Wong Ho Ching, Harry
Civil Engineering, Year 4
Visiting the New England Aquarium with other REU participants
I participated in the Harvard Research Experience for Undergraduate (REU) last summer and worked in the Aizenberg group for material science, which was definitely a fruitful experience.
I got no research experience prior to this program, but I had long been hoping to know more about it. This made the journey even more exciting as every little thing was fresh and impressive to me. The equipment looks awesome but learning how to use them properly was tough. The working environment was very free yet productive, which was way different with what I experienced from the industry in another summer. I was not constrained by the working hour and the methods I used, which was pretty fun.
The people I met were interesting. From other colleagues in the laboratory, which were mainly graduate students and post-doctorial fellows, I learnt a lot of basic yet essential skill in the conducting research. They were patient to tell me what I was wrong and I should do instead. Also they reminded me of the things to be considered if I want to enter graduate school, with their own experience as reference. Out of working hour, we could spend our time freely. It was a great chance for me to interact with other students, who were from many other countries with different specialties. Through the conversation, I knew a lot of incredible research undergoing and new ideas, which was super cool.
This program is definitely worthy of my participation. It showed me what scientific research is and gave me a lot of new ideas. Through contributing to the scientific research, I was not only enriching myself, but also giving advancement to society.
Hiking at Mount Moosilauke
Tam Wai Lok, Kevin
Mechanical Engineering, Year 4
Kevin and the John Harvard statue
As a machine lover, especially in aviation and aerospace, I chose majoring in mechanical engineering throughout the bachelor study. I joined the Harvard Research Experience for Undergraduate, REU arranged by the John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences during the last summer holiday of my life. I became part of a team in the George Whitesides Research Group, focusing soft robotics.
The campus of Harvard University
I knew zip about scientific research before getting into this program. Living in such a realistic society, I aimed at having a secure job and being a chartered engineer once graduate, possibly in the aviation industry. With such a precious opportunity, the REU has reshaped my career path, which being a theoretical physicist is my ultimate goal. Fundamental science, such as solid state physics, condensed matter physics, gas dynamics etc. is what I want to study in future. High-rises are constructed from bricks, and even sand. The foundation of our world is atoms. Therefore, my dream is to learn much about it so as to apply in engineering applications, focusing on materials and fluid.
To me, Harvard REU program no just inspired me to be a scholar in future, it is a great platform for young researchers with various disciplines gathering around. As said by professor Whitesides in one of his interview, converging science emerges recently and rapidly. Conventional scientific knowledges no longer work along. Living with other REU participants really did a fantastic job in pushing converging science forward. I am pleased to be one of them.
