I joined the Royal Military College because I wanted to experience research firsthand and figure out whether it was something I could see myself continuing with.
Most of my work involved experimental testing in a supersonic wind tunnel, supporting turbomachinery and aircraft-inlet research. I helped operate the test equipment, collect and analyze data, and work through the practical problems that come with running experiments rather than only studying the theory behind them.
The experience also gave me much more exposure to the research environment itself. I met researchers working on different problems, took part in technical discussions, and had many opportunities to practise presenting results and explaining my work clearly. I also spent time listening to and evaluating other presentations, which helped me understand what makes technical communication effective.
What I valued most was getting to see the experimental side of engineering up close. It gave me a better idea of what research actually looks like day to day and helped me decide what parts of that environment I enjoy most: testing, solving practical problems, working with real data, and discussing results with other engineers and researchers.
