To explore the main body of my research projects, please visit: RESEARCH
Where is that noise coming from?!
This is one of our most frequently asked questions. The answer could be any number of things--a noisy power supply, a bad circuit board, a disconnected cable, a software bug, an over-tightened screw, you forgot to hold your breath, you held your tongue to the left side of your mouth rather than the right, or you didn’t hope hard enough before you pressed the button.
In this case, we saw noise on only half the channels of one of our transducer arrays. I tried holding my breath and hoping, but the noise persisted. I thus determined that it had to be a problem with either the sensor or the driving electronics.
The first thing I did was disassemble the drive electronics and replace one of the power supply boards to see if the noise changed--it persisted. I then switched the transducer array for a known good array--the noise stopped! So what was wrong with the array that was causing so much noise?
We use a flexible circuit board material to create cabling from each small sensor element to our control electronics. The flex circuits run through the housing, alongside the electronics, then make a sharp 90 degree bend right before a connector. I attached the array to an impedance analyzer and determined that the impedance of the array depended on the angle at which the flex circuit was bent!
I examined the contacts of the flex circuit under a microscope.
In this case, we saw noise on only half the channels of one of our transducer arrays. I tried holding my breath and hoping, but the noise persisted. I thus determined that it had to be a problem with either the sensor or the driving electronics.
The first thing I did was disassemble the drive electronics and replace one of the power supply boards to see if the noise changed--it persisted. I then switched the transducer array for a known good array--the noise stopped! So what was wrong with the array that was causing so much noise?
We use a flexible circuit board material to create cabling from each small sensor element to our control electronics. The flex circuits run through the housing, alongside the electronics, then make a sharp 90 degree bend right before a connector. I attached the array to an impedance analyzer and determined that the impedance of the array depended on the angle at which the flex circuit was bent!
I examined the contacts of the flex circuit under a microscope.
I dug out the area with a scalpel and tried to scrape the gold off of the contacts to expose copper so I could solder to it. I managed to create a solder joint repair and even managed to embed a small wire within the joint!
I developed the procedure then took it to a local electronics repair shop to complete the ~30 other joints we needed done.
I developed the procedure then took it to a local electronics repair shop to complete the ~30 other joints we needed done.
Reflections and Growth!
The following two sections are reflections I wrote for the same summer internship class during two consecutive summers. I think it is really apparent in the second reflection that over the course of the year I developed a lot of confidence in my skills and abilities. In the first reflection I focus more on the performance review, but in the second I focus more on my next steps in my career.
2018 Summer Internship Reflection
I really appreciated that my boss took a learning-focused approach to my evaluation. He explained typical procedures that employers use to conduct a performance review, then walked me through his own question-based method. However, it did not feel like an interrogation. He gave me tips on how to sell myself to an employer and suggested that In the future I come prepared with a list of my projects, learned skills, improvements. He even went as far as to explain when I would typically ask for a raise, the different types of raises--catch-up, merit, and cost of living--and the evidence I should present in order to convince my employer I deserve one. He encouraged me to be comfortable discussing money and salary. What really stood out to me through this was the helpful advice he presented to me throughout the process. He took what could be stressful and transformed it into a constructive learning experience.
To improve, we discussed that I can work on my follow through and ask for help when needed. The first ⅔ of a project is always easy for me, but I need to pin down the last ⅓. Furthermore, I would be more efficient if I utilize my resources and ask for help if I get stuck.
I went through the APL website and discovered that there are only 11 female engineers out of 117 total engineers. I felt surprised, but as I looked around at meetings, I realized that, other than me, my lab group is all male. Nonetheless, I believe that I can be successful here. The work culture is one of support, and I have many (male) senior engineers looking for opportunities for me. During my performance review, my supervisor told me how he helped empower one of the female engineers at APL by listing her as a co-PI on a project they shared. She is now the PI for her own 2 million dollar project. At this workplace, I feel accepted and fully supported.
I was mainly prepared for this internship by my extracurriculars and my backyard-project hobbies. My robotics shop experience proved invaluable to designing and hands-on prototyping mechanisms. As a rising junior, I don’t feel that I have progressed far enough in my engineering coursework that it has helped me in this position. In school, I am still building an academic foundation for my applicable junior and senior coursework.
Through this internship experience, I gained valuable skills, network connections, and leads to other jobs. I met many engineers who have offered me a variety of projects including FEA modeling, 3D printing, and thermal management. I plan to make good use of these opportunities and maintain this network throughout next school year by continuing to work part time at APL.
To improve, we discussed that I can work on my follow through and ask for help when needed. The first ⅔ of a project is always easy for me, but I need to pin down the last ⅓. Furthermore, I would be more efficient if I utilize my resources and ask for help if I get stuck.
I went through the APL website and discovered that there are only 11 female engineers out of 117 total engineers. I felt surprised, but as I looked around at meetings, I realized that, other than me, my lab group is all male. Nonetheless, I believe that I can be successful here. The work culture is one of support, and I have many (male) senior engineers looking for opportunities for me. During my performance review, my supervisor told me how he helped empower one of the female engineers at APL by listing her as a co-PI on a project they shared. She is now the PI for her own 2 million dollar project. At this workplace, I feel accepted and fully supported.
I was mainly prepared for this internship by my extracurriculars and my backyard-project hobbies. My robotics shop experience proved invaluable to designing and hands-on prototyping mechanisms. As a rising junior, I don’t feel that I have progressed far enough in my engineering coursework that it has helped me in this position. In school, I am still building an academic foundation for my applicable junior and senior coursework.
Through this internship experience, I gained valuable skills, network connections, and leads to other jobs. I met many engineers who have offered me a variety of projects including FEA modeling, 3D printing, and thermal management. I plan to make good use of these opportunities and maintain this network throughout next school year by continuing to work part time at APL.
2019 Summer Internship Reflection
My boss is always looking out for opportunities for me to succeed. During this performance review, we mainly discussed my future plans and opportunities for the lab to help me meet my professional goals. We did not spend a lot of time discussing my performance--he is very happy with my work and told me to keep it up. He encouraged me to better sell myself and the skills I have developed.
This year I have started to work with more women. I am now working on a few projects for Cassie Riel, a very talented mechanical engineer who graduated from UW a few years ago. Also, our team's new field engineer is a woman. Working with talented young women gives me hope that the culture at APL is shifting away from 100% older white men. My boss is working with me to write a grant to use some funds that APL has to support diversity to support me to take professional development courses in computational fluid dynamics and SMD soldering.
This is my second summer here at APL. My work last summer and over the past two years prepared me well to tackle this summer’s challenges. For example, last year I learned SMD soldering techniques and this summer I applied them to replace parts on multiple of our custom circuit boards. The work I do here does not use a lot of the sophomore and junior level ME classes but I think heat transfer will be very applicable to my future work here at APL.
This internship is an amazing opportunity to gain hands-on experience in rapid prototyping and engineering design. I now have an online portfolio of projects that I can leverage when applying for future jobs. My boss is advocating for me within the lab and I hope to find a full-time engineer role in one of the APL labs after I graduate. Furthermore, I now have many connections to companies and labs working in the renewable energy sector, my intended field.
This year I have started to work with more women. I am now working on a few projects for Cassie Riel, a very talented mechanical engineer who graduated from UW a few years ago. Also, our team's new field engineer is a woman. Working with talented young women gives me hope that the culture at APL is shifting away from 100% older white men. My boss is working with me to write a grant to use some funds that APL has to support diversity to support me to take professional development courses in computational fluid dynamics and SMD soldering.
This is my second summer here at APL. My work last summer and over the past two years prepared me well to tackle this summer’s challenges. For example, last year I learned SMD soldering techniques and this summer I applied them to replace parts on multiple of our custom circuit boards. The work I do here does not use a lot of the sophomore and junior level ME classes but I think heat transfer will be very applicable to my future work here at APL.
This internship is an amazing opportunity to gain hands-on experience in rapid prototyping and engineering design. I now have an online portfolio of projects that I can leverage when applying for future jobs. My boss is advocating for me within the lab and I hope to find a full-time engineer role in one of the APL labs after I graduate. Furthermore, I now have many connections to companies and labs working in the renewable energy sector, my intended field.