The Physical Optics and Electronics Lab at MIT - which I work in - has kicked off a 5 year collaboration with Singapore to tackle agriculture precision. Our goal is to provide new instruments and tools for plant researchers so they can accurately measure plant hormone levels - and hence their health. I got to use my engineering design skills learned at MIT to help plant researchers at the National University of Singapore. I also conducted the initial testing of plant samples on a newly purchased Raman spectroscopy system. This kicked-off the first round of experiments done at CREATE on this project. I also had the incredible opportunity of attending Focus on Microscopy - my first international academic conference - that was held at the Singapore Expo. Here, I met with scientists and companies from all over the world working on microscopy.
Neerja's Story
Neerja worked at the state-of-the-art facility CREATE (Center for Research Excellence and Technological Enterprise) on building a prototype of a fluorescence camera that could image a whole plant.
“The best part of this experience was working as a scientist and contributing to research in a new community rather than just visiting as a tourist. Through this trip, I gained an appreciation for how truly global a scientific career can be and how other governments prioritize investment in science and technology to advance their economy and society.”Neerja Aggarwal
Major & Class Year
Ph.D. Electrical Engineering & Computer Science '20
Location
Singapore
MISTI Program
MIT-Singapore
MISTI Host
Singapore-MIT Alliance for Science Technology (SMART)