CDT Student Interviews - Spotlight on Gyanendra Yadav
Now the LIV.DAT community welcomes in its fourth cohort of students, we are interviewing students from across all cohorts as part of a new series of 'CDT Spotlight Interviews'. These will give you a more personal insight into work, motivation and challenges of our students. For this interview we have spoken with Gyanendra Yadav who joined the CDT in 2018.
Why are you interested in Physics?
“I chose to learn Physics because I believe it is one of the best tools to unwind the mysteries of nature. Since my childhood, I was always fascinated with rainbows and lightning but it was only when I read into physics that I realized that some simpler equations and experiments can provide greater insights into the most complex natural phenomena. From acknowledging the difference between seeing and observing, to realizing that a system will be always perturbed even with the most precise measurement, physics has always propelled my curiosity and amazement.”
Why do you think Big Data is important?
“With the rise of humongous data sets, both structured and unstructured, the challenges to analyse it within the framework of available resources and time has also increased. The Big Data field provides methods to systematically extract and process the information and obtain patterns, trends and associations. It utilizes advanced optimization algorithms, parallel resources and can provide insight into even completely random looking data sets and help in identifying new opportunities.”
What were your biggest misconceptions about working as a researcher before starting your PhD?
“I think the biggest one was that a PhD can only lead into a career in Academia. A big part of Liv.Dat is the industry placement and researching that really opened my eyes to the opportunities afforded to me by doing a PhD.”
Which of your experiences or achievements would you use to recommend pursuing a PhD?
“I would recommend pursuing a PhD, if someone has interest in research. Till now I have enjoyed my journey of PhD whether it is working on the most powerful supercomputer or presenting my research into international conference. I am enthralled with the collaborative atmosphere in my PhD. Interacting with the leading persona in my research fields give me both motivation and guidance for digging deeper while taking most suitable approach.”
Has your PhD experience so far convinced you to pursue an academic career or are you more interested in applying your skills in industry?
“At present I am open to both dimensions of careers. I want to stay in a research oriented field be it academia or industry. It’s impossible to know what the future holds but I am learning a lot about what my options are by doing this PhD course.”
Has COVID-19 impacted your research?
“Not significantly, as my present study is simulation based however, I always prefer to work in an office or stay close to a lab for more interactive discussions.”
At this point in your PhD, what is the achievement you are most proud of?
“I received a student grant and presented a talk in the European Advanced Accelerator Concept Workshop (EAAC 2019), Italy. The work is now published with IOP in the conference proceeding.”