Degree: B.S. in Physics
How did the Stamps Scholarship help shape your undergraduate experience?
Most significantly, the Stamps Scholarship gave me the freedom to pursue unique, customized experiences that helped me grow as a scientist and person. Whenever an opportunity arose that excited me, I felt confident knowing that I could take it, with the support of the Enrichment Funds. Explorations in science have taken me to Japan and England, while explorations of culture brought me to South Korea and India. These experiences have shaped me as a researcher and global citizen, ready to contribute to the increasingly international nature of science and society.
On a day-to-day basis, because of the support of the Stamps Scholarship, I could concentrate completely on my undergraduate studies without having to worry about financing myself. The scholarship also provides powerful moral support. I am very thankful to Mr. and Mrs. Stamps, and want to share my successes with them. In addition, the achievements of my fellow Stamps Scholars never cease to inspire me.
Knowing what you know now, what advice would you give your freshman self?
My time at Caltech has been a wonderful and tumultuous ride. I am not sure what I would change, since every experience has been a learning one. Nonetheless, I would tell my freshman self to always keep my mind open and find time to try new things. The rigors of Caltech often force students to develop tunnel vision, as they jump from finishing one problem set to the next. However, there is so much to learn from the incredible people at Caltech: the faculty, the grad students, and other undergrads. From attending colloquia and lunch talks, to volunteering and hiking, all these opportunities expose you to the diversity and vibrancy of the campus. The most powerful ideas can arise from these unexpected places.
Who has had the greatest impact on you throughout your college career and how so?
It is impossible for me to name one person, but at least two have been very influential. First, Charles Steinhardt really helped me develop as a young scientist. We first met at Caltech while he was a visiting postdoc, and that summer he took me to Japan to pursue my first undergraduate research project. That work really blossomed and resulted in many presentations and a first-author publication. He guided and encouraged me throughout the entire process. Besides that, Charles is a great friend and role model for me. Second, John Preskill exposed me to the scientific directions I am inspired to pursue in the future. When I first grew curious about quantum computation, he let me sit in on the group meetings of his quantum information theory group. After a research project, many talks, and general exposure to the area, I am impressed by the power and generality of ideas from quantum information, which manifest themselves in fields from condensed matter, to AMO, to high-energy physics, and both in fundamental and applied ways. John continues to be a great source of advice and inspiration.
Please share your most memorable Stamps Scholar experience.
So many experiences stand out, but if I had to choose one, it would be motorcycling through the streets of nighttime Ahmedabad, India, with students from the Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar. The Stamps Enrichment Funds supported me in a Caltech Y-sponsored trip to explore the culture of India. Because other Caltech students and I interacted daily with Indian students and faculty, we obtained a very real sense of the multifaceted and evolving ideas and traditions in that rich country. On one of the last nights, our Indian friends took us out to try the street food of Ahmedabad, and we went by motorcycle. Rushing through the chaotic roads and jostling through the packed alleys, trying all types of food, overloaded the senses and is hard to describe. It was a crazy and definitely memorable experience.
Plans after graduation?
I will enroll at Harvard University this fall, to purse a Ph.D. in physics. My interests are in quantum physics, particularly inspired by ideas from quantum information. This summer, before I begin my studies, I plan on traveling with friends and getting ready for the future.