16 Research Reflection by Ruba Alraqibah

Faculty Mentor: Yon Lin Kong (Mechanical Engineering, University of Utah)

When I joined Dr. Kong’s lab as a biomedical engineering major in the Spring 2021 semester, I was feeling apprehensive about my ability to contribute to a mechanical engineering lab. But to my pleasant surprise, Dr. Kong was exceptionally welcoming and encouraging. Since then, my experience at the additive manufacturing lab has been incredibly rewarding and provided me with the tools needed to succeed in research. While in the lab, I attended group meetings where I got the chance to present and receive feedback from Dr. Kong and graduate students. I also attended meetings with our collaborators at Santa Clara University to present our findings and discuss the progress of the project. Dr. Kong has been an outstanding mentor to me as he is always willing to answer all my questions and provide me with the feedback and guidance I need. I have been fortunate to participate in the Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program (UROP) which acknowledged my participation in research and provided funding for my research time. Participating in UROP has also provided me with the chance to present my research at the Utah Conference of Undergraduate Research which is an exciting opportunity to increase visibility towards the impact of research. Dr. Kong has also been my supervisor for my biomedical engineering senior thesis project. The invaluable support I received from him, and the lab members have encouraged me to grow as the student researcher I aim to be. I was able to work independently on experiments which provided me with many crucial skills in research. When I first started working at the lab, I was trained to use SolidWorks, a 3D computer-aided design software. I also learned about different aspects of 3D printing, other fabrication approaches, and troubleshooting techniques. The hands-on guidance I received was instrumental to my engineering career, as I was able to apply what I learned in the lab to my BioDesign senior capstone project as well as my industry internships. Overall, my experience in the additive manufacturing lab has been invaluable. It has allowed me to gain a deeper understanding of how to navigate challenges that arose during my research. My experience conducting research in the past two years has provided me with a deeper understanding of designing and carrying out experiments. When things do not go to plan, my lab mentors encouraged me to identify problems that arise during an experiment, such as signal processing errors and noise, and come up with effective solutions. I believe that the knowledge and skills learned during my time here will be both critical and beneficial to me as I move forward in my engineering career. I am grateful to be a part of this opportunity and to have had access to incredible mentors that played a crucial role in shaping my research experience.