Week 10: Lessons from the Research Process

Rohan V -

Hi all, it’s Rohan!

This week, with my paper and testing finished, I’m turning towards creating my presentation and final poster for presentation day! Because a lot of my work has been through software, my paper has many figures of single-molecule distance vs conductance graphs, as well as explanatory images that show the experimental setup we use in the lab. I’m currently in the process of deciding which specific figures to use to best represent the whole of my research. This is similar to what I was doing a few weeks back, in choosing which molecules to showcase in my paper.

While the process seems repetitive, it has taught me a lot about how the research process works, specifically how results are communicated. Through the course of these ten weeks, I’ve found that I always have many, many results – but only a few are worth showcasing. In the initial meetings with my lab group, I made the mistake of trying to present all of my data at once. This had a number of associated problems: there was too much information, it took up too much time, and there weren’t many useful takeaways that could be drawn from my presentation. Over time, I’ve learned that a large part of the intellectual power in the research process comes in knowing which results are meaningful, making those deductions and specifically choosing what to present. One question I’ve gotten into the habit of asking myself before I include a specific graph in a presentation is, “What does this specific image show that I have not already covered elsewhere?” By answering this question, I can go back and take out redundant information while clarifying the impact and improving comprehensibility of my research.

Thank you to all for following along so far in this journey! A huge thank you to my advisors, Dr. Monti and Dr. Goodwin, for their help in this process. I’m looking forward to sharing my final product with you all soon!

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    camille_bennett
    Wow!! You have gained some great skills through this process. Do you think what molecules you choose to highlight will be influenced by who your audience is?
    April 15, 2025 at 9:42 am - Reply
    aashi_h
    Hi Rohan, this is amazing! Now that the project is coming to a close, what would you say is the most exciting part of the whole process?
    April 15, 2025 at 12:47 pm - Reply
    rohan_va
    Hi Ms. Bennett, Great question! While I considered this, what I'm planning on doing is showcasing three basic molecules which come from different series. This is the most simple way of presenting them that I see. Even if I do have a more technical audience, I feel that taking the more simple route will give me more time to talk about the other, arguably more important parts of my findings.
    April 16, 2025 at 11:44 am - Reply
    rohan_va
    Hi Aashi, thank you for your comment! The most exciting part of this process for me has been seeing my results line up with what I had hoped would happen. This didn't happen at the start, of course, but over time as I adapted my algorithm, I began to see results that aligned with my expectations more.
    April 16, 2025 at 11:45 am - Reply
    tanay_n
    Hey Rohan! I've been following along with your blog posts, and it's truly amazing how your project can stretch into the energy industry and increase efficiency! I'm excited to listen to your final presentation next week! I'm intrigued to know if there are different algorithms for different molecules or different steps you took in the data collection phase for different molecules?
    April 17, 2025 at 9:44 pm - Reply
    rohan_va
    Hi Tanay, thanks for your comment! For all molecules, the way we organize data in the lab is by compiling the thousands of pairs of x-y distance-conductance data into a structure array. Then, I apply my algorithm to that structure array. What's nice about the algorithm is that it can be applied to nearly any organic molecule that has clearly defined formation and rupture points.
    April 23, 2025 at 4:30 pm - Reply

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