To strengthen my understaning of my area of research, polyurethanes (PUs), both chemically and industrially. This course gave me a better view of the context of my work.
The placement was suggested by my supervisor, who having attended the training previously, recommended it to me for a complete understanding of PUs and to fill in gaps in my knowledge.
I was required to complete an online application for the funding describing what I wanted to do with the money, why it will be good (e.g. for future employability and more than purely academic reasons) and why I would be a good candidate for the funding.
Smithers provides a range of professional training courses and this particular one was being presented by an industry expert.
I attended the training course where I listened to the course presenter and took notes on my handouts. I was particularly interested in learning about the broader processing techniques and routes of PUs in industry.
Over the two days I sat and listened to the course speaker and then discussed various aspects with the other people attending the course.
I enjoyed learning about the context of my area of research and also talking to the other course attendees, finding out their various roles in the PU processing line.
I found it challenging to always follow new information being taught, especially regarding the commercial line of PUs, e.g. supply houses etc.
Yes, I used my existing knowledge of PU chemistry which I was able to strengthen over the two days.
Definitely, I am no more aware of the various roles within the PU industry and whether they are something I would be interested in pursuing as a career after my PhD.
The next step is to implement the information learned when conducting my own research, especially regarding the analysis of materials synthesised.
Take any opportunity you can to improve you understanding of something. Context is very valuable when researching, it's important to take a step back and think about why you're researching.
Form completed: 07 Oct 2019