February 2017

Friction is important in everyday life, but because it is everywhere we often take it completely for granted. Every time you stand still, walk, or hold an object, friction helps you to control movements. At the same time, the friction of moving parts in machines, and the associated wear, costs modern societies an enormous amount of energy and materials.

Have you ever listened to a presentation on a topic you really like, but still you got lost halfway? Or have you ever felt like an imposter at a conference, because you were not even able to even understand the introduction? Maybe it was not you; maybe we need to rethink the way presentations are given.

Even the best research results are worth nothing if people don’t hear about them, or don’t understand what you are saying. Maybe it is time to revise the way we communicate science?

During loading/offloading and shipping there is a risk of spills, and such LNG spills have been shown to cause a special kind of explosive and dangerous accident called Rapid Phase Transition (RPT). However, the explosion does not always occur and nobody can clearly predict if and when it will happen. This mystery is the core motivation for my project.