picks up on themes, issues, or questions that are important to you. How are you expanding on your project from last summer? How is your understanding of this topic evolving?
Much of my work this summer centers around ideas in gravitational wave physics that I studied last summer. While last summer was about pushing the field forward, this summer is about taking a step back and figuring out how to present the problems and concepts associated with gravitational waves in a more accessible way. So in that way I'm gaining a more conceptual understanding of how the field has developed and where it is going.
Week One:
If your project this summer differs from your project last summer, has last summer’s project influenced your project this year, and if so how? If your project is different, what tools have you developed to help you work on this project?
This summer I am working at the Kavli Institute for the Physics and Mathematics of the Universe in Tokyo, Japan. My work differs from the research I did last summer in that my focus is now on presenting my research to the public and devising ways to make it more accessible. Last summer laid much of the foundation for my work this summer, since I am basing my current work on the knowledge and expertise in astrophysics I gained from my previous research. Presentation and communication skills will be important to the success of my project this summer, so these are things that I am currently trying to improve.