Another journey around the sun means it is time to start season 5 of the MSc Connected Environments. This time of year is busy as we try to close off the previous year and get ready for the new. It is always really nice to meet the new cohort and learn where they have come from and their expectations for the year ahead. I always ask them to capture in one word some of the emotions they anticipate feeling during the year. The similarity from year to year and person to person is striking. Excitement, nervousness, confusion, curiosity, commitment, overwhelming, collaborative…

We are only at the end of week one but it feels like a really lovely group of students on both our MSc Connected Environments and also the other programmes in CASA. We had the CASA induction in the deep depths of Bentham House (was that 3 floors down?), the one minute madness with all staff and PhD’s introducing themselves (was so engaged that I forgot to get a photo), the CE welcome at One Pool Street (after a lovely welcome breakfast organised by our CE PhD students), the install day by Valerio to help get laptops set up for the start of term and the treasure hunt - from Bloomsbury to East collecting sights on the way. That doesn’t include any of the events organised by faculty, college and the SU. Full speed ahead I guess.

Huanfa and Jon welcoming the new cohort in SB31

Valerio in full flow giving an overview of the programme

A new cycle also means a spring (autumn?) clean of the lab. We end up spending a few days sorting out the lab, labelling, sorting, recycling and generally tidying up. Its also a chance for us to do the larger moving of items around the lab. This year the 3D printers have moved and the telephone box is back - everyone loves the telephone box! The lab always looks so much bigger at the start of term.

Sorting the lab

The living room

Solder and print

Sensor rig and Pi Cloud

CELab 107