Action Plan

In the space below, write a summary of your research project. Remember your ‘elevator pitch’ in Briefing 1, and include a summary of what your research project is investigating, the activities your research will involve and why you have chosen this area to research The questions below will help you evaluate your two objectives against the ‘SMART’ criteria, to make sure that they are specific, measurable, advantageous, realistic and time-limited.

Summary

My project focuses on investigating the dynamics of an electron in a skyrmion lattice under the influence of an applied voltage, by considering the geometry of the magnetisation of the configuration.

As part of your research experience, you are required to set two clear and achievable goals that will motivate you to develop your research skills and knowledge Identifying these objectives will help you to make the most out of your experience and will enable you to measure your development as a researcher. These goals could include learning how to access archives, attending a conference, working in a research team or attending a training workshop, but be creative and think about what is relevant for your project.

Development goal 1

1.1 What is the challenge or skill that I would like to develop?

I want to gain a firm understanding of what a skyrmion is, both physically and also how it is defined topologically.

1.2 What am I going to do to achieve this?

To do this, I will have to read through the scientific journals that discuss skyrmions. There are not many books around that discuss magnetic skyrmions in depth as they are still quite a new concept, which adds to the difficulty (their existence was only confirmed in 2009).

1.3 Why have I chosen this particular objective?

Ideally this goal will form the framework of the project, i.e. that after I understand the theory and nature behind the skyrmionic systems, what is left is "merely" a translation exercise of mathematics.

1.4 How do you know this is achievable within the timeframe and with the resources available?

The goal is achievable as skyrmions in their physicality have already picked up quite a bit of interest, and so there are quite a few papers explaining the model. Hence I can cross-reference several explanations to get a good feel with regards to what is going on.

1.5 When will I achieve this by?

By the first two full weeks from starting the project.

1.6 How am I going to know that I have been successful?

I will see my supervisor and discuss what I have learned with him, to check that what I think is correct or not.

Development goal 2

2.1 What is the challenge or skill that I would like to develop?

To understand the content of my supervisor's journal article, 'Umbilic Lines in Orientational Order'.

2.2 What am I going to do to achieve this?

Heavily scrutinise the paper, and ask my supervisor for guidance if there is something that completely escapes me.

2.3 Why have I chosen this particular objective?

I need to accomplish this goal in order to make any further progress towards my own contribution to the theory.

2.4 How do you know this is achievable within the timeframe and with the resources available?

The goal should be achievable within the timeframe since my supervisor co-authored the paper.

2.5 When will I achieve this by?

By five weeks through the project.

2.6 How am I going to know that I have been successful?

By (regularly) discussing the contents of the paper with my supervisor, to see if I have actually interpreted the information correctly.