What inspired you to become a scientist?​

“When I was around 11, ​I dreamed to have my own factory. As I grew up, I realised that I need to be scientifically strong to do manufacturing. So, I decided to become a science researcher.”

How do microscopes work?

An optical microscope is an instrument that can be used to observe small objects through enhanced light, even cells and microstructures. The surface of an object is magnified through lens in the microscope. These lens bends light toward the eye and makes an object appear larger than it actually is. There are other types of microscopes for material scientists to use more often; for example, scanning electron microscope (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) are microscopy techniques in which a beam of electrons is used to form an image. The microscopy technology has brought the capability for material scientist to understand the structures of different materials.

Microscope could also let us understand the chain structured polymer products, for example, plastic bags are created from a repeating group of synthetic molecular known as polymers. A steel specialist could observe the microstructure of steels and relate the microstructures to the mechanical and magnetic properties. Then based on the microstructure change and electromagnetic signal change, they could design the sensors for the steels processing to achieve desired steel properties.

To explore this concept further:

• Could you use another liquid instead of water to increase the magnification?
• How could you improve the focus of your microscope?