Researcher as Handyman

The circumstances in which an experimenter finds himself deter­mine the variety and degree of skill demanded of him. To researchers in humanities, mathematics, and “theoretical” sci­ences, this concern for building the experimental setup is just hearsay. At the other extreme, almost all areas of engineering and technology require, for experimental research, some kind of setup to be designed and put together. Between these extremes, most sciences require apparatus of varying complexity. Some fortunate ones have simply to “slip in” to the existing equipment, which has been used in previous years. On the other hand, some researchers may find themselves in places and among people where research has no tradition. Starting from scratch to build research equipment is a formidable task. Here, brainwork has to take a back seat, at least until tangible, usable equipment is avail­able. In the process of getting that accomplished, it happens more often than not that the researcher has to do one or more of the jobs that carpenters, machinists, electricians, plumbers, and welders, if available, could do better. It is not a coincidence that, the presence of lab technicians in most university labs, graduate students are often busy in workshops instead of in labs. The tech­nicians often do not, or do not want to, understand the specific­ity of the project and the equipment needed; they conveniently let the students swim or sink in their own mess. Needless to say, those who have the skills of the handyman have the advantage of overcoming hurdles in the way of building experimental setups. It is prudent of the researcher, as a part of his training, to acquire the basic skills of many trades, even if he does not enjoy those handyman activities. And it would be thoughtful of the universi­ties and other research labs to require that their future researchers be initiated in basic skills.

Source: Srinagesh K (2005), The Principles of Experimental Research, Butterworth-Heinemann; 1st edition.