I loved being able to work on industry research projects for NYSERDA while also being able to work on academic research projects to submit as abstracts for conferences. Combining ocean and wind systems research through fluid mechanics and numerical modeling was an incredible experience and I believe that I attained an incredible skillset to better prepare me for graduate studies in this field.
What I wish was different
One thing that I wish could have been different was having the opportunity to work on the industry research at a faster pace. With the rate that work was being expected to be completed and the rate that I was working at, I was completing work much faster than expected. However, this was not the worst situation because I was able to work on my academic research on ocean dynamics when I finished my wind modeling work early.
Advice
For any students interested in going into research, I would advise you to always be passionate about what you are studying. Developing a passion for your research makes you want to put your best work into it and when you love what you're working on, you sometimes find yourself putting more hours into the work than required just because you want to, not because you have to.
