Skip to content

Rachel Gray’s Blog Posts

Uber Rides, an Unforeseen Path for Scientific Communication

I always enjoy Uber rides because I often get to share a little bit about the scientific community to the non-scientific community. I get to see the impact, create inspiration, and get the word out about the amazing work that is being done specifically in the energy industry. In one conversation, my Uber driver and I talked about hydrogen fuel cells. And after the conversation he said, “Why haven’t I known about this technology?” And it raises a good point. Why does the public know so little about the research that goes on?

As researchers we often like to limit our sharing of knowledge to the scientific community. But the scientific community should be everybody. And by limiting our circle, we are holding back on our opportunities for new discoveries. If we are going to tackle some of the toughest problems, such as the energy crisis, we need the help of everybody. We need writers who can spread the news of new research, and social justice workers who can advocate for change. We need politicians to shape the policy, and artists who can illustrate the story and portray it to the world. We need a diverse array of ideas from all ages, races and communities. And we need to start by having more conversations, by being engaging to all of those around us, including the Uber drivers—because you never know what conversation will lead to a spark of inspiration, new discovery, or a different understanding to a problem.

One of those conversations happened this summer when I met Marcus Giron, an educational specialist who works at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. He was giving a presentation to many researchers and encouraging us to communicate our work to all types of communities. In that conversation he posed a wonderful question, “Would you rather be the smartest person in the room, or leave having made the room a smarter place?” I would rather leave the room having made it a smarter place. Would you?

Why Do Research

Research has been an incredibly empowering and amazing experience for me. It has opened so many doors and has taken me to places I never could have envisioned myself going. It has allowed me to see a future in myself and to learn to dream of bigger and better things. Often people, especially girls and women, have poor confidence in themselves and their abilities, and I am no stranger to that. But I have realized through doing research that the only way to get over self-doubt is by chasing and tackling the things that cause fear.

Research at the beginning, while very exciting, was also very daunting. But I haven’t let it stop me. If you had told me a year ago that I would be receiving a national research scholarship, be publishing my second research paper, or be presenting my research at a national nuclear reactor summit to the top national laboratory directors and the undersecretary of energy, I would have never believed you. Research has taken me down paths and has opened doors I didn’t even know were possible.

And even if I never use the specific information I’ve learned over these past two years again, that’s okay, because in these past two years I've learned how to pick up unfamiliar topics quickly and with the needed technical caliper and precision to excel in a room full of people who have been in industry for 10+ years. It has taught me to take ownership in my work, and given me a way to apply what I am learning in class and to think critically about topics I am passionate about. It has strengthened my appreciation of what I am learning and enhanced my sense of responsibility for retaining that information.

Not only am I making a greater impact on the world, but I am making a greater impact on myself. Research allows you to grow as an individual and to develop skills that are beneficial no matter what industry or research field you want to go into. So, take the risk, try something new, try research; it’ll change you.

Identify Your Passion

My 7th grade science teacher once told my class, “If you truly want to make an impact in the world, make car engines more efficient.”  As a 12-year-old hearing this, I wanted to make a difference in the world; what kid doesn’t?  This quote has stuck with me throughout the years and has given me continual inspiration. It is important when doing research—or anything tough in life—to have inspiration, because finding and holding onto this inspiration gives you passion and determination.  Both of these are needed to overcome momentous challenges.

Research in many ways is a momentous challenge.  There will be days when the data isn’t revealing the results you want, or the monotony of doing accurate and precise experiments sets in, not to mention that you’re trying to tackle a problem that has never been solved before.  But on the toughest of days it will be the inspiration you hold onto that will carry you through.  And it will remind you why all the hard work is worth it.

If you’re just starting out and haven’t quite found your inspiration, that’s okay, but don’t wait for it to find you; go out and search for it.  One of my favorite quotes is by Howard Thurman: “Don’t ask what the world needs.  Ask what makes you come alive and go do it.  Because what the world needs is people who come alive.”

 

 

For the First Time Researcher: Beginning the Journey

If you’ve recently started research and you feel a bit lost, confused, or overwhelmed, there is no need to worry. You are not alone. I have been doing research for a year now, and when I first started I had all these emotions on top of the stress to perform well. I was thrown into a topic I had never heard of, in a category I at first didn’t see relevant to my interests. It was shocking and felt slightly like my legs had been kicked out from under me.

It’s the feeling you often get when first enter a new project. You may have a graduate student to help you, or you may be alone. It’s up to you to know where to start and how to take measurements and be able to analyze and communicate the results. And yet for all your schooling you may feel like you know nothing. This is normal. After a year I am just starting to feel comfortable with my research topic. But I still have days that are completely overwhelming, and meetings I walk out of totally crushed. However, if you pick up those pieces quickly and correct your course, then the number of those days will decrease. The important thing is to learn at each step of the process, especially when given a harsh piece of feedback. No matter what the piece of feedback is, you can and should learn from it.

You should know that your professor chose you for a reason. Researchers are smart, whether you believe you are or not, you are. But researchers always take the opportunity to learn. So never dismiss a fact or be unwilling to think about what you are learning about, from an outside perspective. Research will teach you a lot about life, if you allow it. For now, let it teach you not to be scared of new and challenging things. When you fall, and will and should many times, pick yourself up, learn from the fall, and keep going.

 

 

 


Bio

Rachel is working on a project that aims to build thermal electric generators that capture waste heat from combustion systems, like a car engine or factory equipment. She is researching how powdered semiconductive materials, like magnesium silicide, can be used to build these systems.  Rachel is working on this project under Saniya LeBlanc, a SEAS assistant professor.