Puu-0.4200 Research Project on Renewable Materials

1. Puu-0.4200Research Project on Renewable Materials Monika Österberg

2. Learning objectives You are able to make a feasible plan for your laboratory work. You are able to fulfil the planned experiments individually within the allocated time You are able to report the obtained results both in writing and orally. You are able to evaluate the reliability of your results .You will get insight into current research work at the School and modern research tools.

3. Timetable 09.09.2014 Introductory lecture 23.09.2014 Deadline for first meeting with your supervisor 09.09- 4.11.Practical laboratory work, remember to keep a diary 4.11.2014 Lecture on reporting and presentation 11.11.2014 Deadline for written report 25.11.2014 Seminar (allocate 5h for the seminar, we decide the date now) Suggestion 25.11 at 9-14 Observe: ~80h of practical work in 8 weeks = >10h/week In laboratory work you need at least 4h, preferably a whole day to proceed with one step (you cannot be attending lectures at the same time)

4. Project plan What is a plan? Your role vs. supervisors role • Supervisor gives the problem + some relevant literature • You read the literature and suggest how to solve the problem • What experiments, exact conditions, how many parallel measurements are needed, … • Together with your supervisor you revise the plan Learning target: You understand how, by making a good plan, you can estimate how large a matrix of experiments can be performed within a given time and on the other hand what needs to be taken into account to answer a specific question.

5. The experimentalwork You can start work when you have discussed with your supervisor • but you are not allowed to be in the laboratory outside normal working hours • Often the supervisor needs to be available when you are working Minimum 3 meetings with supervisor – in practice much more Safety! Your work is part of research project of one PhD student • Do your best and be honest – your results are important • Follow the timetable • It might not succeed • Allocate enough time for the experiments!

6. Learning targets of the experimentalwork You get familiar with the research at the department You learn good laboratory practicies • Safety, cleanliness, accuracy, detailed diary You understand some of the challenges with research

7. The report Discuss with your supervisor about the results Write a report according to the instructions in Noppa • Send the report to both your supervisor and me • Supervisor comments – you correct, I comment – you correct Learning target: • Learn how to critically evaluate experimental data • Learn how to report your results

8. Guidelines for preparing oral presentations of project work Allocate 15 min for your presentation and another 10 min is reserved for questions Send the presentation in advance to supervisor and me Monika Österberg

9. General layout: Your presentation should contain Title slide Outline - usually good to outline what you will present but not necessary Objective – vital! Background – Please try to explain why this work was done and why it is important/interesting Experimental – What did you do? Results – What did you find? Conclusions – Do not only summarize your results, try to draw general conclusions

10. Results more in detail • Remember that your audience might not be familiar with the techniques you have been using • Explain what can be understood from a graph you are showing • If you are showing some values – tell the audience if they are “good” or “bad”. Did you reach your objective?

11. Instructions for audience Listen carefully and think about questions during the presentation After presentation: ask questions!

12. Afteryourfirstdiscussionpleasesend me the title of the work. Student – Supervisor pairs: Questions: monika.osterberg@aalto.fi, phone: 0505497218, room 323