Gamma-Ray Unsettled Mass Gauging System (GUMGS)

  1. My STEP Signature Project involves participating in the Gamma-Ray Unsettled Mass Gauging System (GUMGS) project at The Ohio State University. The project focuses on developing a cutting-edge system to measure propellant mass in unsettled tanks with less than 2% uncertainty. My role includes designing and testing components, coding in MATLAB, and researching to advance this space exploration technology.
  2. While working on the GUMGS project, I gained a deeper understanding of my technical abilities and my collaboration capacity within a multidisciplinary team. Before this experience, I assumed that solving engineering challenges was primarily a technical process, requiring a focus on hard skills like coding and design. However, I quickly learned that successful innovation in complex projects like this one also relies heavily on teamwork, communication, and the integration of diverse perspectives. This realization shifted my view on problem-solving, highlighting the importance of collaboration in achieving breakthroughs.
    Additionally, my experience with the project’s rigorous safety protocols, particularly in handling radioactive materials, instilled a greater sense of responsibility and attention to detail. I now appreciate how high-stakes environments, such as those in space exploration, demand a careful balance of technical precision and safety, which transformed how I approach my work and personal accountability standards. This project ultimately expanded my worldview by showing me the vast potential of space exploration while underscoring the importance of interdisciplinary teamwork and safety in achieving meaningful progress.
  3. Several key experiences during the GUMGS project led to my transformation. Participating in cross-disciplinary design meetings allowed me to see the importance of collaboration. Initially focused on my own tasks, I quickly learned that success depended on integrating ideas from various fields, which expanded my problem-solving approach and improved my communication skills.
    The safety training, particularly regarding radioactive materials, also had a significant impact. It heightened my attention to detail and made me more disciplined in my work. I realized the importance of balancing innovation with strict safety protocols, a mindset I now carry into all aspects of my work.
    Lastly, mentorship from professionals at Ohio State and NASA broadened my understanding of project management and teamwork. Their guidance helped me refine my skills and think more holistically about engineering challenges, influencing both my professional and personal development.
  4. This transformation is significant because it aligns closely with my academic and professional goals in engineering. Developing a broader perspective on problem-solving and collaboration has enhanced my ability to work effectively in team environments, a crucial skill in any future career, particularly in the space exploration field. The emphasis on safety and attention to detail will also serve me well in high-stakes environments where precision is critical.
    Personally, this change has instilled a greater sense of responsibility and discipline in how I approach challenges. These qualities will not only support my academic success but also shape my professional trajectory, helping me contribute meaningfully to complex engineering projects while maintaining high standards of accountability.

STEP Reflection

My step project is summer research. In my project, I am making a dual drug delivery system with in-vitro tracking capabilities. We are attaching two Rhodamine-dipeptide conjugates RhB-KK and RhB-KE with 5-Fluorouracil, an anti-cancer drug via succinic acid linkage using solid phase peptide synthesis (SPPS) to get RhB-KK-Fu and RhB-KE-Fu.
My step project opened my eyes to real research. When I first entered the lab, I attended our group meetings, I found that I didn’t understand any of what they were saying. Real research is completely different from university courses. I had thought there would at least be some connection, but there may just be some similarities in their principles. One of the members of our group told me that the first six months in the lab are useless because you don’t know anything, everything is unknown, and you need to start from scratch to learn.
And the results of research are not always proportional to the amount of time spent. It’s different from classes. In classes, if you study well after class, you can get a good grade in the exam and finally get an A. But in research, you don’t know whether you’re doing it right or wrong until you get the results, and it’s completely possible to have no progress for a certain period.
The biggest thing I learned from it is how real research is and I’ve started down the path, maybe just the first step, a very small step. I learned what real NMR is and how to explore my products based on real NMR. I went from knowing nothing about Column to being able to use Column to purify my products. I went from knowing nothing about real scientific instruments to understanding how to use HPLC, lyophilizer, centrifuges, etc.
It is difficult to say whether these changes are my active changes or passive changes, but in essence, I am not willing to be just a fool, at least to become a brave pioneer, broaden my horizon and learn more knowledge. This also helps me to be clearer about my idea: apply for graduate student in the future.
This transition was very important to me because it was a breakthrough from 0 to 1. Anything that goes from 0 to 1 is very hard to break, and going from 1 to 2, from 2 to 3 often just takes more time. All in all, I feel now I have more confidence that I can get success in future.

Our Lab

NMR machine