Reflection: Dylan says…

Pre-camp reflections

Read the introduction, objectives and theoretical background to the project and then answer the following questions:

•      What interests you about this project?
• I am interested in the methods used and how would caffeine be extracted from beverages.
•       What do you want to learn by doing this project?
• I want to learn how caffeine can be extracted, what caffeine is and why it works. I also want to learn more about alkaloids.
•       What questions do you have about this project?
• How does caffeine look like? Is it one single solid or is it in another shape or even state?
•      What do you personally want to have achieved by the end of this project?
• I would want to understand the reason behind each step of extracting caffeine and to know how to do it.

Reflections on Plenary Sessions

For each plenary session, consolidate your learning by answering the following questions:

•     What are your key learning points?
• Plenary session by Prof Kerry Sieh

  
  
  One key learning point is that there are many ways of detecting earthquakes, ranging from using the nature such as coral reefs to tell earthquakes to using technology.
  Earthquakes can make lands rise due to a megathrust arising from subduction between plates. This is called an uplift.
  Forecasts are based on physics (hydrodynamics) and engineering of the effects of the coming tsunami on the city.
  There are many reasons on why predicting earthquakes are so important-- one of them being that earthquakes can hit much closer to home.
  
  

  IT for Animation by Prof Seah Hock Soon

  
  
  I learned that there are 3 types of animation, one being stop-motion animation, another being 2D animation and the third being 3D animation.
  I also learned that Mathematics is also involved in making animations. This is more apparent in making the animation software and game engine, where factors such as ambient light, diffuse lighting and specular lighting have to be calculated. This is also apparent in modeling, where points, lines, surfaces and solids are involved. Calculus and laws of physics also apply in lighting up a show and for the dynamics of water, fabric and fire, etc, respectively.
  I have learned that 2D animation is more laborious and tedious. Nowadays however, things are more computerized. 2D animation is also more expensive than 3D.
  I have also learned that with the advancement of technology, new ways of enhancing animation open up, such as motion capture technology for more realistic animations. (Facial animations, the little detail)
  While 2D animation is a beautiful art form, it requires skilled artists, is labour intensive and it also requires a large budget, which is something that some companies do not have in abundance nowadays.
  2D animation, however, cannot be compared with 3D animation as each are beautiful in their own way, having their own pros and cons.
  
  
  Innovative Breakthroughs in Nano-Science and Nano-Technology by Prof Ma Jan
  Nanotechnology uses the concept of having smaller objects so that it would have a larger surface area. Simply put, smaller size for a fixed volume = larger surface area. This would generate more surface area energy, which is the main thing about nanotechnology.
  With nanotechnology being very complex and advanced, it opens up many possibilities, such as invisibility, bulletproof glaze and even medical breakthroughs that would be revolutionary and otherwise impossible or would require a lot more time and research to achieve. One such medical breakthrough would be medicine that detects the area of the body that is affected and focuses on that area instead of only one bit of the medicine actually doing the healing and the rest of the medicine flowing to the rest of the body. 
  Nanotechnology can help in many areas and gives a whole lot more possibilities.
  
  
•      What new questions do you have about the topic?
• Is there a limit to what nanotechnology can do?

Reflections on Applied Project Challenge: Your Accomplishments

• Discuss how the project has deepened your understanding and broadened your awareness of the selected discipline.
• What do you now understand about this discipline that you were unaware of at the beginning?
• Describe how what you have learned from doing this project can be connected to what you are learning at school.
• Describe how you can apply what you have learned from doing this project.
•  At the end of the project, what new questions do you now have?