Research Experiences for Undergraduates Student (Summer 2023)

"Over the course of the summer, I worked alongside Jalaj Maheshwari, MSE on a project using finite element analysis simulations to study naturalistically seated pediatric occupants in side impacts.

Through my work on this project, I became accustomed to using different finite element analysis software including LS-DYNA, LS Pre-Post and HyperMesh. I started small, creating a simulation of a ball being thrown and bouncing against a wall. As I became more competent in programming, I created more complex simulations including running a full crash simulation.

In doing all of this, I learned a lot about not only the software and running simulations on a high-performance cluster, but also the common occurrence of debugging programs and simulations. I gained an appreciation for just how labor intensive this process is and the effort required from going back and forth as more errors pop up. Beyond learning how to set up the simulations, I also performed extensive data analysis. I learned how to use Python to perform the data extractions from the simulation output files. I then created my own MATLAB scripts for data filtering, analysis, and making a variety of different plots.

I learned valuable hard and soft skills during my time as an REU student at CIRP this summer. Being able to go to the engineering team meetings and learn about all the diverse ways engineering can be applied to the healthcare field was exciting. I am also grateful for all the opportunities to learn more about different fields of research beyond engineering. Attending the amazing lectures that we received through the program was one of the highlights for me. My interest in injury prevention research started back when I was in high school, and this program has really reignited my interest in the field and broadened my definition of the things that can be done to help others.

As I am now going into my junior year at the University of Pennsylvania studying Mechanical Engineering, this program has also given me a lot more insight into where I see my academic career going in the future. It has allowed me to really reflect on the impact I want to have moving forward as I grow both as a person and as a student in my field.