To-Do List

As most of you are probably aware, Semester 2 is just around the corner, I will do my best to update as many Semester 2 Modules as I can before the term starts. I apologize if I'm unable to because right now I'm rushing my FYP Final Report (It is a real headache trust me...) as well as reading up for my design project (You will understand when the time comes!)

I'll drop some tips for FYP and Design while we're at it.

CN4118R B.Eng Dissertation
There are sort of 4 types of FYP you can do namely, theoretical, computational, experimental, materials-related (Semicon stuff).
So choose what you are confident in, if you are unsure about what the FYP is about, do a quick background check on what the topic is on. You have about a few weeks to actually view the topics available before balloting for them.

If you have strong computational background, then I recommend you go for the computational FYPs because they are mainly based on optimization and simulations.

Experimental is dependent on which prof, what topic and your mentor. It is really a luck of the draw thing because you can get a good prof, a good topic, but if your mentor decides to be a complete male-donkey (Go figure), it can still be a hell-hole for you. Typically, if you can get results for experimental FYPs it'd puts you in a better position. Otherwise, try to demonstrate some form of critical thinking for example explaining why you think the experiment didn't work out, what can be improved, postulate something to reason why it was different etc. The list is very exhaustive and I will try to cover as much as I can when I go more detailed into CN4118R

CN4123 Design Project
Now, 95% of the cohort will be very ignorant of what this is and probably delete the design project email that the department mails you in Year 2 Semester 1/2 (I can't remember which semester). Fortunately, for a kiasu person like me, I actually kept the design statement and in Year 3/4 you will see a lot of people panicking for Design because they will be like "Huh?! What design statement?! How come I never receive? Where you get from?!" etc. So my advice right here, right now, if you are reading this, SAVE THE DESIGN STATEMENT THAT YOU GET IN YEAR 2.

Form your groups early, pick teammates you trust. Make sure at least one of them is good at computation and coding because you will need to code out stuff like your reactor. The best time to see who is "worthy" to be in your group is Year 2 and Year 3 when all the group project kicks in. Trust me, there will be friends who act very "bro" and stuff, but when it comes to the project, just because its a mere 10% - 20%, they will act like they are very busy and go "I need to study for my midterm", "I am not free, I got something on tonight", "I need to do tutorial", "I am taking 6 modules, so I'm very busy, cannot do" and the plethora of excuses go on and on and on to the point you just have to solo the project. Yeap, this happened to me for Year 2 and Year 3, and wow did it help for my design project group formation, self filtered themselves! The best was the "I am taking 6 modules" excuse because that semester I took 7 modules and that dude dared to give that excuse in front of me to not do the project (WOW!).

So TL;DR - TRUSTWORTHY teammates, good coders, keep design statement when you get it in year 2. Game is half won.

I recommend that in the semester you are doing IA, while you are a little more "free" assuming you don't take too many night modules, go read up the design statement. See the recommended papers in the statement, read them and search other papers. Then start reading up on design textbooks like Gavin Towler or Turton. Learn your Aspen Hysys module well and if possible adventure into Aspen Plus in the computer labs.