Q: What are your physics/science interests?

I’m extremely interested in AMO(atomic, molecular, optical) physics and quantum information! My current focus is on the control of Bose-Einstein Condensates(BECs), but I’m also interested in control of cold molecules. Being able to work on such cold systems with such interesting quantum properties is incredible, and I find the developments being done in the field to be pushing the limits of science.

Q: What are your other interests?

I enjoy reading sci-fi novels, playing video games, and have recently been binging a bunch of graphic novels and comic books. I’ve most recently been reading Watchmen by Alan Moore and The Sandman by Neil Gaiman.

Q: What would you like to do after college?

After attending grad school, I’d ideally like to do physics research as a career, hopefully in any sort of AMO physics or quantum information. Whether that’s as a faculty at a school, in a national lab, or in industry will depend on the opportunities I end up getting, but if my daily work involves physics, I’ll be happy!

Q: Tell us one strange but interested fact about yourself?

I am currently obsessed with eating and ranking different types of mangos and mango-flavored dishes. I will jump on the opportunity to eat anything mango flavored!

Q: What first sparked your interest in Physics?

While I’ve always been interested in science, I disliked physics until around my junior year of high school. That was when I met my physics tutor, who was a student at a local community college. He was the first person who taught me physics in an intuitive way built up from calculus, which was something that I felt was lacking in my high school’s curriculum. Since then, I’ve gained an incredible appreciation for the ways that math can be used to construct our current models of physics, and much of my current motivation is hoping to see more of those models realized experimentally.  

Q: If you could have any pet, what would it be?

I’d love to have a pet gopher snake! I find snakes and their physiologies cool, and it’d be nice to just chill with my snake buddy all coiled up on my arm.

Q: If you had a free month and unlimited funds, how would you spend your time?

I’d love to do a Michelin star restaurant tour while travelling the world! Being able to travel without worrying about money and try some of the best food on the planet would be a dream come true for me. Some countries I’d like to visit would be Japan, England, Denmark, and Italy, as well as the city of Hong Kong!

Q: If you could get a grant to study anything, what would it be?

I’d love to be able to study laser ablation, or the subtle science of shooting things with high-powered lasers. There’s a surprising amount of research being done on it at National Labs and the like, and something about it just appeals to my inner childlike sensibilities of big lasers being cool.