Pictured are Seungjun (right) and Hans (left) working in the CARES laboratory
Seungjun Cha
During my undergraduate studies at Nanyang Technological University (NTU), I had an incredible opportunity to join the AMPLE project at Cambridge CARES as part of a credit-bearing internship for my degree.
Over the past five months, I’ve actively participated in the synthesis of zinc oxide nanoparticles with AMPLE’s novel reactor technology and various materials characterizations such as SEM, XRD, UV-vis, Raman, TGA, and DLS. At the same time, I played a role in the design of experiments and process optimisation using machine learning to achieve high-performance products for commercial applications. Working alongside passionate PhDs and engineers within the team, I had the privilege of engaging in open discussions and exploring together intriguing questions that came up along the way. Special thanks to Dr Mikhail Kovalev and Dr Mohammed Jeraal for their guidance in cultivating a scientific mindset. The exposure and experiences I gained at CARES were invaluable, which deepened my interest in pursuing further studies in functional nanomaterials development coupled with machine learning.
Outside the lab, I really enjoyed the Hari Raya barbeque party at Dr Nicholas Jose’s place and the sportive bike rides across the island. The AMPLE workshop was also very enjoyable. I am sincerely grateful to CARES for this precious opportunity to grow as a researcher and get to know all these amazing people. I believe that every moment spent in CARES will serve as a valuable asset for my future academic journey. I look forward to working with CARES again in the future.
Seungjun Cha, materials engineering student at Nanyang Technological University (NTU)
Hans Goh
As part of my undergraduate degree in mechanical engineering, I was given the opportunity to work on the AMPLE project at CARES as a process engineering intern for 5 months.
During my time in CARES, I worked with Dr Nicholas Jose, Dr Susithra Lakshmanan, and Faye Ng to design and build automated systems for large-scale nanomaterial production. I was involved in implementing and automating pumps, valves, and sensors into a system. I gained a deep understanding of how systems are built, from the planning stage, such as the specification and procurement of parts, designing and drawing, contracting vendors, all the way to getting hands-on and actually building a prototype. I learned the importance of careful planning and organisation. It was such a blast to witness months’ worth of planning come smoothly to fruition.
Apart from work in the lab, my time at CARES was also very eventful outside the lab. Nick hosted a BBQ party at his house where we celebrated Hari Raya. We also participated in the OCBC Cycle. There was also a knowledge-sharing workshop where we were given introductory courses by experts in their respective fields. These activities fostered strong camaraderie between my colleagues and me.
I am immensely grateful for the opportunity to work at CARES. It felt like I was given a front-row seat to watch the transformation of scientific research into commercialised products. Working constantly with accomplished PhDs has also piqued my interest in the field of research, which I have never previously considered. Special thanks to Dr Mohammed Jeraal, who is very resourceful and never hesitated to lend a helping hand whenever I encountered any problems. I had a very pleasant experience working at CARES
Hans Goh, mechanical engineering student at Nanyang Technological University (NTU)
CARES occasionally hosts internships (usually for undergraduate or graduate students studying a Chemical Engineering or Engineering programme). Please visit our internship page to check for any current opportunities.
