The Role of Research in My Future Career

Every object around us is a result of research. From pillows to non stick fry pans, crayons to drawing tablets, from mouse pads to computers and even barbeque flavored biscuits to chocolate wafer ones, all of these and more are the results of research. Not only tangible things like products spring from research but also in vague things such as marketing strategies, advertising ideas, commercials and many how-to functions.

Research in this age and time means searching for a theory, for testing a theory, or for solving a problem. It means that a problem exists and has been identified and that the solution of the problem is necessary or beneficial. When the police is trying to solve a crime, they need to gather evidences, witnesses and make inductive or deductive reasoning to solve the questions, why was the crime done, who did it and how was it done. All of these strategies speak of research.

Kerlinger defines research as “a systematic controlled, empirical, and critical investigation of hypothetical propositions about the presumed relations among the natural phenomena”. And looking for a research problem with such characteristics and entailed with such limitations is really complex. By limitations, I mean that the scope of the research problem that we need to do have been limited to revolve only to “Green Computing”. Though this topic is something I and my classmates are interested with, yet up to this date, all of us are besieged to think of one worthy research idea.

I have actually delayed replying to this topic since I still have no idea on what my ideal research topic is but the time has finally came that I can’t it delay anymore (te-hee). Providentially, I have an idea or two now to help me in answering the question above. But allow me to tell you about how I arrived to those ideas.

When we were told to think of an idea for a research study, I would admit that there were times that I slacked off. In times that I was trying to focus, I would face the computer and search for topics such as economic and environmental problems that is caused by computers or technology, or “green” products. Virtually, I search and read anything that is related to green IT or green computing since that is the main building block of my research study. But in searching the Internet, even with a thousand hits or topics of varying titles, authors and origins the ideas are a bit similar. E-waste management is the most popular result followed by ‘green’ datacenters or recyclable computer parts and then by computer hazards in the environment through C02 and radiation emissions. Basically, the things I read online revolves around those affairs. I even tired asking opinion from friend of mine but most of them just replied e-waste management and CO2 emissions. A friend of mine already proposed E-waste management and to say it simply, it wasn’t really received warmly by our professor, in fact he even advised that particular friend of mine to forget about E-waste and think of another idea. I can’t really blame my professor, though E-waste is existing in the “present” and interesting, it isn’t worthy to be a research topic if you just want to discuss on what it is and how to do it since it has been discussed many times and its “solution” has been demonstrated loads of times. For me, a proper research topic entails creating solution to something undiscovered and vital. If I foresee that not bring solution to my proposed problem then I would not proceed with it.

Days, turned to weeks and weeks turned to months, when I finally realized that only employing one technique (searching through the Internet) to get an idea isn’t enough. It is funny because when I thought about it, I have to “research” not only about a proper proposal for my research but also I have to “research” a technique on how to arrive to an idea. And in lou of that, I understood that research isn’t easy as it sounds, heck, finding a problem itself needs research. So as another strategy, if you may call it, I went on a Research Field Exposure. I got this idea from a show I was watching wherein the contestants went to different places to get inspiration or more specifically to design and concept for a new phone. Though there were things that they can use inside the office such as sketches of prints, color schemes and palettes of which they can base their new designs from they went outside to research and gather a fresh new perspective. One team went to an art museum and the other team went to the carnival and at the end of the day all of them delivered well, even exceeding the expectations of those who were in that business for years. I wasn’t really thinking of exceeding anyone’s expectations (though that would be nice) but I did the same strategy so as to gain a fresh new perspective and not to mention relieve my back pains and dizziness due to spending hours in front of a computer.

Doing research in that way was actually fun, like a breath fresh air. I went in every stall/store in the mall, ate ice cream and taking pictures of things I thought would bring an idea. By every stall, I meant every and any stall from bookstores wherein I spent two hours in reading computer related books (unfortunately not even one talks about green computing so later on I read astrology books nyahaha), appliance shops (wherein I tried to find features which are eco-friendly), cellphone shops (since I was also considering making a “green” application for mobile/cellphones) and even supermarkets (ideas can spurt anywhere right?!). Going to Internet shops was a must too. Observing what problems might occur in those places is relevant to my study.

At the end of the day, I gather a lot of insights and new ideas (mostly from appliance shops). From Sony’s new line of Bravia LCD HDTV comes there WE5 series and the first ever “green” TV. It has three features that made this a green TV and those are: micro-tubular HCFL backlight, a presence sensor and an energy saving switch. I really want to incorporate those features on a computer but the problem is those are patented technology, very costly and needs years to study and training of which I can’t account for in my 5 month research time limit. But then, if really given the proper funding and knowledge I would really like to research on this topic since it would certainly help the environment because (my hypothesis is) it can cut down PC power consumption to 50% just from the microtubular HCFL backlight feature alone.

From then on, I have been reading about computer backlights and this is the first time I knew that computer and TV’s use CCFL backlights but now are being replaced of LED backlights since its more energy efficient. A normal HCFL backlight is energy efficient too but it has not been tested if its suitable for computers, hopefully with this new micro tubular HCFL backlight, its integration to computers will be studied on.

Hmmm… So obviously I am getting wrapped up on my backlights affair so let us now discuss on what is the role of research topic in deciding my future career.

There’s a saying that in life how you begin or end doesn’t matter but the journey on how you get there, and this saying applies to me. The results of research studies varies, if its hardware based it, something really new, you can apply for patent and sell this technology. If its software, you can also sell it to interested parties but it its pure social research then its implementation would benefit a lot people aside from yourself. But then if in the end my end product would not be that satisfying, I wouldn’t feel down about it since what is important and more useful for myself and for my future career is what I learned and how I applied it. For me, whether or not, I formulate a research study worthy of applause or recognition what matters most is the journey on how I came to that idea and how I did it though I still target to have a significant research study that would benefit me and my environment. Right now, I still have no concrete proposal, I already learned a lot of things. Things that I wouldn’t have the wind of if not for this research study. I got interested in a lot of topics and I am hoping I would get to formally study or work on after I graduate of which may help me on what job I would like to apply for when I graduate (which hopefully would be this year). All the things I learned is essential for my growth as a student who would later on be part of a team of It specialist. Through this, I become conscious of the fact that, true, the school teaches us a lot of things but not all the things that would make us ready when we are on the actual field and thus if we want to “be” ready for it, we must research it on our own. The Internet and the environment gives us a lot of data to work on, a lot of ideas to use, new discoveries and areas in which we can vent out all of these.

Creating a research study builds up interest in a particular field of study, and for me as an IT student it might be on programming, or on analysis or technical implementation and I believe when I graduate the impression that research left on me might direct me to an industry or career that interests me or maybe if I am lucky and my research gets known by such industries they might be the one who gets interested in me to join their team.