On March 29th 2017, member of the British Royal Academy of Engineering and CBE Pr. Aktinson from Leicester University was invited by SUSTech to give a lecture to professors and students in the Library lecture hall 110, entitled “The Nature of Research” and overseen by Professor Rong Yiming, Director of Mechanical and Energy Engineering.
At the scene of the lecture
As an outstanding representative of female scientists, Atkinson was one of 29 women alongside 1400 men elected in 2007 to become a Fellow at the Royal Academy of Engineering, the highest honour for engineers in the UK. She has made significant contributions in the field of semi-solid metal processing, leading multiple EPRSC (UK Engineering and Natural Sciences Research Council) projects as well as publishing two studies on the topic.
Before the lecture, Pr. Atkinson gave a brief introduction on Leicester University where she teaches, a prestigious and historic institution with a particular focus on research. In 2014 the UK conducted an assessment dubbed REF (Research Excellence Framework), in which 90% of her department’s scientific research achieved a level of world leading – highest rank – or internationally outstanding – second highest rank. She went on to talk about SUSTech’s current status in the field of scientific research, and the high potential that it holds.
Atkinson discussing her works
The professor believes that in addition to finding new facts and conclusions during experimental studies, previous research should also be studied again in order to determine if different results can be obtained. She sums up her research experience into ten “secrets”. One of these, and possibly one of the most important guidelines of research is to study areas that will have an important significance in the development of scientific fields. It is important to not waste energy and resources on minor details.
Another major point to take into consideration is that the data and results must be accurate and reliable so as to ensure that the conclusions of the study are credible.
Pr. Atkinson also warns that academic reputation and scientific research have to be nurtured carefully, reviewers of academic journals will not correct mistakes in studies, on the contrary any mistakes would considerably undermine the university’s reputation. That being said, it should be every researcher’s goal to try and be published in high-level journals, a way to challenge one’s self and put oneself to the test.
Q&A session
The lecture ended with a questions and answers session during which Pr. Atkinson answered the students’ inquiries. “Creativity is important in research, as is ‘brainstorming’, and combined with rich knowledge and ability, it is the key to transforming ideas into the results,” she added.
