Who are you, and what do you do?
I'm Taeyoung Yu, a PhD candidate in Civil Engineering at the University of Queensland. I worked as a software engineer at ad-tech/travel-tech companies before starting my PhD. Currently I am working on the MINDMAP (Model Interpretation and Data-centric Modeling for Advanced Traffic Prediction) project.
What recent research or project are you most proud of?
I recently submitted a paper on Origin-Destination (OD) forecasting. OD flow is the total number of vehicles moving from an origin to a destination, and this data supports operational decisions like bus scheduling and shared-mobility rebalancing. The paper is still under review, and I'm hopeful it'll come back with a good result.
What tools (hardware & software) do you use every day?
On the software side, I use Claude every day. What I like most is that whenever I have something I want to discuss, there's always someone available 24/7 who understands my research well. I used to rely on Obsidian and Notion for reading and reviewing papers, but I don't use them as much these days. All of my research code and manuscripts are managed with Git and GitHub. Version history and the integration with tools like Overleaf make my life a lot simpler. On the hardware side, I use a MacBook with a Happy Hacking Keyboard. Researchers type a lot, so I think it's worth using a keyboard which puts minimal stress on your fingers. Recently a friend recommended Wispr, and I've enjoyed being able to work as if I'm just talking to someone, without typing at all.
What does a typical day in your research life look like?
I have a light breakfast and take care of quick or urgent tasks from home. Then I head to the library and work on my research until lunch. After lunch, I keep going until dinner. Once I've had dinner, I spend the evening exercising, working on side projects, or mentoring.
What advice would you give to a new researcher?
The thing I've found most important is to find your own routine and protect time for deep focus. Everyone is different, so the best routine will look different from person to person. For me, going to the library to work alone and taking regular walks really improved my productivity. A lot of senior researchers recommend looking after your health and exercising, and I recommend it too.