Qs Flashcards
Can you give us an example of when you worked not only with people internally but with customers/ suppliers/ etc on specific activities that made a difference
Over the course of my placement I was fortunate to be able to work for a lot of external customers such as Rolls Royce, Reaction Engines Ltd and Honeywell. The amount of contact differed in each case from having little to no contact with Reaction Engines Ltd until the work package was completed, constant communication with the experimental team at Rolls Royce via email and Teamcentre to daily meetings with Honeywell. This allowed us to pool together knowledge, resolve issues and build relationships with the customers. The high level of communication was key for Honeywell as we were working as kind of the night shift for the people in Arizona. I believe this was a key factor in the Honeywell team obtaining the top customer reviews of all teams at ITP Aero.
Can you give us an example of when you were future-oriented and creative
In both my roles at ITP Aero Control Systems and Amarillo Consulting I created VBA-based tools to enable faster and more efficient work. At ITP Aero, I created tools that would be able to be used in subsequent control system verification and validation tasks. To aid in this I created supporting documents teaching future users how to use the tools. This allowed future system verification and validation activities to be quicker and easier. For Amarillo Consulting, I created VBA-based tools to aid in moving the sales data from the individual stores spreadsheets to the master excel file. This allowed less time to be spent on the moving of the sales data and more time on interpreting the sales data.
Example of when you resolved an issue / solved a problem
The course of my final year project was completely changed by the outbreak of COVID-19 and subsequent lockdown of university facilities. This meant that my whole plan had to be completely changed with the limited resources now available. To ensure that the project was completed to the highest quality I carefully considered possible avenues to now go down. This resulted in a project with more in depth finite element analysis including micromechanical analysis of composite systems. Overall, I think this was a success as I received a first-class grade for the overall modules.
Example of when you worked independently
During my industrial placement, I was given a great deal of independence whilst working in mechanical integrity. This required constant time-management in order to keep the workflow constant and to enable the production of the highest quality of work. For example, due to factors out of my control the workload given to me in Mechanical Integrity dropped. Whilst speaking to my work colleagues I had heard that there was a lot of work is Control Systems, an area of which I had little experience in since my first year of university. Therefore, I spoke to my line manager and was able to split my time between Mechanical Integrity and Control Systems, eventually going full time into Control Systems towards the end of my placement. This enabled me to achieve a high workflow throughout my time at ITP Aero and be a better asset to the company.
Example of when you worked in a team & what were the benefits vs working alone
o One example which I gave in my application was working in a large group on engine testing of Honeywell propulsion control systems. This involved a high degree of work in a very limited amount of time, basically we were interpreting the data whilst the American engine testers were asleep. Therefore, careful planning and delegation of the workload was key which was achieved simply using a spreadsheet. Because the workload was so big, we had to get some colleagues from other departments to help so I had to show them the ropes whilst simultaneously completing my work. Constant communication was also vital in order to gauge where other people were. i.e. if they needed help or if the people checking the files needed us to slow down.
o Another is during my Aerospace Group Design Project in which I think different types of teamworking, and communication were used and developed. Initially, we were pooling ideas for what the UAV would look like and delegating roles to people in the group. This required discussions where it was key to not only contribute my ideas but support those who were too nervous to contribute. Further on in the project, constant communication was key to ensure each part of the project was running smoothly and in harmony with one another. For example, my role was working on aerodynamics so I was in constant communication with person in charge of propulsion to talk about how much power we had and therefore how much wingspan we need; Materials to see if we could actually build It; Avionics to see how much power the actuators have to move the control surfaces. Even though the UAV did not end up flying due to an issue with the propeller, the project was deemed a success and I was awarded a 2.1 grade classification.
What do you know about NPL? & Time and Frequency Department?
o NPL is the UK’s National Metrology Institute, it develops & maintains national primary measurement standards and has provided measurement capability to all of UK ever since 1900. Some of the world’s most significant innovations have origins at NPL, including radar; packet switching, the forebearer of the internet; the ACE computer; and the caesium atomic clock. NPL sets up the infrastructure to ensures accuracy and consistency of measurement throughout the UK in many sectors including industry, government and research organisations. NPL is the bottom line in terms of how heavy is something, how hot is something, how long did something take and creates the standard to which all other standards are compared.
o In terms of the Time and Frequency department, NPL operates the National Time scale (UTC) and the UK primary frequency standards, which contribute to global time keeping through worldwide time transfer and clock comparison. Recently, you aided in the redefinition of the SI units using constants which provide more stability. These include kilogram, ampere, kelvin and mole with kilogram now being defined using Planks constant and not the international prototype. In the future, I hope this project will lead to the redefinition of the second from using caesium to strontium atomic clocks.
Why do you want to work here? / Why are you interested in the NPL?
Working on something such as this at the heart of all science and engineering is what really drew me in. I’ve always been interested in science shows such as COSMOS and books like those from Stephen Hawking and Sean Carrol. Having an impact on metrology is having an effect on many more aspects of science and of life.NPL with its rich history of technological innovation and scientific breakthroughs seems like the perfect place to be part of the next key developments in science. I feel that with the vast array of scientists and engineers I can really grow and develop my skills and knowledge.
Why are you interested in the project/role?
Working on something at will go into space has always been a dream of mine and is what led me to pursue a degree in aerospace engineering. I see this role as one of the only opportunities that I can truly contribute to a major scientific breakthrough. Working on something that will improve everyday life and could lead to even more scientific discoveries (Such as anisotropy in the speed of light). Working on something completely new, an area of engineering where I stand to gain a tonne of knowledge is such a unique opportunity. I recently looked into your lecture on “Louise Essens Legacy” and, going by how much I learnt on just that vide, I realised how much I could learn from this role. A little added bonus I the fact that every time I talk to my friends about this job, even those not in engineering or science, they find it amazing just by the sound of it.
What do you want to do with your degree?
I want to make an impact in the aerospace industry. Be that helping to develop strontium atomic clocks for satellites or something else. As I am early in my career, I want to pursue potential avenues to work out what job / industry is best for me. I am still very keen to increase my knowledge in all areas of engineering and science.
What is your understanding of metrology?
Metrology is the science and practise of measurement and quantitative comparison. Defining and keeping the consistency of the units of measurements to which all experiments use and maintaining the standards to which they are kept. It is the source of all the units and scales that we use to measure the world around us. We measure everything, such as weight of our food, volume of fuel in our car, distance to drive, the temperature in a room, dosage of medication. Incorrect measurements could lead to serious consequences. …
Where do you see yourself in 10 years if you stay with NPL?
If this project is still going, I hope to be working on another aspect of it. If not then, another part of NPL such as the engineering, materials or acoustics department. By then I’d hopefully in a more senior role, I’m not quite sure about where my role as an engineer could take me.
Explain a recent scientific discovery that was in the news in layman’s terms
The first image of a black hole was taken by the event horizon telescopes. A black hole is a singularity in space of infinite density. In region of space gravity is so strong that not even light can escape. This means the image shown was not of the black hole but the material going into the black hole. These materials are spun around the black hole as they get closer, trapped by the gravitational pull of the black hole. Due to friction, the mass of gas heats up and emits electromagnetic waves including visible light. The data does not only look good but can define weather Einsteins general theory of relativity holds true.
Define quality?
The standard of something compared another thing of a similar kind. The degree of excellence of something. Metrology ensures quality: without the correct measurements, the ability to produce consumer and user requirements would not be possible. Metrology ensures that all we invest in will measures up to satisfying customer expectations in regards to performance.
What are all the SI units?
o Mass – Kilogram o Length – Metre o Time – Second o Defined by Caesium atm, aim to be redefined by strontium o Electric Current – Ampere o Thermodynamic Temperature – Kelvin o Amount of substance – Mole o Luminosity intensity – Candela
What do you know about atomic clocks?
Atomic clocks define a second as the duration of approx. 9 billion periods of the microwave radiation from a specific transition of an electron orbit inside a cedium-133 atom at a temperature of 0K. The electron is excited using microwaves of a precise frequency to change the level of orbit of the electron around the atomic nucleus. In future neutral strontium atoms will be used instead giving more certainty to the second. A common method to use is the cool the atoms to near absolute zero using lasers to bombard the atom with photons to cause the atoms to re-emit these photons causing a reduction in KE and therefore temperature. This is done to reduce the speed of the atoms allowing easier measurements.
