Meet Riley Beckham ’24, an OUR Peer Research Ambassador (PRA) majoring in Electrical Engineering.
What is the focus of your research?
I am interested in learning more about strengthening electrical grids and making them more resilient against extreme climate events. My recent work involves co-authoring a conference paper which examines how changing/shifting the amount of electricity supplied to an electrical grid during an extreme weather event can help reduce damage to the wider electrical network.
Why did you get involved in research?
I wanted to find a way to apply what I was learning in my engineering classes and find real world examples of the concepts I was being exposed to. Research seemed like a great place to start, and it seemed to me to be a low-risk way to explore my interests. A lot of my good friends were involved in research in their chosen fields, and they seemed to be getting a lot out of it, so I figured why not give it a try? I enjoyed the idea of being able to ask questions without having any clue as to the answer: it was a liberating feeling, and one I credit with reinvigorating my passion for engineering in the latter half of my time at UConn.
What advice would you give to aspiring student researchers?
I would tell a student looking to get into research that it’s totally okay to not know what you’re doing when you first start doing research. That’s normal, that’s why you’re there. Your PI (primary investigator for the uninitiated) will expect as much: that’s why they brought you on, so they can help you learn! Research is about exploring the unknown, and to do that you first need to realize the extent of your own ignorance. It can be daunting, absolutely, but it’s a necessary first step, and the joy of learning can only come when you start out lacking in knowledge and experience. So I would say to embrace how little you know and have the courage to take the plunge: to me, that is one of the most incredible feelings in the world.
Describe the impact your research experiences have had on you.
This might seem strange, but my experience in research has made me way more comfortable with the limitations of my knowledge and experience (bear with me).
When I first got to college, I was deeply insecure about how little I felt I knew and understood about both my chosen field of study (engineering) and the broader world around me. It was hard for me to grasp and understand a lot of the concepts I was learning in school, and that frightened me. I thought I had somehow failed as a student, and that my apparent ignorance was some profound personal shortcoming.
And then I got involved with research, and my PI would constantly reassure me that it was okay that I didn’t have any prior knowledge or much understanding of the topics I was studying. It was both a shock and a relief to hear that from her, to know that it was completely acceptable for me to be totally confused and have no idea what I was doing when I first started. It was the start of a really healthy process of growth and change for me, and I now strive to embrace my ignorance whenever possible, to lean into how little I know about a given subject and get excited about being able to change that: to learn.
I’m certainly not perfect, I think we all get a little insecure when we don’t know or understand something we think we should, but for me it’s gotten a lot easier to manage those feelings with the lessons and experiences I’ve gained from doing research.
What are your plans after graduation? How has involvement in research influenced your plans?
After graduation, I plan to find a job in industry for a few years, just trying to get a feel for what kind of engineering jobs are out there. Eventually, I plan to return to school to earn my Master’s in Electrical Engineering. I think my experience in research has aptly prepared me for this future by teaching me tenacity and determination. It’s helped me to accept and realize my own limitations while never being defined by them, and I’ve been encouraged by my mentors in research to always push myself and strive for more than I think I’m capable of. I think these skills and attitude will serve me very well long after I’ve finished both school and my research.
Click here for more information on Riley and other OUR Peer Research Ambassadors.