• Question: What's a recent development that you think has really affected your job?

    Asked by El to Tonia, Sam, Emily, Ejay, Edgars, Charnett on 14 Jun 2019.
    • Photo: Sam Gaughan

      Sam Gaughan answered on 14 Jun 2019:

      I wouldn’t say affected but some things that have happened recently which are very close to my field and are of interest to me are things like the advancement of including AI in protein design, there is an example of a relatively recent (April 2018) paper which is open to everyone to read is here:

      https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-018-24760-x

      Another example is very specific to what I am doing, which is about the effect of oriented electric fields on enzyme catalysis. Unfortunately I can’t find a paper or article which is free to view, however there is a related article from a few years ago about using electric fields on their own as catalysts:

      https://phys.org/news/2016-03-scientists-chemical-reactions-static-electricity.html

      There are always new things happening in and around my field though, which either directly or indirectly affect my work, which keeps things very interesting!

      I wish I could link more cool research but most of it is locked behind academic journal paywalls 🙁

    • Photo: Charnett Chau

      Charnett Chau answered on 14 Jun 2019:

      I recently saw that a new tech nology will allow black plastic to be detected and recycled! Although there’s a lot more to allow integration of this technology, it was a great find, I really hope it can come to life and allow us to recycle more plastic!

    • Photo: Edgars Kelmers

      Edgars Kelmers answered on 14 Jun 2019:

      Advancements in computers. Computer modeling allows us to do many things, like analyse cars or bridges on 3D computer models, without even building them.
      –
      I think programming is a very useful skill. Even if you choose not to do engineering, you will need to use computers in any future job. So you better learn now about computers and programming as much as you can.

    • Photo: Ejay Nsugbe

      Ejay Nsugbe answered on 16 Jun 2019:

      Technologically: rise of high order quantum super computers that can allow for computationally intense algorithms be implemented in various capacities-paving the way for greater technological revolution to happen.
      Socially: Brexit and its impact on research funding sources

    • Photo: Emily McNee

      Emily McNee answered on 16 Jun 2019:

      CAD is always allowing virtual development of machines and systems as well as virtual testing. This has become quicker and easier to use so speeding up development and leaving more time to be creative.

    • Photo: Tonia Tzemanaki

      Tonia Tzemanaki answered on 17 Jun 2019:

      A relatively recent advancement is the use of Deep Learning, a type of Machine Learning used in programs (installed in computers, robots etc) to teach them how to do a task based on given them information from a lot of pre-existing data.

      Also, I have to say Brexit has affected a lot what we do: we already have reduced applications from people from all over the world wanting to come and work with us, the collaborations we have (which are essential to do research) are in danger and a lot of the funding we receive from the European commission is also in danger to stop.

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