What I Did On My Summer Vacation

Ah, summer. The season offers a chance for even hard-working Harvard
undergraduates to get a bit of R&R—as in: research and more research.

Three current engineering sciences concentrators were kind enough to tell us about their experiences in the lab this past summer. We preserved their words verbatim but took a few liberties with the presentation.

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REAL LIFE IN THE LAB …

I am working on the design, construction, and verification of a cockroach inspired microrobotic leg mechanism. I built a vacuum apparatus for the lab to use in order to optimize a process developed by Professor Wood called smart composite microstructures (SCM) which involves laminated laser-micromachined fiber-reinforced composites. Oftentimes, I had to vary my design on the spot when working in the shop based on the feasibility or practicality of another option. There is a big difference between designing a concept on paper and implementing it in real life.

— GENEVA

Pen Pals

Chimdimnma “Chi Chi” Esimai ’07 (Engineering Sciences, SB) participated in the Program for Research in Science and Engineering (PRISE) and worked with Assistant Professor of Bioengineering Kit Parker.

Geneva Trotter ’08 (Engineering Sciences, SB), also in PRISE, worked with Assistant Professor of Electrical Engineering Robert Wood.

Oluwarotimi “Rotimi” Okunade ’07 spent her summer in Pretoria, South Africa with Medicine in Need (MEND), a non-profit company started by faculty and students at HSEAS.