UG Research Experience 2.0

 

 ~ Sharvari Kemkar

(4th year UG student in Chemical Engineering)

Ask any sophomore chemical engineering undergraduate their biggest fear and there would indubitably be one clear winner, Thermodynamics. I am writing this article to walk any potential reader through my skirmish with the subject as I navigated through my first research escapade in ChemE, in the field of statistical thermodynamics. 

Motivation

In the summers post my freshie year, I had worked on a computational project in the Chemistry Department. A semester later, having gained some insight about the basic fields of my department, I wanted to explore what kind of research was carried out in ChemE. However, I had little clue as to which field I should opt for or which faculty member I should approach. I weighed the courses I had done till then and concluded that Thermodynamics was the one I had enjoyed the most. I consequently approached my Thermo I instructor, Prof. Jhumpa Adhikari, asking for a research opportunity, accompanied with little clue of what I was getting into but with a will to put in the requisite effort. 

Work Description

Prof. Jhumpa was amiable and willing to provide undergraduates the opportunity to expose ourselves to scientific research. She also advised that a project should not hinder one’s academics, which should remain one’s primary focus. She was always keen to entertain doubts and she personally guided us as we progressed through the project. I began working on the project at the beginning of my fourth semester, but progress during the semester was slow, with that particular semester being the heaviest in our curriculum. I made significant headway once the summer holidays began. A few of my batchmates had also chosen to work with her. The first challenge that welcomed us to the lab was acquainting ourselves with a software MCCCS Towhee, which was used for Monte Carlo simulations. It was a challenging process, and looking back, a lot of mutual help went into overcoming the challenge.

I worked with a batch mate of mine, Ashutosh Nehete; and we simulated vapour-liquid equilibrium for hydrocarbon mixtures and analysed radial distribution functions (RDFs) to examine differences in clustering with increasing sizes of the hydrocarbon molecules. We were then introduced to clathrate hydrates and our task was to study the variation in the equilibrium composition of CO2 clathrate hydrates by varying CO2 mole fractions in the vapour phase. Another interesting problem was the extraction of the poisonous methyl cyanide from water using methyl amine. We simulated liquid-liquid equilibrium for a water - methyl cyanide - methyl amine mixture to quantify this selective extraction of methyl cyanide into the amine phase. We were able to appreciate the application of concepts taught in the classroom in research projects.

Technical details aside, it was essential to remain positively motivated during the course of the project. An informal bond with your other lab mates and regular personal interactions with the professor go a long way into making the project a pleasant and rewarding experience.

Key Takeaways

As I would later discover, research is nowhere near as straightforward as solving problems in tests (which themselves aren't straightforward anyway!). It is an iterative process of trial and errors, frustrating roadblocks and the enervating journey of finding a way out. Nevertheless, all of it is worth it when you succeed and even when you don’t. It helps you grow as a person, sometimes in intangible ways. 

Towards the end of the summer, Prof. Jhumpa was happy to recommend our names for URA01 as a recognition of our consistent and enthusiastic engagement in our preliminary attempt at research.  

The experience gave me a better understanding of what research entails, but more importantly, I cherish the guidance that I received from Prof. Jhumpa. Even after completion of the project, she has continued to guide me in major decisions that I have taken, be it internship or future career prospects, which you might appreciate greatly when the time comes.

Word of Advice

To conclude, we are fortunate to have a chance to study in an institution where people with commendable research acumen are available and eager to guide students. In my opinion, research is definitely not worth rejecting before acquiring a personal taste of it. Try it even if it scares you, if nothing, you will get a clear idea of what you don’t want to pursue.