Placement Information
Year you started your placement
2015
Placement period
May – August, September – December
Supervisor’s name
Robin, Wanke
Project Details
Overview
I worked with the thermoelectronics team, which was involved in developing an efficient thermoelectronic energy conversion set-up. Thermoelectronics is, as the name implies, a highly efficient method of converting heat into electrical power. Although the theory behind it is not intensive, developing a practical set-up is very difficult mostly due to the space charge that builds up. As a result, my work was very experimental. It consisted of writing programs to communicate with various instruments and parts for the set-up, as well as a project involving taking electrical measurements from a high temperature oven. The details of this project are outlined below.
Project objectives
The main objective of my project was to measure the transport properties of multi-oxide heterostructures at high temperature. Since a large temperature gradient is needed for an efficient thermoelectronic set-up, these experiments and devices are often used at high temperatures (within the 800-1200K range). Therefore, the work functions of sample materials as collectors or emitters need to measured at these temperatures. This was accomplished using a high temperature oven as well as a ceramic furnace tube. I conducted four point electrical measurements on the sample and measured the temperature using Tc thermocouples.
Research outcomes
Project status
Completed
Expected completion date
12/20/2015
LawrenceWang – 2015 – Presentation
My Co-op Experience at MPI
Why did you apply for a placement with Max Planck Institute?
I applied for a placement with Max Planck Institute because I was interested in seeing what the field of solid state research had to offer. As a Physics and a Chemistry student, this field of research seemed to be a really good balance between the two disciplines. The fact that it was an international placement was of course a huge plus, and I was definitely excited by the opportunity to travel around Europe during this time as well.
What recommendations do you have for students who wish to participate in MPI-UBC exchange program?
I would recommend to definitely do some research on German culture and customs before coming here, just so you wouldn’t experience too much culture shock. Look for housing as soon as you can because the housing market in Stuttgart at least is very competitive and difficult considering the amount of time you would be staying here. If you plan on traveling, there are a lot of cost-effective ways of doing so such as couchsurfing, airbnb, and rideshare, all of which you can check out with a quick Google search. Also, bring a good camera because there are definitely a lot of good photo opportunities and your phone camera probably wouldn’t be able to fully capture that experience. Finally, don’t be afraid to speak up and communicate with your supervisor about your wants and needs. You don’t want to be stuck doing a project you’re not interested in for the next 4-8 months.
Tell us about your travels and cultural experiences in Germany and the rest of the Europe
As of now, I’ve mostly traveled around Germany, although I have also visited Italy, Switzerland, and England. I would say my two favourite cities so far is Berlin and London. The nightlife in Berlin is like nothing I have ever experienced and it definitely has a very unique aesthetic to it. There are a lot of great museums and many sights/touristy things in Berlin is free so it won’t hurt your wallet too much. London also has many sights and things to see, and The British Museum as well the National Gallery is free as well. I was there for five days and I still feel like I wasn’t able to take in all of it. London is also incredibly multi-cultural and diverse which is a bit of a contrast to how culturally homogeneous Germany can be, so that in itself was a plus for me. Unfortunately, I didn’t take too many photos of my travels, which goes back to my recommendation of bringing a good camera, because a phone camera is just not enough.
