No longer than two hours ago I passed my last university exam. Now I'm planning what to do with my few days of leisure before next week's defences. I hope that this time the board gaming weekend will happen without any last minute problems or call-offs. A wholesome night of scheming with/against friends and accusing each other of being Cylons is the exact kind of chilling the fuck out I need right now. I'm at that point with long-term stress where I can't tell if it has made me hyperaware and serene or if I'm about to collapse.
Determining, both theoretically and experimentally, the optical and conductive properties of compounds made from graphene encased, covering, built on or sandwiched in various boron nitride structures.
Right. You told me that a bunch of times before, and I either keep forgetting or keep assuming that it's a different thing this time. You know, one major thing I learned in the uni is that every kind of scientific research is science, and not a "blah blah waste of time". What to me, a layman, seems meaningless (because I have no clue what's even happening in your research), is to science a step forward. This is not me telling you "Hey, I dunno what you're doing, but good job!". This is me telling you "Hey, good job (even if I don't really know what you're doing) 'cause science is bitching".
In layman's terms, I was modelling how light and electric currents behave in the above-mentioned compound materials when there are external fields present. Frankly, I prefer this version over 'glamorous to the max' representation it would get via MIT-grade finance and marketing departments. You know, like this: On a more serious note, undergrad level research is rarely fascinating. It's mostly about showing that you can conduct any (reasonably independent) research at all and won't break any equipment that has real value. In comparison to most MSc topics form this year's lists it's almost a night and day situation.A breakthrough in metamaterials research developed by a brilliant undergraduate from a prestigious university which will bring the following very speculative technologies of which you'll never hear about again to your home within the next few years. "I bet that it, like, totes improves keggers!" remarked our science correspondent from Arizona State U.