The SSA (‘Stichting Studiereis Astatine’ or Foundation Studytrip Astatine) is an organization that offers the possibility to hire a group of students from the University of Twente for a case.
Most of our participants study the Bachelor Advanced Technology or are pursuing a Master of their interest at the University of Twente. Our participants are second years students or higher.
One of our objectives is to gain some hands-on experience by doing actual work for companies, mostly domestic. The students would like to know how it is to not only follow courses but also to apply the knowledge gained in the real world. By achieving this objective, we aim to travel to Argentine and Chile. This means we will visit companies and universities at the destination to get a feeling of how real work and research is done not only domestically but also abroad.
In the following sections, you can find a short description of our skillset, examples of cases, additional clarification on our work procedure, and our financial proposition.
Skillset
The SSA consists of a group of 23 students from the University of Twente. These students have different skills and interests. All participants have followed the Bachelor Advanced Technology and are pursuing a Master or are still studying Advanced Technology. Advanced Technology is a very broad technical bachelor that contains courses in the area of physics, chemistry, and electronics.
To give an image of the skills our participants have, a skills list is compiled:
Programming, among others:
– Java
– HTML
– C++
– Python
Working with programs, such as:
– Excel
– Solidworks
– MATLAB/Simulink
– Adobe Illustrator
– LaTeX
– Mathematica
– Labview
– LTspice
– 20sim
– COMSOL
Computer Science:
– General computer skills
– Computer architecture
– Algorithms
– Networks
Electronics:
– The understanding, designing and building of circuits
– Impedance
– Control systems
– Working with Arduino’s
– Working with Raspberry Pi’s
Mathematics:
– Differential equations
– Difference equations
– Calculations in the Fourier domain (both Fourier and Laplace)
– Signal analysis
– Algebra
– Calculus
Design:
– Drawing (both general drawings as technical drawings)
– Working with Adobe Illustrator
– Video editing
– Design of posters
– Design of web pages
– Design of mobile apps
Physics:
– Fluid mechanics
– Thermodynamics
– Fields & Waves
– Mechanics (both statics and dynamics)
– Aerospace engineering
Chemistry:
– Material science
– Semiconductors
– Solar cells
– Process engineering
– Organic chemistry
Biology:
– Medical/medicine knowledge
– Biomedical (robotics)
– Anatomy
– Ecology
Scientific Skills:
– Literature research
– Writing of reports
– Citations
– Analytical skills
Case Examples
Below, a couple of examples of casework are given:
- Applying layers to tubular membranes, participants are currently involved in producing and characterizing coated membranes for companies. The process includes documenting deposition procedures and using equipment for characterization. Participants are also creating social media content to showcase lab work.
- Creating tutorial assignments for educational use, involving modeling 1 or 2DOF electro/mechanical systems.
- Reworking handwritten or partially digitally created slides for educational use, involving transforming unformatted content into clear, formatted slides suitable for students.
- Creating a model predicting the impact of hot gases from biogas flares on the surroundings, based on thermal power, wind conditions, and others. This was be done in COMSOL, and by creating a physics-based model.
- Designing floor tests for a company that realizes many warehouses and was looking for a floor type for it. The students working on this case researched different test designs, wrote scripts for different tests, and reported on the results.
- Making a technical design for a company that was looking for a good construction for a sunblind system.
- Researching the applicability of small-scale hydrogen filling stations. This research consisted of three parts: the production of hydrogen, the transport of hydrogen, and a market analysis.
Work Procedure
If this has triggered interest in a possible corporation, we would love to discuss the possibilities over a cup of coffee or tea, in real life if possible but also online when we can. During this appointment, the specifics of the case the expected output will be discussed, and we can get a feeling of whether the case fits within our expertise and your request.
Next, we will make an estimation of the hours required to work on this case. Before we then proceed with the case, we will sign a contract to clarify the case and all arrangements involved. This will all be done in consultation with your company.
Financial Proposition
Our rate for one hour of work done towards a case is around 30 euro exclusive BTW (depending on the wishes of your company). From experience, we know that most cases for the SSA are around 30 to 300 hours of work. Before any work is done towards a case, several arrangements will be discussed to ensure a good expectation of the work ahead for both parties. This involves making an estimation of the number of hours required to complete the case and write this down in a contract.
If this has prompted any interest, you can always reach us via email: