Scientific Pursuits Scientific Pursuits is a " Fallout 3 " quest . It is also a Xbox 360 / PC achievement and a PlayStation 3 Trophy . Detailed walkthrough . This quest can be started by talking to Dr . Madison Li in the Rivet City science lab , with or without completing the Galaxy News Radio quest . Also it can be started by picking up the notes in Jefferson Memorial regarding Project Purity , or by entering Vault 112 itself . It is highly likely that one has already visited Rivet City , likely as part of the Wasteland Survival Guide or in the course of visiting the southern Metro Stations to reach areas like Museum of History or the National Archives . In this case , reaching Dr . Li is trivial . The easiest - as in , quickest and no or almost no combat - way to get to Rivet City is to go back via the map marker in your Pip - Boy 3000 to Super - Duper Mart . One can also cross the D . C . urban area , dodging in and out of metro stations , or follow the east bank of the Potomac River . It will lead the Lone Wanderer to a lot or at least some more combat . Depending on one ' s earlier missions - The Power of the Atom in particular - the Wanderer may run into Talon Company or Regulators . Talk to Doctor Li about Dad and Project Purity . Dr . Li knows the Lone Wanderer ' s father , James . She offers details on Project Purity and tells them where James ran off to : the Jefferson Memorial . If one has been to this location and visited the underground tunnel , the game will allow the Wanderer to tell her that he isn ' t there ; she will instead insist that they go back as his notes were left there . Look for Dad in Project Purity ' s Control Room . Enter the Memorial through the metal door labeled " Gift Shop " , it ' s on the right front side with a metal frame around it and a set of lights next to it . Be warned that there are a number of super mutants inside . Head to the Rotunda by following the signs . Once in the Rotunda , walk up to the auxiliary filtration unit near the entry way and pick up the Project Purity journals resting here . One of the tapes , # 10 , will indicate that James has left for Vault 112 already . The location will be added to the Pip - Boy map ; there are several other points of interest in the area , which makes it relatively simple to fast travel to . Gain access to Vault 112 . Vault 112 is located hidden underground of Smith Casey ' s Garage which is due west of Evergreen Mills . Once inside , head past the front desk and into the back room , which is infested with radroaches and mole rats . One will find a switch located on the wall to their left that operates a large hole in the floor . Activate the switch and the door will open . Proceed down the stairway , down the next set of stairs and to the bottom . One cannot miss the Vault 112 doorway . Activate the door using the panel and you can walk in . When first walking in , you will need to speak to a security bot and receive a Vault 112 jumpsuit . Next walk down into the tranquility lab and find the only unoccupied operational tranquility lounger where one will complete the quest . Smith Casey ' s garage can be accessed straight after the player leaves Vault 101 , therefore advancing through a large section of the game ' s main quest - line . Achievement . It is possible to skip major portions of this quest , for example by speaking directly to Dr . Li in Rivet City before visiting Three Dog , or by visiting the Jefferson Memorial directly . In these cases , this achievement will still be rewarded at the same time that the Tranquility Lane achievement is received . In the Xbox and PS3 versions , if you already have entered the Jefferson Memorial ( especially the rotunda ) before talking to Dr . Li in Rivet City , the achievement / trophy will not be unlocked once until the Wanderer materializes at Tranquility Lane . Thus this achievement / trophy cannot be obtained out of sequence , with regards to the main quest achievements . In order to rectify this , the player can load a saved game at a point where Jefferson Memorial has not been explored and work through the main quest again . It is possible to bypass this quest altogether , along with all preceding quests , by heading to Smith Casey ' s Garage directly from Vault 101 and starting Tranquility lane : this will make the Scientific Pursuits Achievement impossible to earn on that playthrough .