38 Research Reflection by James Walker

Faculty Mentor: Pania Newell (Mechanical Engineering, University of Utah)

Throughout the entirety of 2023, I had the opportunity to work in the Integrated Multiphysics Laboratory under Dr. Pania Newell in the Department of Mechanical Engineering. My project focused on the computational modeling of the elastic properties of fibrous porous materials. When I first arrived, I was given increasingly difficult tasks until I could meaningfully work under a graduate student in the lab. Once I was up to speed, I was also able to acquire my own UROP funding. The work itself required me to remain very self-disciplined, since my graduate student mentor worked remotely. I would regularly encounter issues with my code or struggle to understand the broader, high- level concepts related to the work, which was frustrating at first, but I had the support of my graduate student mentor and research advisor to help me overcome all of the difficulties I faced. Ultimately, the project was very fruitful, and I am grateful for the opportunity I had to work in the lab.

Of the many skills I acquired while working on the project, the most important skill was simply the ability to struggle productively. Struggle is inevitable, but I learned how to ask the right questions, engage with the necessary resources, and communicate myself in all steps of solving the problem at hand. I have carried the idea of struggling productively with me in all aspects of my academic life, and this notion has prepared me to be successful in an academic space as I move forward in my career.