Student Recollections: Nathan Li's Post-Graduate Experiences
Finding the Perfect Research Group at Princeton's Civil and Environmental Engineering Department
Nathan Li, a first-year graduate student in Princeton's 5-year PhD program, shares his insights on how to find and choose a research group within the department.
Nathan's research group, led by Professor Mark Zondlo, focuses on ammonia due to its polar nature and agricultural waste emissions. The group's instruments, which use open-path lasers, allow for better measurement of ammonia concentrations compared to other labs. Nathan's research involves air pollution with a focus on trace gases, using optics-infrared lasers to detect the concentration of gases like ammonia, carbon monoxide, nitrous oxides, and methane in the air.
When it comes to finding a research group, Nathan advises exploring the research centers and groups at Princeton. Many interdisciplinary centers such as the Andlinger Center for Energy and the Environment offer diverse research opportunities in energy, environment, and engineering topics relevant to civil and environmental engineering.
Identifying faculty whose research interests align with yours is another crucial step. Reviewing faculty profiles and recent publications in areas you want to pursue can help you find potential mentors. At Princeton, faculty often have joint appointments, which lend to interdisciplinary collaboration.
Attending seminars, workshops, and lectures hosted by faculty and centers is critical to learn about ongoing research and meet potential advisors or research group members.
Reaching out to prospective faculty advisors is also important. Discussing your interests, learning about their group’s current projects, and understanding their mentoring style can help find a good fit both intellectually and personally.
Considering the group's collaborative environment and resources is also essential. Princeton highlights collaboration and engagement in research groups, valuing passion, diversity, and team research.
The length of time a professor has held their position can influence the size of the research group and the level of independence expected. Younger, less-established professors may offer more independence, working more closely with students like a coworker. Working with a more established professor often means working on an existing project with several group members.
Nathan learns from and carries on the knowledge of older students as they graduate and new students enter the program. As he progresses through the program, he takes on more responsibility for the project. He works with a post-doctoral researcher on his ammonia research project, with the post-doc offering support due to his new status in the program and the complexity of science.
In summary, finding and choosing a research group involves identifying faculty and centers that match your research interests, engaging with their current work through seminars and outreach, and evaluating the group’s culture and resources to ensure a productive graduate experience at Princeton.
Engaging in online education, such as learning about the research interests of faculty at Princeton through webinars or video lectures, can be beneficial for finding a potential research group.
For those unable to attend on-campus seminars, online platforms offer opportunities to learn about ongoing research and connect with faculty and students, contributing to the process of finding and choosing a research group.
