BEING A LEADING-EDGE RESEARCHER
Mark Little, director, GE Global Research on the benefits of a multidisciplinary approach in technical research.
In the last few years research has grown to become an increasingly multi-disciplinary science. No longer is one project conducted in isolation from another. What employers look for today are a set of people who are lifelong learners, people-friendly and are burning with curiosity; employees who have a specialisation in a deep scientific field but are still willing to learn and work in tandem with other specialisations. Today one can’t just sit in a corner in a research team, finish a set of calculations and pass them on. Instead researchers need to engage, to use their technologies to create something very interesting but in collaboration with various other people. Companies want people who can work across all disciplines and will accordingly give them the experiences to grow — this is when the magic happens.
For example, at GE Global Research we are working on a technology that can detect cancer at a very early stage. This would not have been possible had we not had a team of specialists who understood biology, cell functions, lab technology and CAT scanning techniques. Similarly we’re also designing the next generation of aircraft engines, a leading technology that will operate in high temperatures. For this we have had a team with a deep knowledge in all aspects of aerodynamics. In other words, when different disciplines get together one can create some very valuable technologies with vast societal benefits.
Another important skill for a researcher is to understand the various processes between ideation and product creation. At GE, we are not just interested in theoretic but also have a stake in product development — till the time it reaches the hands of the intended consumer. This not only improves quality control but also gives researchers the satisfaction of seeing their work impact the real world.
Commitment and discipline is also indispensable. At present, GE is working on using a next generation material, silicon carbide, to create power electronics. We’re also looking at ways in which power electronics can be developed to lower cost and raise performance of wind and gas turbines, solar invertors and energy management systems to name a few. This work has been ongoing for the last seven years and will probably take a few more years before the product is ready for the market. Despite the seemingly long timelines, researchers must know how to persevere and retain interest in their work.
There’ve also been shifting patterns in emerging areas of research over the last few years. Today research is particularly focused on industrial internet and software analytics; this in turn includes a broad array of skills pertaining to material science, optimization of systems and how to put together sophisticated systems. Other emerging fields include power electronics, aerodynamics, thermodynamics, energy management systems and oil and gas technologies. To succeed in any of these fields as a researcher, it’s good to have an additional knowledge of working processes, related disciplines and people skills.