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09-09-2015 - Mind master - Day 60

On the morning workshops, we met with Lesley Hetherington, which analyzed the different approaches to project management and human resources. Each of us is different and for any number of tasks has a different priority, so important is the model of how we choose to manage. With the right commitment and coherence of actions we can achieve a lot in a short time.

In addition to discussing management models we analyzed also the function of leader. A leader is not only the brain of all activities. Depending on the field, the complexity of the group and leader tasks, the leader can have very different characteristics than we think. Regardless of the personality of the leader he must be open to the surrounding world and constantly deepen his knowledge and improve skills. If you think you Dear Reader, that you are a good group leader, and you know everything it is worth to take a step back, and expand horizons in other areas. So as we did at today's workshop.

Our time on this internship comes to an end and it is the time to begin the summary. At the beginning of the afternoon session we summarized our proposed solutions in the areas that are very different from our daily work. After presenting solutions we gained valuable opinions of experts, and one of them was Andy Hopper, with whom we had the pleasure of meeting a few days ago. The proposed solutions were unconventional, yet simple and inexpensive to implement. Everything was evaluated: creativity, group collaboration, the simplicity of actions.

We summed up not only our solutions, but also all that we have learned during the workshops in business school, academy of entrepreneurship and what we obtained through consultations with specialists. Our time is shrinking at an alarming rate because we use every moment to be inspired, and tomorrow will prove whether our ideas are as good as we think. Tomorrow the final presentations and a poster session...

08-09-2015 - Entrepreneurship for enthusiasts - Day 59

In the morning we visited the academy of entrepreneurship. In this business school we met with specialists with years of experience in the transfer of scientific ideas to industry. The classes were discovering our potential for innovation. We have undertaken tasks requiring cooperation with the environment differs from that of the scientific community, we adopted the new directions of development of the analyzed studies and business, and also focused on the current activity of the company in combination with other giants operating in the market in a similar field. Today we had the opportunity to develop the competitiveness of our businesses and creating new activities for entrepreneurship. We defined the value created by our businesses, and tested them in specific social realities, thereby adjusting them to current and future market needs.

Today we dealt mainly with the changes. Changes regarding habits, principles of operation and specific systems of group cooperation. Without changes we will not survive and we will not adjust the pace of development to the changing circumstances and needs of the market. We need to take such steps to ensure that our actions are the least painful, while introducing drastic changes.

The slightest error in management can cost us the loss of position and they can be very problematic. Therefore, we must react immediately and the ideal would be to anticipate the changes. We can’t rely on the myths of relying solely on the basis of verification so far, as to maintain its position and our competitiveness will be possible to complete the restructuring. Then the old rules may be completely useless.
At today's workshop we received to analyze a lot of new issues, and tomorrow we will have the opportunity to present the results of our brainstorming in front of a specially invited guests to our classes. It will be interesting :)

07-09-2015 - Secret garden - Day 58

Have you ever wondered Dear Reader, where did the mushrooms come from, how many types of mushrooms occurs and what effects their actions that can be observed inside and living organisms? Whether the mushrooms have anything to do with global warming? Can we manage the mushrooms? Is it possible to use them in a sustainable development strategy? What have in common mushrooms with the economy? Is it possible to create a DNA bank of all species of plants? Can a tree have a bar code?

We had the opportunity today to answer these and many other questions. We discussed and exchanged facts about herbs and spices and their impact on the well-liked by all innovation. We met new consultants in Kew, place that is green form plants and white like lab coat.

At dawn we went to the Royal Botanic Gardens in west London. You can call it mysterious, because only a few have the chance to explore the nooks and crannies of each building located in the same garden. There are a lot of buildings, including greenhouses, restaurants and cafes, but our journey did not end at them. We visited the local laboratories where researchers conduct studies on the survival of many endangered species, also create new species, develop the perfect tree for the production of laminate flooring, deal with the protection of plants against diseases, fungi, mold and work on many equally interesting issues.

We consider it as a successful visit. Meeting with scientists at Kew brought many productive conversations and consultations. For many of us being here confirmed that it is extremely important to conduct interdisciplinary research. Together we found that even studying the plant can be affected. The impact on learning, life, the world around us. Let us not fear of challenges and work, and a good change will come sooner than we think.

06-09-2015 - Plaid - Day 57

Sunday. Nothing special in it except that it was our last Sunday in Cambridge. This is where we want to spend it, Cambridge. Just a few minutes after 8:00 we gathered in the auditorium of the Fitzwilliam College. Here the internship participants who are also employees of technology transfer centers prepared for us a few hours of training in the protection of intellectual property, and all of which they have to deal with every day.

After the training we stared to plan a highly productive afternoon. Some of us wanted to spend this weekend in Scotland at air show, but teleportation as large items as the participants of the internship is not yet possible. Travel by car north of the island would take all day. So we spent Sunday with the Scots in Cambridge. Of course, nothing stood in the way to visit the Cavendish Laboratory and to search for teleporter, but it was a lot quicker to bring the Scots to our college.

Weekend rest, however, ends today and tomorrow we start a series of classes and training summarizing the achievements of i-Teams throughout the internship. Sunday has become a big race. Race in packaging, buying, exploring everything worth seeing in Cambridge and the surrounding area, that was not previously seen.

Today was a perfect example of the ups and downs of the last minute planning activities, but we managed to do everything we have planned for today :)

05-09-2015 - Full tank, tracing the footsteps of atom and Baby - Dzień 56

Before us last week in the United Kingdom, so there is no way to resist the temptation to fill up the tank and travel in search of the secret nooks and crannies on the island. Some of us arrived today in the capital, others to the coast and a small group to Manchester.

Mamecestre, because so for several centuries was called Manchester, was once a wooden castle founded by the Romans. For centuries, the city looked like marketplace, but with the increasing demand for fabrics of different colors and texture, it became a textile town. The beginnings of the seventeenth century brought a plague of clearance over a quarter of the population of the town, but the town quickly recovered and began to be celebrated splendor of the textile industry specializing in wool, cotton and silk. With the beginning of the Industrial Revolution in the late eighteenth century textiles glorify Manchester in the farthest corners of the country. They began to mine cabon here as well and made the first steam engine, making spinning mills grew by leaps and bounds. Although the beginnings of the nineteenth century brought cholera epidemic here, that led to a weakening of the power industry, this city has become famous for its textile industry not only within the country but also in the world.

The twentieth century in Manchester began a new history. In 1900 the city library was opened, and three years later the university was founded. The city grew and was famous not only with textiles, but also from the production of flour, biscuits and cereals. University attracted students, tourists were delighted by architecture, and today Manchester is famous for, among others, the paper industry, apparel, aerospace, electrical and mechanical engineering. The architecture of this agglomeration is a showcase of ancient technological innovations and worth spending some time here to feel the vibe of the city.

However, we were following the footsteps of the history of science. Therefore, it is worth mentioning that in Manchester the first time nuclear fission was performed, and also the first science computer was developed. Although the computer occupied the entire room is was affectionately called Baby. It was developed at the University of Manchester by F.C. Williams and T. Kilburn, and on its basis, a later model called Manchester Mark I was developed, which competed with EDSAC from the Mathematical Laboratory at Cambridge University.

Time is ticking, and workshops and labs do not resemble those like centuries ago. Despite this, Manchester continues to surprise. Not without causes it has a nickname “the graphene city”. Here is the famous Institute of Graphene, and soon the Innovative Centre for Engineering and Graphene will be placed. Certainly, you'll hear about it soon, Dear Reader.

04-09-2015 - i-Teams - after dinner - Day 55, part II

This afternoon was full of work! After school we went back to the Fitzwilliam College to complete scheduled tasks. In the end, only hard work, complemented by creativity gives the foundation for development. Development of the final presentation requires proper distribution and arrangement of the whole team. Although we worked on the project together over the last weeks and it seems to us that we already know everything about it, it is necessary to bring together of the whole vision of the project once again.

We must always consider alternatives, and monitor changing trends in the market. A few weeks is not much, but sometimes these few weeks determine the success of the project.

Final presentations should be free of weaknesses, so before us long evenings and even nights to make sure everything is perfect. Of course, there are no projects free of weaknesses, but our aim is now to detect them, minimize, anticipate problems and remove them right now, and not at the stage of further development.

04-09-2015 - i-Teams - full speed ahead - Day 55, part I

i-Teams projects are being developed at a dizzying pace. In recent weeks, both at the University of Cambridge and in Oxford we had different ideas. Some of them, initially called irrational, proved to be a hit. By working in interdisciplinary teams each of us could demonstrate a unique combination of skills, which translated into progress of work of the whole team.

i-Teams is not just about working in a group. It is an attempt for all team members and at the same time fight for survival. Thanks to the work on a common project during internship we saw that the i-Teams is not a simulation, and it depends only on us whether we can implement the proposed solutions. We had hundreds of consultations, dozens of meetings with entrepreneurs, as well as many discussions with investors.

It remained only a week of TOP 500 Innovators internship. On the morning workshops we were working on the final speeches. We expect that many specialists will come to see them.
It depends on us whether we convince them to our ideas. Today's activities were designed to answer the most difficult questions. Today it's time for a summary of the project and the evaluation of each individual, the whole group and being developed technology. Next week we will have our final presentation.

Here counts everything, but ... we're optimistic. In the end, we learned from the best!

03-09-2015 - 03-09-2015 - What they have in common, James Bond and Technology Park? A Lotus car! - Day 54

We had another incredible adventure. In the morning we went to the Technology Park near Norwich, lying about 90 km from Cambridge. It is here that innovation is implemented not only in science, industry, but also among the youngest fans of technology. Looking for inspiration we got to the Hethel Engineering Centre. We promptly learned that this place infects with innovative and creative thinking everyone who enters the building. The building hosts also many workshops in which many engineers would like to work. Specialists from Lotus car company not only perform work on the latest technological solutions, implement certain projects, but also meet with students of primary, secondary and high schools by organizing workshops on creative thinking and creating inventions. Here, children learn to imaging their thoughts, they work on models and creative designing a prototype of the invention. Workshops are devoted to physical sciences, prototyping, composite materials or testing of components to build Lotus cars.

Did you knew Dear Reader, that Lotus is able within a few days to adapt the production line to produce a car that was previously only in the sphere imagination? In Hethel you can see for yourself the benefits of technology. This place helps to develop and stimulate the imagination not only among children but also among scientists. You can freely walk the corridors and look into a modern passive house made up of components like Lego, participate in the development of modern engines and turbines, admire modern medical equipment, and even play with wonders called Zenos. Hethel is like academy for inventors and thanks to visiting this place we had the opportunity to establish valuable contacts, to observe the new technological solutions, and also gain another dose of inspiration.

02-09-2015 - Raspberry pi - Day 53, part II

After the lectures, we parked the bikes under the William Gates's building, where Andy Hopper, professor at Cambridge University and fellow countryman, was waiting for us. He is the person who contributed to the revolution in the PC market. Currently, Prof. Hopper manages the University Computer Laboratory, famed with develop new technological and informatics solutions. In the 80's He helped in the assumption and development of Ancorn Computers and the Raspberry Pi, surprising till today.

The meeting with Andy was extremely dynamic. Together with Top's from cohort 35.11, participated in this meeting, we didn't notice how fast elapsed hours. After this meeting we convinced that it is worth to be both a scientist and an entrepreneur. By combining research with application tests and their implementation we can affect the development of the country or even the world.

We were also pleased to hear that it should be investing in young people, because their, often seemingly crazy ideas turn to be diamonds, which require only minor sanding and ...be ensure dear reader, it was worth the wait for weeks for the meeting.

02-09-2015 - Let's wallpaper the room - Day 53, part I

Each client is different just like an idea. The same idea can be developed on 711 or more ways. With a bit of desire every solution may be unique. At today's workshop some of us replace in "paperhanger". Using templates we prepared the final business plans and thanks to it we could overcome the further steps in the implementation of our plans. We measured with many adversities, difficult questions and traps, but the workshops were intense and full of interesting twists and turns.

Anyone who wants to establish a start-up sooner or later has to determine precisely target and the various stages of project development. In this situation with the help comes algorithms, so in the next steps of development a long-term strategy of the company is much easier to determine. When we know how market is interesting for us and it seems that the we cannot learn more, after the depth analysis we need to carefully define the communication activities postponed for marketing target, and thus ... business. Today, not only the final business plan was planned, but also the communication strategy, which is currently the golden mean for innovator which wants to revolutionize the world.

At today's workshop walls were covered by hundreds of notes and thousands of descriptions. Creativity is the basis, it's translates into the effectiveness. Classes were full of intriguing questions, and each of the groups working on his project represented more newer and more surprising solutions technology development and marketing activities. The human mind is full of mysteries, and if only dicey situations we will not shut up in the rigid framework of the project we can achieve really many...

01-09-2015 - Consutations and other actions - Day 52, part II

Almost every company in the world conducts analyzes to check the same variable in different configurations or time periods, and the knowledge and experience of the whole Team help to complete of the projects. Thanks to efficient Team collaboration it is possible to deal with risk management, process optimization in the design and manufacture of our inventions, data collection and many other activities.

Efficient work of the interdisciplinary team need effective communication, which consists of many elements. Dialogue ... dialogue is the most important think. Crucial effective communication and regular flow of information is to identify milestones, define the goal, find possible alternatives, views, insights and opinions. Without proper dialogue, even the best group can quickly stop functioning.

This afternoon some of us spent on consultations with experts, researchers and entrepreneurs. Using the range of possibilities for developing our ideas, designs, inventions after the regular trainings. And before us the night with i-Teams. Something good for everyone!

01-09-2015 - Paper, scissors, stone - Day 52, part I

Today's workshop is branded by management. Creating a new projects is not so difficult, but making it successful and leading to the end is other thing. It is worth reflecting on the proper project selection process. During the project development we have to choose proper way. Should we develop a product or a service, or it will be better to choose other way. Before decision making we should consider all consequences. And when we make a decision … Will we be forced to increase the space needed to work through the expansion of research facilities or the hiring of new employees? If you decide to hire someone whether it will be a person specialized in one area or fast learning person, even if this choice will connected with additional training?

But, before we start hiring, buying new equipment or organize a larger space to work, let's start by defining all possible alternatives. We have to consider the increasing number of the criteria and choose these ideas, which will have the greatest chance of success. What kind of risk we have? It really does not matter the type of industry, our experience and ideas, we must constantly remember of the risk. We have to have the risk in our mind. Scientists often lose their vigilance focusing on the details, e.g. in the lab, indulging experimental work within the walls of university often do not notice that the world around us, the market and consumers expected something diametrically different. Today, we need a comprehensive approach and we should at the early stages of our idea development work with specialists from various fields, industry, other institutions, even if the project is at a very early stage of development. This approach helps to avoid many errors and allow faster testing od idea, in the form of the finished product.

Desire of small children… whoever wanted to be a scientist dreamed of inventing a new substance, plastics, medicine, construction of modern machines, creation of something that could revolutionize technology and change the world. And come the reality and real life … often we forget that apart from our alma mater there are other industries that need scientists and we forget that we the scientists also need non-scientists to implement our ideas.
Today's training has helped us to answer arising questions: what would happen if... We analyzed and talked. We conducted a number of simulations and plans, through which we evaluate the chances of our product implementation. These trainings were valuable for each participant, regardless of the specifics of his work, i.e. computer scientist, chemist, mechanic or doctor. After all, the best to learn is learn from the source. Right here, in this institute, which involved in the production of everything that the human mind is able to think.

31-08-2015 - Bank Holiday vs historical treasures - Day 51

Bank Holiday is a public holiday also known as the Feast of the Bank and this free of work day fell today, on the last Monday of August. To seize the opportunity we catching up with discovering in Cambridge the unknown yet. That's why today's Bank Holiday is the exploration of the history, art and scientific expeditions, and our goal is to find many treasures and pearls hidden in local museums.

Following the footsteps of ancient civilizations and cultural development we came to aforementioned previous Fitzwilliam Museum located in opposite to the Judge Business School and near the Cam River. This museum belongs to one of 16 museums located in Cambridge and is not only a place for visit, but also the place for science. Museum cooperated with several departments e.g. Department of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics, Cavendish Laboratory, Department of Art History, or Manuscripts and Printed Books and the Department of Chemistry. This cooperation provides to strong and interdisciplinary research, so following the current trends, the Fitzwilliam museum also operates as innovation and research center.

Beside the great collections, also educational activities of that institution deserves on attention. There are organized lot of trainings and educational programs for multidisciplinary groups, including children, youth, families, students, seniors and people from Special Needs Centers.

There are organized a lot of lunch-meetings combined with popularization of science and exhibitions. All the initiatives are organized by enthusiasts who share their knowledge with such zeal that you can listen to them for hours. Time spent in the Fitzwilliam Museum runs far too quickly that's why we went into it in a hurry, just after our favorite eggs and bacon at Fitzwilliam College.


Building style is definitely stands out among nearby buildings, and blocks. The main façade of Corinthian columns expressive resembles a Greek temple, and monumental lions guard from entering. For the year the museum will celebrate the 200th anniversary, but it looks younger. It was founded in 1816, at the beginning it was to be a place to store manuscripts, masterpieces of painters and sculptors, as well as musical instruments. Viscount Fitzwilliam, collector and enthusiast was it's founder. Two centuries ago he donated his collection to the University of Cambridge together with the 100 thousand pounds amount. This noble gift was enough to establish this unforgettable museum. Since donations to build a lot of water in the River Cam flowed, but luckily in 1848 the Museum was opened to the public. Sir Fitzwilliam, however, did not stop accumulate collections of handing them over to the museum. So on the walls, visitors can see paintings by Rubens, Monet, Picasso or Breughel and Constable. Today you can find also find many traces of the ancient civilizations of Egypt, Greece, Cyprus and Rome. Fitzwilliam Museum holds many secrets and is famous for its unique collections in the farthest corners of the UK.

After Fitzwilliam museum the time has come for polar expeditions. In search of traces of history we got to the Polar Museum, located near. At the beginning of the previous century, this museum served as the repository for the storage of small equipment and gains from expeditions to the Arctic and Antarctica. Over the time, it began to store all the equipment and clothing necessary for the expedition on the both Arctic Circles as well. Polar Museum is part of the Scott Polar Institute, founded in 1920, of the University of Cambridge. The institute was named after Captain Scott, who died in Antarctica in 1912.

Despite the small size this museum is here many valuable exhibits. You can find sleds, clothing, diaries polar explorers, paintings, sextants, and even penguins. We did not expect such a large variety. If you do not believe dear reader, that this little place can hold as many pearls, they certainly should he find out about it by visiting the museum. Today's Bank Holiday was for us breaking these banks full treasures and in free time we will see these museums again.

30-08-2015 - Punting time! - Day 50

Everyone knows ships, yachts or boats, but who hears about punting? Punting is one of a kind, so Dear Reader, if you are planning visit Cambridge, this attraction should be your "must do" on itinerary. Tickets can be purchased on every corner, but the best time is in the morning, when the waters of the River Cam are empty. A punt is a flat-bottomed boat which does not have a keel, and is propelled by means of a long pole. Yes, dear reader pole. The volunteer receives a pole with a length of about 2.5 - 3 meters, which should bounce from the bottom of the river. For tourists's convenience, some sticks are made of aluminum, but the best punters used only this with are made on wood. You think it's easy? Well, in fact it is not a simple task. Pole weighs several kilograms, the bottom of the river can wedged in mud, so only rotary motion can release it.

The expedition along the river by boat controlled by a stick is full of surprises and in additional allows to see beautiful objects in Cambridge from a different perspective. You can admire, King's College and adjacent with it Clare College or many other colleges. Another of the attractions are the bridges and each of them is different. Stands here the famous Mathematical Bridge, whose construction distinguish it from others throughout Cambridge. Years ago, mathematicians have designed a wooden bridge, constructed with the absence of joints and screws. The bridge stood and stood, but human curiosity prevailed. The curious do not believe that the bridge is based only on the laws of physics and dismantled it by searching for the hidden binders. Unfortunately, without the mathematical project unlearned engineers were not able to reproduce the original construction, therefore they assembled it like intuition was telling them. They used huge brass rods, washers and hammers. Although the bridge stood with additional binders, its mathematical origins are known throughout Cambridge and certainly this wooden footbridge will forever be known as Mathematicians Bridge.

After boating on the river was the food-time, and nothing tastes better than a meal outdoors. To supplement proteins, fats and carbohydrates we went to the Jesus Green Park's, where you can not only relax, play sports, lead interesting conversations, but also light the grill. Nearby restaurants today are full of tourists, so we took the opportunity to eat delicious food prepared according to the busy training participant recipe.

Our dishes were not nourishment for the body only but for the spirit also. After excellent meal, in order to maintain balance in the universe, the afternoon we spent working on i-Teams projects, and some of us held scheduled meetings and gathering in various parts of the city. Ahead of us the last weeks of her stay and it is a good time to summarize and an final speeches, on which will depend the existence of projects and cooperation.

29-08-2015 - High ho, high ho... it's off to work I go - Day 49

Promptly at 8:30 our colleagues, Dagmara, Ela and Damian from the Centers for Technology Transfer, started training for us. Because each country has own rules in the field for the protection of intellectual property rights, so the training helped us in answering many troubling or persistent questions. We analyzed the patenting law prevailing in Poland , Europe, the United States and throughout the world. We got acquainted with provisions hidden behind contracts signed with ours cooperators and intricate legal issues. the principle of signing contracts depending on the grant were discusses. Because not any contract is worth to be signing if we have a grant to research with the potential for commercialization, basic research or for the popularization of science. Even if you do not have to deal with finances, we should be well acquainted with the knowledge of tax records and a lot of it will be easier to make decisions and sign documents knowing the VAT is eligible.

Each of the colleagues discuss another topic, but at lunchtime they all together gave us a full picture of principles, laws and rules, which seemed to unclear or simply unfriendly for us. Once again we had a training conducted by us and for us so that our "networking" is developing even better.

 

Weekend is also a good time to catch up in reports, publications and other remotely works above the projects ongoing in the walls of the native university. Because we cannot stop the time we must mobilize forces to have time for meetings, as well as sightseeing and other activities in Cambridge. Did we mention Dear Reader, that since the beginning of the internship we not only move every day on the bikes, but we are physically active also in other forms?

Every morning Jola conducts exercises with stretching. independing of day of the week or weather, morning stretching with Jola takes place long before breakfast at 6:00 am in the open air. In the afternoons, after classes and for a short time before dinner Damian conducts Tabata. After Tabata initially is desire to end of life, but after first shock and observation of the effects of exercise you cannot refuse another murderous workout. Late in the evenings, after dinner, meetings and gatherings some of us regularly practicing at the swimming pool, gym. Every two evenings we play football tournaments, Kasia teaches Zumba, others run around with Frank or practice the evening or night stretching exercises and yoga combined with other techniques conducted by Jola. The variety is so large that it is impossible to repeat the names of all exercises. Evening exercises are expanded with new elements so that the each of the part of the body made felt itself. During exercises on the grass, in the moonlight you feel like master every muscle, whose existence you had not idea before. Everyone will find something for everyone!

Afternoon in Cambridge is the perfect time to enjoy the atmosphere which prevails here. Currently, are vacations, so on the streets are more tourists than students, but visiting colleges you can feel the magic of this city. For some of us, today's afternoon started in the morning several kilometers away from here, but in the evening we meet together on the dinner reporting what of British pearls we discover among the monuments and villages, as well as replace the experience enjoying every moment spent on training

 

28-08-2015 - Here and there - Day 48, part III

Some of us in the afternoon remained in Hauser Forum, which in such a sunny day like today glitters in different colors that invites to remain there a little longer. Consultations, meetings, and other activities were carried out in an extraordinary atmosphere and we consider this afternoon to be very fruitful. Today, there have been lots of key decisions. We also chose the design and colors of our Top 500 internship T-shirts.

After dinner, it's time for some new attractions. The evening is a good opportunity for further integration, so we went together with the coordinators and the 35.11 group to the famous Maypole pub, which was established in 1982. Since then, it is the meeting place for students, entrepreneurs and businessmen from all over Cambridge. Summer in Cambridge is very sunny so we could enjoy the fresh air outside the building, and the positive aura promote the creation of new ideas. We're already planning further projects and take initiatives that will be implemented next year… fortune favours the brave:)

28-08-2015 - For whom bell tolls? - Day 48, part II

We have to face another battle between i-Teams groups. Soon the time will come to present our ideas and developed technologies. Today we discovered the secrets of project management at the stage of looking for investors. We already have cooperation, research facilities, golden ideas and a business plan. Each of our ideas is at a different level of market implementation, but even the most advanced projects still need several steps to finally get on the market. The final presentation will be a huge challenge because the projects must meet a number of criteria, and above all appeal to specialists that rank them.

 

A difficult task is waiting for us. And the end of this internship is getting closer and closer. Today's workshops allowed us for numerous consultations and asking questions, that answers we need to know before the next conversations with investors. Now we have the opportunity to improve ideas, technologies, business plans, and even advertisements. Part of the lecture concerned the market, and many related issues. The hard part is to meet customer requirements, convinced him to our product and sustain interest for a long time, because we talk and talk and talk again in order to learn as much as possible. We received today a lot of great tips, including how to transform teaching and research in business, and share knowledge to successfully develop an idea and we received the answer to many troubling questions.

When cooling systems were invented, many people wondered why would someone need ice. In a short time it turned out that ice is irreplaceable in extending shelf life of many products, and today it is used in all areas from industry to medicine. The good idea and fitting the needs of the consumer is important, but apart from that there are a number of dependencies and rules that must be met in the early stages of idea development. Then you can only get better. From an investor's perspective it is easier to invest in small companies despite the fact that they are exposed to a high risk of failure. Because the small companies are opened to new ideas and they try to do what they can so that their product will be desirable and good quality. For small businesses there are waiting many more hurdles, on which they can very quickly stumble. Today, we stand on the lower steps of commercialization, so today's workshop will help us to bypass these hurdles. It will allow us also to develop our ideas and to organize work before the foundation of start-ups.

28-08-2015 - Stand-up - Day 48, part I

In the morning, Adelina Chalmers visit us. And we have presentation workshop. We develop our presentations skills, in terms of presenting not only research topics, but also topics deviating from the teaching and academic research. Anyone interested had the opportunity to fight i.e. speech to the audience without pre-set plan and topic occurrence.

The goal was to convince the audience to the topic and after each occurrence received valuable tips. We can immodestly say that we become better and better … and after returning thanks from Adelina, numerous exercises and a lot of work we will be able to give a lot of good, inspiring speeches.

27-08-2015 - Innovation Forum - Day 47, part III

Most of the evenings we spend talking about meetings with people, with whom we were able to make contact and often cooperation. Despite the fact that most of them take place in small groups, usually once a week huge open meetings take place. So the same was today. On this evening we have planned a meeting with the Innovation Forum and invited to them also our guests brokers. Innovation Forum is a dynamic organization that supports innovation not only in the UK but also in whole Europe. Its aim is to promote sustainable development and business practices in both small companies and large corporations. Innovation Forum assists in implementation, bridge communication gap between companies, investors, academics and even the government. This organization can help in the promotion and ideas exchange, the promotion of innovative practices. Through its own thriving business illustrates the driving force behind what is in a good idea, enthusiasm and innovation. At the meeting came even CEO Innovation Forum. It was incredible opportunity to undertake new ventures, cooperation, creation and expansion of business Innovation Forum in Poland, as well as the promotion of Polish science, innovation, information and experience flow. The next evening we believe to be fruitful and impatiently we are waiting for the next scheduled meeting.

27-08-2015 - Guests, guests are coming - Day 47, part II

Finally, came the day and to Fitzwilliam College arrived innovation brokers, who are also participants in the program TOP 500 Innovators, but in previous editions at Stanford and Berkeley. College, in which we live and in which take place part of trainings will devote a separate post. However, it is worth mention at least today's famous sculpture of a goat with wicker, which is the long time on campus and is the symbol of Fitzwilliam College. Billy Fitz, because that is the name of the campus mascot, was one of this afternoon highlights. We presented Billy to our new colleagues.

27-08-2015 - Show time - Day 47, part I

Innovation, Incubation and other Inno - Action and all these thinks only to inspire other, broaden horizons and expansion. Every Scholarship day is different and once again we have the opportunity to establish many contacts and know the places, to which, if you are not concerned with a particular institution, access is limited. Training started with Alex Smeets in college Fitzwilliam and are very dynamic. First some case study, then we analyzed the ecosystems different from that in Cambriege. Then we got on the bus, known here as "coach" to take us to the Babraham Technology Park.

In Babraham we continued to examine other ecostystems and infrastructure differences, in particular by evaluate success chances in new technologies development. Next we have had meeting with Babraham employees: Technology Transfer Center workers, scientists, who have made a career focusing on research full potential applications, including the Poles and Technology Park Chief. A trip to the Babraham Research Centre was an incredible opportunity to meet the local infrastructure and convince once again that Silicon Valley does not exist only in California, but it is also here ... in the golden English triangle Cambridge-Oxford-London.

Meetings with entrepreneurs and scientists were inspiring and stimulating to work both here and in the other visited parks. These visits are a unique opportunity to hold meetings and consultations, so today's schedule was very tight. After the Babraham came time for Chesterford Research Park, where researchers, consultants and entrepreneurs are waiting for us. With such variety, everyone had the opportunity to establish cooperation and to present their ideas, inventions or ready prototypes. After several hours it was time for a meeting of the British Association of Technology Parks (UK Research Parks Association). After numerous discussions in the morning and at afternoon we were convinced that nothing more we could learn about the local research, infrastructure, ecosystems, plans, projects. However, the organizers once again meet our expectations. After activities and meetings we came back to Cambridge with new ideas, widened horizons and with operations plans. Cooperation in Cambridge, now and after returning from an internship. We are scientists with unlimited possibilities, and the world around us is our show place. So you might want to deal with application tests, because it is the only way, in which we can have an impact on the world around us.

26-08-2015 - Networking... to be continued - Day 46, part III

75 people is a quit huge group, so today another part of the integration. This time in different configuration. Thanks to the Cambridge coordinators we have had whole Club Polonia only for us. Both groups have classes in different locations, so the evening is a unique opportunity to exchange thoughts, information, cooperate and "networking". Today, instead of on campus Fitzwilliam College we are "networking" in different composition than the last, and much to our delight we have guests from Poland. Today innovation brokers joined us :)

26-08-2015 - ifM - small and big things - Day 46, part II

The evening is a right time to arrange a meeting or visit another facility or business research. Today came time for IfM - Institute for Manufacturing, in which students, postgraduates and researchers invent and produce various technological solutions. Here take place large and small thinks creation, from nanosystems to big devices. Working here people produced tangible things, but that planned product was innovative, before creating his prototype held numerous meetings in terms of strategic planning, mapping (mentioned by our already roadmapping), and consultations to prototype improvement.

In IfM takes place every stage in the production prototype, ranging from the creation of a new idea, by a number of brainstorming sessions, consultations with specialists, exchange of information between engineers and entrepreneurs, as well as many other steps, without which a number of products for everyday use wouldn’t exists. Most of us conduct empirical studies, therefore, extremely we were delighted to have the opportunity to explore the capabilities of local laboratories of design and manufacturing. Our trip to the IfM we consider to be fruitful and worthy of recommendation.

26-08-2015 - Scientist - not so evil as other say - Day 46, part I

Today, media became our target. Transmission is used to information flow. This can be done with wired or wireless. Information will be transmitted optically or with using electrical pulse. Yes, the media used for transmission, but also for social communication. Today's story is devoted to the media, but there will be no talk of signals, wires, receivers and optical fibers. The media as a tool to reach a wide audience. In today's workshops we got to know a number of techniques devoted to conversations with the media, as well as techniques for dealing with stress during the interviews.


Scientific papers are published to improve communication between scientists, however, manuscripts are only a little part fraction of every day press, with has not a lot in common with science. Media have not only social functions, but also cultural, informational. So if we as a scientists want to reach a different audience, they have to answer at the beginning on the one very important question: who will be our target group and to whom will be our message dedicated? Thanks to this answer it will be easier to choose proper communication scheme. When we choose a group that we need to put a goal and determine what we want to achieve. And of course we must chose proper communication scheme. Unfortunately, neither goal and a select target group are not a recipe for success and if we want to get our message to customers different than other scientists that we must speak in a clear and interesting way.

At today's workshop possess journalists secrets like presence in front the cameras, contacts with other journalists, speech style, communication with keywords using, keep one's attention on the subject and expression, as well as discussing the technical aspects of speaking in front of the camera. In class we answered our numerous questions. How not to get the media influence and how to interact with the media? How to communicate with business as scientist? How to use the media in creating the reality of the market and how to build a new brand? How not to be provoked by journalists and how to avoid provocation? We analyzed the rules for granting interviews and common mistakes. We practiced body language, eye contact, voice volume during the interview … and at many speeches had to sweat out.

 

Before our show in front of the cameras were occurred during the internship many times, but today's workshop was differed from all previous one. We do not presented a structured topic and did not have time to prepare. Workshop leaders asked hard questions and some of them provoked the response deviates from the target subject. One from the leaders, Paul Casciatto is a journalist with many years of experience and thanks to the guidance form him, we gave today a lot of good interviews and what is more important, we had a really good time.

25-08-2015 - Networking - Day 45, part II

They laugh, eat, talk, dance, carouse, playfulness, barely evening began, cha cha, chi chi, whoopee, hola. Foreman sat down at the table end, propped on his hips like a pasha, carouse soul carouse - cries, let there is freedom, fun and integration!

The communications progress led to a rapprochement between peoples, countries and communities, but in science despite the communication access is still hard to break barriers and go beyond own area. If we do nothing we stuck in a deadlock. The future is in our hands, so we focus on classical communication, without the participation of social media or electronic gadgets.

Coordinators in Cambridge prepared a surprise for us and this evening we spent at Club Polonia with the cohort two - 35.11, which recently returned from Oxford to Cambridge. Viva integration! Another integration evening soon :)

 

25-08-2015 - V like jak visit at Imperial War Museum - Day 45, part I

We spent Tuesday at the Imperial War Museum in Duxford, whose origins can be dated back to the half of the First World War, when one of the first military airports in UK was built here. Museum consists of several hangars divided thematically, including a hall with machines, which enthusiasts that work here give a second life. Interestingly, you can freely walk the museum paths and watch restoration work on multiple machines. However, if you, that most machines exposed here are wrecks, you're really wrong. To prove it, you just have to come a little closer to any aircraft to see that the nice heat does not come from the air, or any radiators, but from aircraft engines, which was working a few hours earlier. You can choose a plane, and take a scenic flight. We did not expect such a large selection of planes ready to fly.
During your visit here, you can walk around the interiors of passenger planes or admire the fighter jet cockpit. In this museum works many enthusiasts and veterans, whose stories are much more interesting than book or Hollywood movie. These veterans bring with them souvenirs, photos of friends from their squadrons, uniforms, badges, remnants of weapons and firearms, and some of them even pieces of grenade that stuck a few decades ago, deep under their face skin. Talking with them is very informative and it’s a great history lesson that we can recommend to anyone, regardless of their age and interests.

As it was already mentioned, the museum is divided into zones. You can find not only a section dedicated to flying machines, but also a room where military operations were carried out in 1940., area of land war machines, as well as full of vehicles working in the depths of the sea and many other widgets, which often surprise visitors. Visitors to the museum should spend on it all day. The place is full of beads, which were built in the years when it was not as advanced electronics as now.

 

There was a lack of robots, satellite navigation and many technology goods, without which today we can’t imagine creation of machines dedicated to air, water and ground. Everything that is in this museum was built by human hands, and if you just think about it ... there was no Internet then, full of simple instructions how to expand the machine, without which many engineers can’t handle it now. Anything we can admire in the Imperial War Museum at Duxford is based solely on technological innovations.

In the museum we can see a lot of flying legends: Memphis Belle called the Flying Fortress, Blackbird which was quick as lightning or a huge B-52, so big that other planes standing next to him seems to be the little ones. You can also meet here many pilots who are willing to talk about what it's like to sit at the controls of an aircraft or soldiers, eager to tell about their work.

If you haven’t been in this museum or you have no idea what to do on the weekend, you might want to plan a trip to this place. We are sure that you won’t regret! We'll definitely be back here soon.

24-08-2015 - We, for us - Day 44, part II

In the evening at Fitzwilliam College once again, we organized training ourselves. Each participant 40.10 groups willingly shares his knowledge. Starting of knowledge related with the research project development to knowledge of the intellectual property protection, writing grant applications, the networking and much more. Today's training was led by Monika. She shared her knowledge on establishing interdisciplinary collaboration at the other end of the globe. Monika has participated in numerous foreign internships and willingly talked about her experiences.

 

It should exchange experiences, that's the training turned fast into a discussion on the various stages of apprenticeship, from writing an application after writing reports after returning from her expeditions. Evening training can be summarized by words "our networking is blooming". Because the TOP 500 Innovators program has not ended yet, and another meetings are before us.

24-08-2015 - Are you veteran or greenhorn? - Day 44, part I

What distinguishes a politician or a salesman form a scientist? You could also ask if they have anything to do with each other? Our answer is yes, especially if we take into account the ability to present a particular topic, product, idea. In today's classes we learned the secrets of the effective research results presentation, because the further development of careers in science often depends from skillful presentation of the results. It seems that this topic appeared earlier and accompanies us most of the time, but in today's classes once again the lecturer surprised us with his experience and knowledge.

Today's classes were conducted in the form of lectures and workshops, and our guide on the art of presentation was Adelina Chalmers. At the beginning of classes we defined the audience to whom we will speak. After all, the presentation of research results is quite different if we talk to experts in this field, researchers from different disciplines, investors or if the audience has nothing to do with science. A simple task turned out to be a challenge, because defining the audience is not everything and it is closely linked to the presentation duration, the degree of advanced nomenclature and terminology usage. It remains also to master the body language, modulate voice, keep an eye on the time, and many other equally important elements of the presentation. Extremely charismatic part of the lecture was completed by a workshop. Everyone had the opportunity to present any subject in the chosen way, and the prize was a constructive criticism. A false impression of being a veteran in the presentation area was quickly demolished. We have learned many presentation techniques. We discovered also many new key elements, at which we previously did not pay many attention, that are extremely important and necessary to control at the next stages of scientific career development. Catchy speech is commonly called a "pitch". We will have the opportunity to test the skills gained on today's activities, including “pitch in the elevator”, at meetings with investors, people from technology parks, and scientists from the University of Cambridge.

23-08-2015 - Heart of UK and time - Day 43

Weekend … weekend is an ideal opportunity to explore, so Sunday morning took us to London, the heart of the UK. Particularly noteworthy is the district of South Kensington, where the Imperial College surrounded by museums is located. Today, these was our goal. At the beginning of the day we visited the Natural History Museum, because it is impossible to resist the temptation to see dinosaur remains despite the fact that many of us have been here many times. Especially noteworthy not only exhibits, but also the building itself, whose construction took 7 years, and was put into use in 1881. Dearest Reader the question arises: how many exhibits are located in that museum? Only several, thousand or maybe a dozen? We will suggest you only: that where freezing is! Actually, there are more than 70 million! Yes, Dearest Reader millions. The entire museum is divided into thematic zones, among which you can find various departments of paleontology, entomology, botany and sections devoted to minerals. The Natural History Museum is functioning for 105 years and is as part of the British Museum since 1986. It was then combined with the Geological Museum and its expansion continues today. In 2009 the Darwin's center was opened and the numerous of research laboratories are placed there as well as located outside the building garden. It is impossible to visit all areas in one day, so before visiting the museum you might want to plan the entire trip and set itinerary.

Some of us have been here many times, but each time the museum is give us many surprises and you want to visit them again and again. Nature of the treasure Hunter win and some of us visited other museums, including the Museum of Science and the Victoria and Albert Museum. In Museum of Science, we have the impression that time stopped. You can admire the many fascinating exhibits whose names you might have to look in encyclopedias. In addition, the machines, equipment and engines, models, instruments, accessories, aggregates ... all in one place. Green energy enthusiasts will also find something for themselves by visiting the department with solar panels. History of these place is closely linked to the Victoria and Albert Museum and begins in 1857, when it was being opened. Currently, the land on which opened the first exhibition of exhibits belongs to the Victoria and Albert Museum, but for many years the area belonged to the South Kensington Museum, part of which was just Museum of Science. Although some corners of the museum we know by heart, we could not refuse our next visit to its walls.

According the fact that Kensington is museum district our legs led us to gorgeous Victoria and Albert Museum, which holds the world history secret. You can admire not only the arts and crafts. This place was founded as a museum of South Kensington, and from 1852 years surprises and inspires. You can find exhibits of even up to five thousand years, and their number is so huge that the museum must visit repeatedly to devote at least a dozen seconds for each exhibit.

Dear Reader we will described these museums in details. We ensure that before you visit London you should book your free time to visit these incredible places. Even if you are not art lover, passionate about science or do not inspire enthusiasm looking at reconstructions of prehistoric animals, these places would give often surprise and a smile will come back to your face.

22-08-2015 - Kanban, stick or carrot? - Day 42

If you can’t get to London, the London reaches you. Today, Nick Coutts from Imperial College arrived to our Fitzwilliam College. There is no need to be a specialist in management and not need to use different methods in this field, however, as a result the repeating others errors by research team is unavoidable and. In final, such action will affect the project success. In the project management, rapid define the limits ie time, resources, scope of research and responsibilities are needed.After specify the goal increase predictability in the projects, accelerate their implementation, minimization of costs related to the implementation and minimizing unforeseen costs is useful . At the workshop with Nick we were defined scientific project management principles. You could focus on the process of manufacturing the finished product or define technical ways of developing the invention. Only the control colleagues work or focus on the decisions taken is possible. You can only focus on product quality, monitor teamwork and improve organizational processes. What if the goal is to aim for motivated team, focusing on the final product, and the documentation and bureaucracy have become for us not to exist? It might be worthwhile only focus on the technical details of the product preparation, whatever the nature of product ie. iIs it the sensor, or innovative internet platform. Maybe you'd better rely on a team , work design and visualization, and how its flow between employees? Project management methods are lot s and can be divided into the categories of organizational, management, adaptive, productive, and even a hybrid, combining adaptation and organization.

The choice of management methods depends on many factors, starting from the specifics of the work, research field, management structure, and the project manager. It is important how significant, for us, is the co-workers activity. Ourselves we need to answer on question whether we want control everything around? Whether we are focused on the goal of project or team which is consist of different individuals? Perhaps the most important for us are achieve the main aim of project by stages, step-by-step? There is no the universal project management methodology on all fields. One will be suitable for IT projects, and another for the production of dies. The most important is to adapt the same methodology to the conditions of the project and the specific needs of the team.

At workshop we met array of project management methods. From today with Kanban, Prince2, MPBok, TenStep, Scrum methodologies we have no suprise, and much would be easier to make changes to the project after returning from the training. Project management is not everything. The afternoon we spent on projects starting from recruiting the final evaluation. It is important whether the established projects implementation will contribute to achieving the starting goals.

 

It is important to not only the effectiveness of the assessment of the project and individual activities within the group evaluation of the expected results and objectives. The strength of the impact, effectiveness and durability of work performed are also significant. Nick Coutts was our guide by the methods of evaluation and research projects management.
Due to his charisma and experience, today's workshop it was a great lesson for all, regardless of to what extent the initiation of science are they and whether at any given time direct or carrying out work in a research project.

21-08-2015 - i-Teams - 5 in 1 - Day 41

And finally, it's high time for new challenges came and today each of the i-Teams received new tasks. At the beginning we designed the graphics and advertising materials of our invention, and then we prepared for another business meeting with customers. The today challenge was to analyzed effective coaching cases and contact with business partners and customers.

We all have our own interview style and it is worth to analyze the way prevailing conventions. Operation schemes in science are different from the business schemes. Therefore when we are wanting to deploy our invention we have to analyze not only the success stories, but deepen the knowledge about these ideas, which ended in a fiasco. In this way it will be much easier to change our existing operations, and this may translate into unexpected results in fast time. Today play the client and inventions roles. We finished work on the design of advertising materials in the posters form.


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