Assistant Professor
Biography
Research: Elementary Particle Physics deals with subatomic world, studying fundamental particles and forces, while Cosmology focuses on the origin and evolution of the Universe. Collectively, they describe phenomena spanning 40 orders of magnitude in scale. My research aims to bridge these two scales to understand the origin and evolution of our Universe.
The Standard Models of Particle Physics and Cosmology, despite their remarkable success, remain incomplete at best. In my research, I propose New Physics Models to addressing these foundational shortcomings, spanning a diverse range of topics, from cosmic inflation and dark matter, gravitational waves, models with extra dimensions as well as collider phenomenology of new particle production.
Teaching and Pedagogy: Curiosity led me to pursue a career in physics, while the challenges and rewards in packaging and communicating complex ideas drew me to "teaching". I aim to ignite curiosity and encourage the next generation of innovators/thinkers/scientists to embrace learning, exploration, and a deeper appreciation of the world around them.
The cornerstone of my teaching philosophy is to create engaging and equitable learning experiences for all students. My teaching practices have evolved with experience:
After realizing that student Engagement, Learning, and Retention are intimately tied to their ability to take ownership of their learning, I have focused on developing and implementing query-based lectures, labs, assignments and projects that foster curiosity and facilitate student engagement where students actively lead and engage. The lectures and activities are purposely designed to steer students on a path to discover and explore the key connections between mathematics and underlying physical concepts while simultaneously developing a systematic approach to problem-solving.
I firmly believe that DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion) issues academic or otherwise have a direct and disproportionate impact on the learning experiences of students.