Placement Information
Year you started your placement
2014
Placement period
May – August
Supervisor’s name
Andrew Mackenzie
Project Details
Overview
My position at MPI was research assistant. I was working in the Quantum Materials department in a lab containing two cryogenic chambers along with two PhD students, under the supervision of a post-doc group leader.
Project objectives
Our project involved the investigation of superconducting transition temperatures (Tc) of materials under applied uniaxial strain. I worked on Zinc sample preparation for the first 3 months, which involved finding the orientation of a large Zinc single crystal, cutting the crystal along certain crystal axes, and mounting it to a straining device. Our objective was to measure the Tc of Zinc as a function of strain, with the strain being applied in 3 different directions.
Research outcomes
Project status
In progress
Expected completion date
Complimentary document for project
Complimentary document for project
Complimentary document for project
My Co-op Experience at MPI
Why did you apply for a placement with Max Planck Institute?
I applied for a position at the Max Planck Institute because I knew the Institute was a very well known, well funded and well run research centre. I would learn tons, have a great reference on my CV, and as a bonus, I would get to live in Europe. The fact that I would be moving to Dresden, Germany for four months also influenced my decision to apply; I had always wanted to visit Europe, and what better way than as an intern?
What recommendations do you have for students who wish to participate in MPI-UBC exchange program?
I would highly recommend taking a German language course prior to or during your stay. Although everyone at MPI itself can speak English, the stay in Germany is so much more enjoyable when you can understand even a little bit of German.
Tell us about your travels and cultural experiences in Germany and the rest of the Europe
During my four month stay in Dresden, I was able to go on quite a few of weekend trips. I travelled to Paris, Amsterdam, Berlin and Prague, and had a great time in each city. I found simply taking off Friday or Monday gave me enough time to enjoy each of these cities. In addition, I spent a week hiking in the Bavarian Alps, which was a really cool experience.