Managing a third year research project

In most undergraduate engineering degrees, there is an opportunity to do an individual research project and can often be compared to a dissertation. The main difference is the large focus on research and working on either the software behind the project to come to some conclusions on the question which you have posed or using laboratory equipment to test samples. Often these are shorter in terms of word count but have a significant amount of independent research work associated with them.

As an aerospace student, I decided to choose a project related more to the space aspect of the course. The title of my research project was ‘Assessing the Empirical Canadian high artic ionospheric model in terms of over-the-horizon-radar (OTHR) using SuperDARN’. Initially it is very daunting starting a project where most of the terms in the title you haven’t heard about beforehand. I was fortunate enough to have a summer internship the summer before my research project which was focused on a similar topic.

The initial steps for any project like this include a literature review. This consisted of looking at the current state of research in your area and the current and previous developments of other researchers. This is where you can begin to grasp key concepts of the topic but most importantly it helps you understand where your proposed research fits into the developments made previously.

Time management for a project such as this is essential; the advice is begin how you wish to continue throughout. Start early with any project such as this. The main aim of an individual research project is to help develop skills which can be directly transferred into industry where often projects will be given and you use your own judgement and suggest ways forward and approaches you wish to take. However, your supervisor is there throughout for guidance and support.

A research project definitely contrasts to previous modules where within lecture slides an answer is often known to most questions and problems posed. A research project is significantly more open ended with multiple avenues and potential solutions; the work you will be doing has not been done before. For me, this was a very intimidating concept, however it is also exciting as you can drive the project in any direction you want to.

Alongside the literature review, there is a cost analysis and project management plan which is associated with the project. These are key and useful for industry when projects are given to you and your team to work on.

My research project was spread across two semesters (my whole third year). The first semester was focused on planning and formulating a literature review. The second semester was focused on conducting the research aspect and formulating a report thus the workload in second semester can substantially ramp up. Hence, the time management and planning are vital throughout. The main advice is to take initiative and begin working early, whether this involves coding or software analysis. As my project was mainly focused on data analysis using MATLAB, I did not have many constraints in terms of equipment. However, within aerospace engineering at UoB some projects are more material science focused which have certain constraints of booking in slots to be trained on the equipment and then also using the equipment when needed. Every project has different requirements and the best thing to do is ask your supervisor when you initially start your project what it will entail, the software you will use or equipment. This will help you appropriately plan your time and get trained on the right equipment if necessary.

Doing a research project is a great opportunity to research into something you have never directly looked at previously, as most projects are aimed at a new and upcoming development within the industry. Often your supervisor will also be very knowledgeable around the topic and can help.

I had weekly meetings with my supervisor, and it is great to come prepared with the questions you have. The weekly meetings are very beneficial and to maximise your contact time, organising the contents of your meetings helps you move forward on the work such as coding or processing results. It is also a great opportunity to discuss report writing with your supervisor; in first and second year you get the chance to write scientific reports but often this will be on a standard lab which is sometimes general. With your project, choosing how to maximise your word count, report layout and figures is equally important as conducting your research. These are all aspects where your supervisor can step in and help with, but the majority of the work is independent and self-driven.

My individual research project was definitely an intimidating aspect of my third year and when looking back there are multiple mistakes which I made during the planning stages and many avenues which weren’t successful. But this is the main aim of these projects; allowing you to make mistakes and understand the ideal way forward in terms of planning and time management are key.

This was the first large individual project I did during my time at university and allowed me to see what works best for me and key organisation skills but also gave me great insight into the research field and how open ended it can be even after completing the report. Essentially, there is always developments and further research which can be conducted, which you mention in your report. Overall, it was a very rewarding project and demonstrated to me the ways research works and how interesting it can be working towards a new development with the research field.

Often research projects can lead to something further in your future and you can understand where your interests are which is especially useful for after graduation.

Thanks for reading!