21 Jun Alex Birck, LASP, Week 3
Hello everyone!
Week 3 at the Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics (LASP) looked a little different than usual. Isaias was away on a school trip, so I spent the week handling projects on my own, and there was certainly no shortage of work to do.
The Breadbord all clean.
One of the biggest projects this week was helping clean and assemble a mobility table alongside several LASP undergraduate interns and project leads. While cleaning hardware may not sound particularly exciting, the table will be used with sensitive ultraviolet (UV) equipment, meaning even tiny particles, fingerprints, oils, or residues can become a problem. Throughout the week, I helped clean metal struts and other components, while the most time-consuming task was cleaning the breadboard. Every threaded hole had to be cleaned individually with a specialized swab, first using acetone and then isopropyl alcohol. Once everything was cleaned, the breadboard was wrapped in protective plastic to keep it contamination-free before being moved into the cleanroom. After all the preparation was complete, I helped move the components into the cleanroom and begin reassembling the mobility table with the project leads. The project took most of the week, but by the end, we were done, and the team celebrated a productive week with pizza for lunch.
The big 3d printed model.
When I wasn’t helping with the mobility table, I continued making progress on my 3D-printed model project. I spent time designing additional plates and preparing components for machining. The project is getting closer to completion, and I am hopeful that everything will be wrapped up next week.
This Friday was Juneteenth, which meant everyone at LASP received the day off, which came at the perfect time after a busy week.
PIZZA FOR LUNCH
Outside of work, the week was just as enjoyable. I had the opportunity to reconnect with friends from piano camp during their annual end-of-camp concert. It was great seeing familiar faces again and listening to all the music everyone had prepared. Yesterday, I went to a summer party hosted by friends of my host family. It was a fun way to spend the evening, meet new people, and enjoy the beautiful Colorado weather at 9,000 ft. To finish off the weekend, I went on a seven-mile hike in the mountains above Boulder. The views were incredible, and being able to look out over the city from above made all the climbing worth it.
Week 3 may have involved a lot of cleaning, but it was also a week of progress. Between everything, several projects are finally starting to come together. I’m looking forward to seeing what next week brings—and hopefully crossing a few more items off the project list.
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