Who am I?

23rd November, 2020 — Boston, Massachusetts

Hello,

If I were to count three things in my life that matter to me the most, it would be Science, Coding and Writing in no particular order. Let’s start with Science. I am currently doing my PhD in theoretical Physics from Boston University. As part of my PhD research, I am studying quantum physics of complex systems which contain many interacting particles. Usually, I “shake” them and then I study their physical properties as the system relaxes back to equilibrium.  Also, I am passionate about teaching science. In year 2018, I taught a self-designed workshop on Chaos in La Paz, Mexico. During this workshop, my awesome students did pen-and-paper calculations, Physics coding and conducted little experiments using a hand-built double pendulum.

I picked up coding in my undergrad with python as my first programming language.  For a long time, it wasn’t really fun because who finds debugging fun? Nobody, right? Early on, while coding for my Physics projects, I used to wish that I could hire a coder who does it for me. But then I slowly learnt that coding can actually help me learn better about the problem. I might think that I understand the problem but when I start coding and most of the times, it would not work. As I improved my debugging skills, I also realized that I need to think more deeply about the problem to be able to code successfully.

Growing up reading books and solving Physics problems in a middle class Indian family, I don’t really have any creative hobbies apart from writing. I started this blog when I was in my undergrad in Kolkata, India. And it has been an enjoyable journey so far. After about ten years of fiction writing, I finally undertook one of the biggest writing challenge for myself. For the last one year, I have been writing a novella. It is a fan-fiction based on a Netflix movie.

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27th Jan, 2014

Mover. Maybe this is the word that best defines me.  From my childhood, I have been shifting from one place to another.  Every four years or so, I had a new place, new school, new teachers, new set of friends.  Being in the same college for four years, I have started feeling the familiar itching.

I am someone who’s constant challenge is to keep looking for new things that interests me. I get bored easily. Sample this: I have got tired of Game of Thrones (after Season 3), Breaking Bad  (after Season 2) and recently, Sherlock (after Season 3). (I confess that the first two I left because my favorite characters got killed) . Further, true to my evolutionary gender role, I keep on moving on from one being of desire to another. (Frankly, I never got the chance to do otherwise, despite best of my efforts.)

But I cannot be a true mover. If I were, I would have moved on from even this philosophy! This brings me to my other aspect. Sticker.  Being a researcher, it’s part of my job to be good at sticking to a problem. (Or maybe it’s the other way round: I chose researcher line because I am a Sticker) I love running marathon. Okay, not exactly a marathon. I haven’t been able to run that long so far. My personal best  is of 5 km. But you get the point. I love to dig in and fight against the odds. Whenever I run, there are voices in my head (recently the voice belongs to my last being of desire) that shout that I won’t be able to complete it. Then I remind myself of the pristine feeling of the final moments of the race– sweat is sweet.

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As on 18th July,2012

I am someone who likes to identify oneself as somebody who keeps challenging himself . I hate to sit idle but that doesn’t mean I hate sleeping! I am curious about almost everything and passionate about Science, especially Physics. In my leisure times, I love watching good movies, chit-chatting with friends, writing Hindi poems, reading books and newspaper The Hindu, watching and performing plays. One more thing, I like to befriend complete strangers.

Belonging to India, I am Bihari by descent. Not only  have I traveled to many cities of India, but also experienced these cities because of considerable time spent there. And because of so many shifts in my place of residence, I learned to adjust to new environment and interact with strangers.

I guess this much will do for now.

Namaste! I am Mohit Pandey pursuing BS-MS in Physics in IISER-Kolkata .

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Afterthought

6:00pm, 20th September, 2012

Who am I is a question that has troubled a lot of philosophers. I won’t delve much into it but it’s tempting to looking into one related issue.

I realized 2-3 months later that one’s perspective of his own being changes with time. And I wanted to take note of that. So, I have decided that I’ll keep on rewriting this page and also  keep a record of previous ones.