Department of Mechanical MARCH/APRIL 2010 Engineering |M2EGS_ NEWS| Graduate Studies Newsletter [Volume 2, Issue 3] In December, I had the pleasure of receiving a good news from Dr. Bernstein, who has been kindly contributing to our newsletter in the past year and a half, that one of our own graduates, Sara Spangelo (B.Sc., 2008), now with U. of Michigan, has passed her qualifying exam. So, I thought I would ask her to write about her experience as a graduate student, and how her education at U of Manitoba helped her settle well and be successful at U of Michigan. Hope you enjoy her reply as much as I did. Nariman Sepehri (Associate Head, Graduate Studies) Reflections by Sara Spangelo As I write this article, I’ve been spending a good deal of time reflecting about where I am, and how I got here. I’ve just completed my qualifying exam at the University of Michigan, so I am now considered a PhD candidate. When academics hear you’re prepping for this exam, they respond smiling sympathetically (glad they’ve jumped through this hoop in their academic careers), well aware how overwhelming this study experience lasting several months can be. But this was just the end of a long haul of changes, learning experiences, and whole new set of challenges I’ve faced over the past year and a half. I left Manitoba following the completion of my undergraduate degree in Mechanical Engineering in 2008 to first pursue a summer internship at the University of Toronto Institute of Aerospace Studies (UTIAS) and then attend grad school in the Aerospace Department at the University of Michigan. When I made this move, I was leaving my only home, my family, friends, professors, and colleagues. This was a scary transition, but one I was equipped for and needed, on several levels. Grad school is like being dropped in a bucket of water, and you have to learn to swim, fast. Everyone seems much smarter than you, each homework can require dozens of hours, the textbooks seem illegible, and the research topics impossible. But this environment is incredibly motivating, and forces you to work harder and smarter than you ever have, and reach new levels with your ability to pick up Contents material, analyze, and apply your understanding to new and never-solved problems. There is no safe place to retreat, and not the continual reinforcement of your support network. In this article I’ll reflect on the differences between the two schools, the undergraduate and graduate programs, and my experiences at each. Reflections 1 Beginning in the sciences stream at the University of Manitoba, I felt like a nobody, just one of thousands taking the prerequisite biology, chemistry, physics, Giving a Presentation 3 math, and English courses. University One is designed to allow you the freedom to explore, but at the same time, can sometimes prevent you from finding a home or niche within a faculty. After a year, and considering pursing Physics & Astronomy, I made the wise transition to the world of engineering). I saw a new building going up (this was Fall 2005), lots of excitement and momentum, more opportunities for summer internships, neat research projects, and fun classes and labs in the faculty. I really enjoyed being part of the engineering department and community at the University of Manitoba. In Mechanical Engineering I was constantly immersed in a wide range of theoretical classes, design projects, and research projects or summer research and industry internships. 2 The rigor of the engineering undergraduate program definitely completing their degrees. This gave students exposure to the helped me prepare for graduate school. To complete the industry world, aiding some of my colleagues who knew they degree in 4 years (it is now designed such that it may be wanted to work immediately after school the chance to make completed in 4 or 5 years), you must take at least 6 courses connections in the work world and begin their careers before per semester, which is difficult to even schedule (most classes even graduating. have labs or tutorials in the afternoon). Juggling this world combined with extracurricular activities and a part time job, Similarly, the opportunities for research were good at the friends, and family, definitely helped me taste a bit of how University of Manitoba; most professors discussed grad school can feel. So little time, so much to do. passionately their work and how they saw their research areas making an impact. I was lucky enough to be encouraged to I enjoyed how the University of Manitoba professors pursue an NSERC summer opportunity after my second year genuinely cared about their students. If you demonstrated of university, and worked in Professor Tachie’s lab that interest in the topics, they were eager to share their expertise summer doing real literature reviews , experiments, and and had a great desire to help you. They also discussed their preparing my findings in a research report. I did a similar research interests and how they related to class, which helped research project for my thesis, preparing a formal thesis and us understand the application of the theories we were studying presentation. This work was excellent practice for the years to and also gave some idea what research projects we may be come, contributing to the graduate student skill set. able to pursue in the summer months or for a thesis topic. The professors were extremely supportive, educating and Since arriving at Michigan, I’ve worked on optimizing flight encouraging their students to apply for scholarship and paths for solar powered aircraft, and also had the chance to be internship opportunities we may not have otherwise been involved in the Student Team “Solar Bubbles” which designs, aware of. They were also understanding and supportive as I builds, and flies an aircraft equipped with solar cells with the pursued the NSERC graduate scholarship and applied to goal to fly perpetually for 36 hours. This past spring I’ve also graduate schools abroad, educating me about my opportunities joined the exciting team building a small satellite called and sharing their own academic experiences and advice. The “RAX”, and have been the GPS lead. My research interests support staff at the University of Manitoba was amazing. are focused on optimizing energetic, informatics, and Without their behind the scenes shifting of course credits and energetic in dynamic systems, and have evolved to the topic helping me obtain permission to take the courses I needed to of ground station optimization for small CubeSat spacecraft, complete my degree, there’s no way I would have finished in with the goal to maximize capacity of a federated ground time (I was determined to finish in 4 years total of school, station network. I’ve also been fortunate enough to find an despite being behind in a few of the first year courses). They incredible support network, I know braniacs in every area, and were patient, aware of all the intricacies of the system, experts in every system or software I could imagine … plus hardworking, and sympathetic. They never gave up on supportive people to help ease the stresses of grad school, and students. people to run, bike, swim, skydive, and travel with! Sara (second from right) and U of Michigan graduate students after the “Big House Big Heart” run, ending in the Final Design Presentation Fall 2007, University of Manitoba. football stadium From left: David Vanderzwaag, Daisy Yee, Sara Spangelo, Francis Lagadi, Jessica Yablecki, Tianyu Ling , Sponsoring Company: Monarch Industries, Project Advisor: Dr. S. Now that quals are over, I’ll have more time to devote to my Balakrishnan research interests, have some more freedom in the classes I take, and hopefully be able to support these student teams in Compared to the University of Michigan, I believe my lab accomplishing their incredible goals! At this point, reflecting experience at the University of Manitoba was strong. In about on my university experiences that begun at the University of half of our classes we had a lab session (weekly or biweekly) Manitoba, I am incredibly lucky to have had all the which allowed for more hands-on time with equipment to try opportunities growing up and the great support of teachers, to apply some of the theory we were covering in class. The professors, support staff, family, and friends. And looking labs were generally well-equipped with graduate students or back, I wouldn’t have had it any other way. professors to help us with the lab material. Sara Spangelo The opportunities to complete internships were great at the U University of Michigan, January 10, 2010 of M, which allowed students to work part time while Giving a Presentation 3 Giving a Presentation Dennis S. Bernstein Professor of Aerospace Engineering The University of Michigan Ann Arbor, MI, USA work, be sure to relate your ideas to other areas Each individual has a personal style for of research. Any links you can make will presenting a technical talk or seminar. There is enhance interest in what you have to say. no “right” or “best” way to do this. A good way A talk is a form of entertainment, and people to develop a style that works well for you is to • listen to a lot of presentations and then emulate like to be entertained. You certainly don’t want those aspects that you like and avoid those your talk to be perceived as boring. A good talk aspects that you don’t like. The following are tells a story. The story can begin with motivation some thoughts that might be helpful in for the research, perhaps an interesting question developing your own style.