Researcher of the Month
May 2006
Jessica Newman
Mechanical Engineering major, Women in Science & Engineering (WISE), Class of '08
Research Mentor: Dr. Helio Takai, Physics, Brookhaven National Laboratory & Stony Brook University
While only a freshman, Jessica Newman was awarded a Battelle fellowship to work at
Brookhaven National Laboratory with Dr. Helio Takai on the MARIACHI project: MixedApparatus for Radar Investigation of Cosmic-rays of High Ionization. Although she previously had little background in her proposed research
topic, the experience of designing and constructing an antenna to be used as a tool
for high energy cosmic ray research had far-reaching success and consequences: her
antenna design was subsequently used as a prototype in Zambia!
Jessica presented this work at an end-of-summer BNL poster session (August 2005) and more recently at URECA's Celebration of Research & Creativity (April 2006). One year earlier, she had taken the opportunity to present a different project based on research conducted for her freshman WISE 187 course with Dr. John Noé, an optics project that particularly showcased her love of both science and art. Her combination of interests and talents sometimes comes to a surprise to others;"Jess, why aren't you going into Art?"
This very motivated, ambitious and creative student—whose talents are all brought
into play as she gains expertise in her chosen field of mechanical engineering and
design—also happens to stand out as one of the first third-generation students at Stony Brook University (her father majored in Physics and Astronomy; and grandfather earned two master's
degrees at SBU). Jessica is an active member of Women in Science & Engineering, and
is regularly called upon to be a spokesperson for women in engineering. Having definite
plans to pursue a future in aerospace design, Jessica will soon begin an exciting
internship at EDO Corporation, and intends to apply for the 5-year program in mechanical
engineering and design. Below are some excerpts shared from her interview with Karen
Kernan, URECA Director .
Karen: What can you tell me about your mentor?
Jessica:One thing about Helio is that he's a teacher's teacher. He teaches a graduate class
here for physics teachers who teach high school. . . there aren't as many students
interested anymore in physics. So Helio is a participant in this thing called Quark Net. . . He shows them different lab experiments, some that can be done in the classroom
and others just to enhance their own skills. Because as a physics teacher…physics
is a hands-on thing. Teaching right out of the book takes away from the learning experience,
especially for high school students. Since I was working with him, I was able to volunteer
and help out. We set up the labs. Some of things we did were really simple--popping
pop corn in the microwave and graphing that. . . I even helped set up the cloud chamber.
And finally, the last day, Helio had me help him make liquid nitrogen ice cream. It
was really nice to meet a lot of these teachers and hear about their classroom experiences.
It's interesting to hear about how people teach and compare it to my own experience
in a physics classroom.
What kind of work did you do last summer at BNL?
What I had to do was build an antenna that had to be economical, weather-resistant,
and fairly simple to put together since high school students would be replicating
it.. .The purpose of the antenna was to receive radio signals reflected from atmospheric
ionization…and analyze the data to potentionally find high energy cosmic rays which
have yet to be seen. . . A new found source was lightning strikes—we saw that with
my antenna, which was quite remarkable. That was back in August.
So I used their idea of a tripod type inverted dipole. My antenna has two dipoles
that are crossed, perpendicular…I used simple materials, like PVC recycled aluminum
tubing, scrap wood. It started off with my hand drawn models. And I worked with Helio
to figure out exactly what we wanted. With a technician, I built the antenna under
90 minutes, put it together, all fairly simple. We put it outside, hooked it all up.
We did need to buy an antenna amplifier so that we could see the data a little more
clearly. It took data for a good 2-3 months. We're onto a new antenna idea now.
. . . To build my antenna I had to scrounge around for parts. It's amazing what they
throw out there in the garbage at BNL!.. . For my antenna I used supplies we had,
garbage items. ..You do what you have to. I had the supplies there. The only thing
I spent money was PVC elbow pieces. I spent $3.50. Most of the things I got from the
basement or from our storage room. We had some broken antennas. So I recycled: recycling
is good. Brookhaven is all about saving the environment. . . . It worked decently
well considering the components that I used. It was nice too that there was a lot
of leniency in my project. I'm a very independent person and I always like doing projects
on my own. So even though the project I was working on was a big giant experiment
all together, my little antenna was something that Helio let me "do what you gotta,
see what you can come up with, and get back to me." It was really a lot of exploration
and a lot of research on my own. And I got to explore the facility, talk to different
people, and find out different materials, go on the web and find out what's good,
what's not good….Talk to different people that use the materials. There was a lot
more involved than you would think. But it was worth it . . .
I understand you're been continuing to work at BNL, even though the summer program
ended a while ago.
We have the new MARIACHI-wiki site. Like Wikipedia except Mariachi. I've been working a lot on that. Because
we're making it user-friendly. It's really gonna bring together a lot of people. There's
so many people involved in it. High schools across the island . . .We sent it to the
NSF: they think it's great!
When you first started working at BNL,.you didn't have much of a background in the
field, did you?
Not at all. I had gone into this project not knowing what to expect at all. Going
into it…I didn't know what was to be expected of me. I feared that I would have to
learn programming…[but] it worked out. I know that I'm going to miss it.
You did have some previous experience, I recall, from your WISE freshman course, right?
That first project was an independent research project that w
e were just allowed to pick--anything having to do with optics. We actually stumbled
upon this artist..[Austine Wood-Comarow]. . . she did a new form of artwork called
polage. She uses cellophane to make artwork . . . I actually was fortunate to be able
to speak with her over the phone. It was really fun making these different pieces
and to learn the science behind it. It was really fun to show people at URECA. …[I've
been interested in art ] forever.. .It's really nice that even though art isn't my
major and isn't my primary focus in my life…it really makes up almost 80% of my personality.
It's no wonder how it permeates through and I get recognized for it anyway..somehow
people find out and I'm known for it again. My engineering friends say, "why don't
you be an art major?"
Do you think there is a lot of creativity involved in doing research?
For my experiment, I was thrown a lot on my own. . .you've gotta be creative. You
have to have a lot of patience and an open mind, be really receptive of other's ideas.
A lot of people get caught up with:"this is what I want." I came up with a design,
pictures…I went through them with Helio to find out what he liked, what he didn't…there
were a lot of different components. That's all part of engineering and problem solving.
When part of the project is dependent on you, it's dependent on your ideas, your decisions…your
creativity.
What was it like working on research during the summer, vs. doing a research project
for a course?
It's so much cooler. It's Brookhaven National Lab. . . Say I'm working on an independent
project of my own . . .I'm doing it because it's an assignment. Yeah I'm interested
in it, but it's an assignment. It doesn't affect anything else. It's just mine solely..
. whereas a major project like the MARIACHI experiment that I was working on. . .
this is a major component of Helio's work. This is his experiment; this is what he's
working on. This is his life. It incorporates so many different people, from places
around the country, so many countries around the world. It's really big. It's so cool
to be able to work on that…you're not just working by yourself and trying to make
conclusions on your own. Your part is an integral role in a giant experiment. It's
so much better because it's a real world thing where your work is significant in the
real world. You're making an impact.
What do you find to be frustrating about research?
The most frustrating part was getting the opportunity in the first place! As a freshman
no one wants you. You don't have experience or background. It's tough. It doesn't
make sense. . .that's the most frustrating part, finding the opportunity. Now..I have
applied for a lot of things. At every interview they say that my resume is very impressive.
Having Brookhaven National Lab on there.. any sort of experience that you can get.
. . is worth it—even if it's not directly related to your field. Now I'm going to
be working for an engineering company. Engineering..but my research has been in physics..
. . That's why I'm doing this internship this summer. Is engineering something that
I want to do for the rest of my life.. I'll answer that [I have an internship this
summer at EDO, from a contact made at the Career Fair. This year, I had a much better
time at the career fair rather than last year as a freshman. . . having experience
definitely helped out.
What was your favorite experience at Brookhaven Labs?
It's definitely working with Peter Muhoro from Kenya. He, Tara Falcone and I…we really
had a good time. We just had a lot of fun working on my antenna. He helped me try
to build another antenna. That, and Quarknet was fun too. All the physics..We did
all these different demonstrations. We set up demonstrations that they could use in
their classrooms, made ice cream potato guns, a cloud chamber..all these crazy things.
that was a lot of fun too. There were so many things that were just fun…
Also, I got to go on a tour while I was there at BNL…with the high school teachers
to see the major projects-- the PHENIX experiment, RHIC and the Light Source. It's
just amazing the things that are going on. Seeing the PHENIX project, that was literally
jaw-dropping. It was so massive. You could see the work that was put into it…It's
really amazing: people are working on it right now. It's really cool.
What advice would you give about research?
Just look. It doesn't hurt to apply. I applied to so many different things. The worst
that can happen is that you have to make a choice. Just go for it; you'll never have
the opportunity again. Once you go to graduate school. . . you're really going to
be working on your research for whatever you're doing. You're not going to be able
to experience different things and experiment. Everyone says take advantage of your
time in college. Also, don't be discouraged and don't wait. I didn't even think about
research [at first] and I know a lot of freshman don't think about research. Definitely
don't limit yourself. For me…I searched on campus and I was a little discouraged,
because none of them were looking for undergraduates…They wanted graduate students
or something more full time. If you really want research…though, don't let that discourage
you. Keep your options open for other things. If you're a bio major and something
in chemistry comes along....and you can't find anything else …Go for it..Maybe you'll
discover that chemistry is what you really want to do. It's better now to find out
before you end up with your degree and you hate your work. That would be the worst
thing. You go all through school and you never stepped into the field to see what
it would be like. You need the experience. It's definitely changed me a lot . . .
Research is good, despite what people say…I think the stereotype of research needs
to be erased, it definitely needs to be uplifted more. As a kid..high school..immediately
you think of a guy in a lab coat late at night with his chemicals all by himself and
that's all he does…but there more to it than being your lonely consumed scientist.
Do you feel you have any advantages/disadvantages as a woman working in your chosen
field?
I never really thought about it in that way. In high school I didn't feel there was
a disadvantage. After being in Stony Brook and being part of a minority, I don't feel
there's any special treatment or there's discouragement. There's more of an advertisement
now for more women to come into the field. It's a little disheartening that a lot
of people are not interested in the engineering fields…that a lot of women, some are
discouraged by the fact that it's male dominated..or they don't think they'll get
an opportunity. But that's part of the reason why I like it. I like the challenge
and I like being different.
Did you hear that this year, many more women in the WISE program applied for the Battelle
fellowship? I know you were involved in publicizing the Battelle opportunity.
I really promoted it a lot. Helio told me that the new Battelle award recipients were
asking about me…whether I was going to be here. He told me, "You're sort of like their
hero." It's surprising for me because I used to be a shy person. I'd never expect
myself to be that role for other people. It's really motivating that other people
look up to me. It really works hand in hand that while I motivate them, they motivate
me to work harder. I did tell Helio that I"ll come by and visit. Helio is the type
of person I 'll stay in touch with—forever. I still talk to Peter Muhuro, and to Tara.
the whole BNL research experience has been really good for connections. Just making
friends—but you're learning at the same time.