Aaron Sinnott

Postdoctoral researcher at Trinity College Dublin

What is your background?

I did my PhD in nanomechanics of graphene nanosheet films. Proper mechanical processing and characterisation of these hadn’t been done before due to their complexity, and it took putting together a lot of new techniques to get it right. Originally the idea was to use this to improve the performance of printed electronics made from nanosheet films, but we found some really interesting mechanical properties which we took onboard to the tribologogical space for SSLiP.

What inspired you to pursue a career in a science-related field?

I decided to do my PhD in order to say I’d contributed something to worldwide understanding. I thought if even one person cited a paper of mine I could be happy with myself that I’d made some very small impact. Way earlier than that, as a kid, it was superhero movies and games that got me interested in physics and nanoscience. There were a lot of movies and games in the late 2000s using ‘nanoscience’ as a buzzword that really sparked the imagination of pre-teen me. I guess that must have stuck by the time I was applying for college courses years later.

What is your role within the SSLiP project? How do you expect your work will contribute to your career development?

My scientific work during SSLiP has focused on developing new micro-patterned surfaces for controlling sliding interfaces, on top of pushing forward my PhD work of processed nanosheet films. So, a lot of surface and thin-film engineering. Primarily though, I’ve been engaged in the project management and commercialisation side of things, working alongside the project coordinator to plan the direction of what comes after SSLiP. Learning how to take scientific work from the lab, to patentability, to finding real-world applications, engaging with stakeholders, exploring funding and investment paths, and enterprise development has been a great journey and really helpful to my career development beyond the academic bubble.

What are the activities in your current position that you find the most interesting?

Honestly, the application and industry engagement side of things. The fundamental science is always fun and interesting, but finding ways to make our discoveries impactful, and what that means in a commercial/industry setting compared to an academic setting has really driven me forward for the last few years.

Do you have any advice for future professionals in this field?

There’s plenty of opportunity in an EIC project like this. There’s some great fundamental scientific work being done and it gives really valuable experience working in multidisciplinary projects and across different institutions. Being directly involved with so many collaborators is really valuable to staying connected with the broader scientific community also, a real essential piece to building a career in academia.
There’s also a lot of opportunity to broaden your horizons beyond academia. The application focused nature of EIC projects ensures plenty of chances to explore industry connections and collaborations, understand industry relevant R&D needs and expectations, project management, communication skills, stakeholder engagement, and tech transfer. There’s valuable opportunities on a project like this whether your career is steering towards academia, industry, or project management