A new type of relay that retains its state even when the power is switched off could be used to make a reliable high-temperature non-volatile digital memory. The device, developed by researchers at the University of Bristol in the UK, could find use in electric vehicles, aircraft or “Internet of Things” devices that operate in harsh conditions and require electronics with integrated data storage.
Conventional transistors are ill-suited for applications in hot environments because their leakage current increases with temperature. In such conditions, nanoelectromechanical (NEM) relays are a promising alternative. They work through electrostatic actuation, in which a voltage applied between a fixed “actuation” electrode (usually called the gate) and a cantilever beam anchored at one or both ends produces an electrostatic force that attracts the beam to the gate.
As the beam moves, the air gap between the gate and beam, which can be as small as a few tens of nanometres to ensure low-voltage (and thus energy-efficient) operation, rapidly reduces. This causes the capacitance to increase. At a critical “pull-in” voltage, the electrostatic force becomes much greater than the opposing mechanical spring force. At this point, the beam snaps in, forming the relay’s “on” state.
The drawback with this mechanism is that the balance of forces immediately before the critical “pull-in” moment is very unstable, which makes it difficult to control the movement of the beam. This tends to make the device less reliable, and it can be especially problematic in non-volatile relays that use surface adhesion forces (stiction) to ensure the relay stays switched on even when the power is switched off.
Eliminating instability
A team of researchers led by Dinesh Pamunuwa has now made the first electrostatically actuated NEM relay that does not suffer from this so-called “pull-in” instability. In contrast to conventional architectures, the new device has a semi-circular beam and a novel arrangement of four gates to control the beam’s movement. One pair of gates is used to rotate the beam anticlockwise and the other pair to rotate it clockwise.
After rotation, the beam tip lands on a stationary electrode and stays connected to it thanks to surface adhesion forces, even when the power is completely switched off. When it needs to be reprogrammed, it can be rotated in the opposite direction using the opposing pair of gates.
Pamunuwa explains that the semi-circular beam and use of diagonally opposed pairs of gates for actuation ensures that the air gap to the gates remains constant throughout relay operation, eliminating pull-in instability. What is more, the architecture allows for low-voltage programming and reprogramming for memory applications, which, combined with the device’s zero off-state current leakage, greatly improves energy efficiency.
The Bristol researchers used their structure to make a high-temperature non-volatile NEM relay that successfully underwent 42 on-off cycles at 200°C. They also showed that the device retains its state for more than six months, boasts the highest number of reprogramming cycles to date under any environmental conditions and operates at actuation voltages as low as 1.6 V with a 120 nm actuation air gap.
The work, which is detailed in Nature Communications, is part of a long-term effort to produce digital electronic components that are highly energy efficient. Pamunuwa says that he and his colleagues are working on all aspects of NEM relay-based computing in pursuit of this goal, both at the device and system level and as EDA (electronic design automation) tools for modelling, simulation and design.
“Currently, we are working with partners in a four-year EU project called ZeroAMP, which started in January 2020, with the aim of demonstrating the first NEM relay-based field-programmable gate array (FPGA),” he tells Physics World.
The last-minute decision by the American Physical Society (APS) to cancel its March Meeting came as quite a shock to the physics community – in particular the large number of delegates who had already travelled to Denver – but it was clearly the right thing to do in a rapidly worsening situation with COVID-19. To help continue scientific exchange, a number of initiatives have emerged over the last few weeks to enable researchers to share and discuss their latest results using online tools and forums.
Perhaps the most ambitious is the Virtual APS March Meeting, launched by the APS in collaboration with the community to enable presenters to host a virtual session or record and upload their talk. The APS is also encouraging researchers to add their presentations to the official scientific programme, with the idea that all the content will be synched across the two websites. Meanwhile, a number of community efforts have sprung up around particular interest groups, all of which the APS has listed on the meeting website.
As yet there is no online replacement for the technical exhibit, where more than 150 companies were preparing to share their expertise and to introduce their latest innovations in equipment, services, and software. Some of the notable product launches are highlighted below, plus you can also check out our previous round-up of technical developments that were due to be announced at the meeting.
Control instrumentation empowers quantum computing
Zurich Instruments has introduced the first commercial Quantum Computing Control System (QCCS), which provides all the hardware and software needed by researchers to scale up their experimental set-ups to a large number of qubits while also minimizing complexity. The QCCS makes all the necessary links between high-level quantum algorithms and their physical qubit implementation, and performs all critical tasks such as qubit initialization, control and readout, and real-time feedback to enable global error correction on quantum algorithms.
The first commercial control system for quantum computing is scalable from 1 to 100 qubits. (Courtesy: QCCS)
The QCCS combines three instruments, two of which are industry firsts: the UHFQA quantum analyzer for parallel qubit readout, and the PQSC programmable quantum system controller for component synchronization and control. Along with the HDAWG arbitrary waveform generator and the LabOne control software, these instruments work as one entity, the QCCS, that is scalable from 1 to 100 qubits.
The UHFQA quantum analyzer enables real-time parallel readout of up to 10 superconducting or spin qubits with high fidelity. The UHFQA features two signal inputs and two signal outputs, and achieves sub-nanosecond timing resolution together with a baseband operation over a frequency range of up to ±600 MHz. With its low-latency signal processing chain of matched filters, real-time matrix operations, and state discrimination, the UHFQA supports the development of quantum computing set-ups with 100 qubits and more.
The PQSC programmable quantum system controller enables precise synchronization of all the electronic components needed to control a quantum computer. Real-time communications links with low latency enable the PQSC to perform fast and automated qubit calibration routines. Researchers can program the PQSC to develop new processing solutions for rapid tune-up and error correction, optimized to work with different algorithms and computer architectures.
The HDAWG arbitrary waveform generator provides 8-channel, 16-bit signal generation with ultralow trigger latency – allowing for fast sequence branching to implement complex algorithms. Thanks to its synchronization feature, the PQSC can link 18 units for a total of 144 channels with a skew below 200 ps out of the box.
All instruments are accessed through the LabOne control software, which provides an intuitive and efficient interface to monitor and program the entire system, to control signals and to record the results of all experiments.
Full details are available on Zurich Instruments’ website, or contact info@zhinst.com to arrange a video call
Automation equips atomic force microscopy for industry
Park Systems has shown that an atomic force microscope (AFM) can deliver the high throughputs needed for industrial metrology applications, including the manufacture of semiconductor chips. Combining high-speed scanning with optical pattern recognition and automation software can deliver measurements up to five times faster than with conventional techniques, while still maintaining good image quality and a long tip lifetime.
Luc Van den hove, president and CEO of imec, (left) and Sang-il Park, Chairman & CEO of Park Systems renew their joint research agreement. (Courtesy: Park Systems)
The demonstration promises to address the metrology challenge facing the semiconductor industry as it moves to ever smaller feature sizes. Optical microscopy has reached its limits for inspecting nanoscale devices built on 7 nm and 14 nm chip architectures, while existing AFM techniques deliver the required resolution but remain too slow for routine use.
Park Systems believes that full automation of the AFM technique, in which software is used to control critical tasks such as tip exchange, data analysis, wafer handling and recipe optimization, offers a reliable and high-speed solution. In this approach, optical pattern recognition is used for positioning, while automated measurement routines can be configured to perform specific metrology tasks, such as a topography scan or roughness measurements.
Engineers at Park Systems have tested this automated AFM approach in a series of experiments designed to mimic common measurement scenarios. They used one of Park’s NX20 AFMs with the company’s XEA software to measure the surface roughness of a clean silicon wafer, as well as the sidewall angle of a feature on a patterned wafer.
High-frequency cantilevers were used to speed up the image scanning, which was combined with a non-contact mode that increases the number of scans that can be performed without needing to change the tip. The tests showed that it was possible to reduce the scan time by a factor of five, and that at least 1000 images could be recorded with no degradation in image quality.
Park Systems has been working with imec, the leading R&D and innovation hub for nanoelectronics and digital technologies, to show that automated AFM can be used as a metrology solution in the semiconductor industry, and a new joint project will address the current metrological challenges of continuously downscaling the geometrical dimensions of devices and 3D assembly stacking.
HQS Quantum Simulations has released a free and easy to use platform to solve lattice models, which can be accessed at scce.quantumsimulations.de. Simply define a unit cell of your strongly correlated model system in one or two dimensions, add a small amount of information about the system size, and the platform will take care of the rest – including the distribution of the jobs to high-performance cloud computers.
HQS Quantum Solutions has raised 2.3m euros to develop its quantum computing software, which is now available in a beta version. (Courtesy: HQS).
The platform exploits self-consistent cluster embedding (SCCE) to solve large periodic problems. In the SCCE approach, a lattice model is solved iteratively with a combined system divided into a fully-interacting cluster coupled to a non-interacting bath. The simulation proceeds until the result is self-consistent.
This approach is similar to dynamical mean-field theory and density matrix embedding theory, and the company says that a detailed description of the method will be published in the near future. Now available in a beta version, HQS is actively working to expand its capabilities.
“Currently we use the density matrix renormalization group (DMRG) algorithm as the solver for the lattice model, but in the future we would like to replace it by using quantum computers.” says Michael Marthaler, managing director at HQS. “The number of operations to simulate lattice models is relatively small, while simulating lattice models for strongly correlated systems is very challenging for a classical computer. Therefore we feel that this will be one of the first applications for quantum computers.”
In this beta phase each user is granted 100 credits per month, which should be sufficient to gain familiarity with the platform. HQS is keen to capture user feedback on the beta verson, which will allow the company to prioritize the development of additional features, such as support for 3D lattices, access to all underlying parameters of the SCCE and DMRG solver, and access to the cloud-based tool via an API. The SCCE online platform does not yet support the purchasing of additional credits, but users who wish to test the software more extensively should contact HQS directly.
Cryogenic innovation enables simple scale-up for quantum experiments
Bluefors has introduced high-density wiring as an option for its modular side-loading XLDsl dilution refrigerator system. The high-density interface enables researchers to build experiments with more than 1000 high-frequency lines in one cryostat, which is becoming increasingly important as scientists seek to increase the number of qubits in their quantum computing systems.
High-density wiring enables researchers to install more than 1000 high-frequency control lines in a single system. (Courtesy: Bluefors)
The interface exploits standard connectors and coaxial cables for the wiring, and the attenuators have been embedded in a single block that fits into the modular system. Wires are installed in blocks of 12 to help researchers ensure that each wire is connected securely. Meanwhile, the modular form factor allows the use of custom components with multiple high-density channels, such as amplifiers, filters and attenuators.
The high-density option forms part of Bluefors’ modular side-loading system, which provides a standard way for loading experiments into the cryostat. All the components and wiring needed for the experiment are assembled inside a module with a standard form factor that simply snaps into one of six side-loading ports on the XLDsl system, allowing for quick maintenance of complex assemblies.
“The modular system makes it possible to increase the number of wires and components in the system, allows rapid testing and troubleshooting, and ensures quick turn-around for busy multi-user environments,” says David Gunnarsson, Bluefors’ chief sales officer. “All this is done without compromising the thermal properties and strengths of the cryogenic system, which still keeps the operating temperature at milliKelvin temperatures.”
There is a very good chance that that you will be reading this while under lock-down somewhere in the world. In this episode of the Physics World Weekly podcast Margaret Harris describes a new initiative that we have launched to chronicle how physicists around the globe are coping with the COVID-19 pandemic.
A plasma to most physicists is an extremely hot state of matter that you would not want anywhere near your lunch or vegetable patch. But as Dave Graves of the University of California, Berkeley explains in this episode, cold plasmas are being used to process food, help germinate seeds and much more.
Graves also talks about a special issue of the Journal of Physics D that is dedicated to plasmas in agriculture and food.
On a normal workday, I would usually write either papers or grant proposals – so in the mornings from around 8 am to 12 pm, I write. I now only have one part-time PhD student who I supervise and meet every week. Some days I’m in the lab working with a focussed ion beam (FIB) instrument on various types of nanoanalysis of materials. Because I’m semi-retired, in the late afternoons, I either go to the gym or play tennis with mates.
When I started to write this at the weekend, we were not yet in full lock-down in Western Australia and it seemed likely we would lock down sometime in the following few weeks. At my university, there was some preparatory work for the anticipated lock-down with courses going online and lectures cancelled.
Events moved quicker than I had anticipated – Western Australia is now in lock-down and the lab is effectively closed. But we are able to operate the Focussed Ion Beam system remotely – my colleague at work loads the samples into the machine and then we’re good to go.
In the next few weeks, I plan to write papers and proposals – so that’s pretty much business as usual. Also I will keep in touch with colleagues via conference calls. I’ve cancelled all travel.
My biggest concerns are around getting the right balance between over- and underreacting – the key to getting the right balance is reliable information. But still I do fear that many people will overreact and that will cause as much harm as the actual virus.
One silver lining is that, from now on, the reaction to this sort of outbreak will be much more finely tuned and we will now urgently invest in technologies that provide protection from contagion. This includes much better infection control technologies, pathogen identification technologies, and more rapid development of vaccines and mono-clonal antibodies.
We need to learn from this outbreak and be thankful that we’ve had an early warning (yet another!) that will hopefully turn out to be not as deadly as it could have been.
The moment has arrived: the UK is officially in lock-down to curb the spread of COVID-19. I have been waiting impatiently for this to come. Being Italian, I have many loved ones back home who have been staying home for weeks now. I have been split between the harrowing images coming from Italian hospitals and the almost surreal hesitation and dithering I perceived here in the UK in the past few weeks.
Luckily, things evolved quickly in the last few days. Last Tuesday, I was in the lab running what I knew was going to be my last experiment for an unknown period of time. It was with a veil of sadness and uncertainty that I tidied up the lab bench at the end of the day and went home. At that time, we were already applying social distancing measures by limiting the number of people in the lab at same time.
The day after, we were strongly advised to work from home, which for an experimental research group, basically implies lab shutdown. Indeed, rumours had already started to circulate that all research facilities would have been closed by the end of the week. And so it was. We were told to shut everything down by the end of last Friday.
My research is strongly experimental and requires the use of specialized equipment: a cleanroom, an optical lab, incubators and microscopes. Now my work is restricted to the use of a 13” laptop and maybe an external screen to make it easier. At first, I felt lost, frustrated and doubtful. I certainly cannot culture bacteria and build a microscope to do experiments in my living room.
However, being a chronic optimist, I tried to look at the bright side. Over the last few days I have realised that there is still a lot I can do from home and I will take the occasion to try answer some very important questions.
Is there anything I can improve in my experiments? Am I interpreting my data correctly? Is there anything else I can learn from the existing literature? What are my next experiments going to be? These are questions that I normally ask myself. However, I feel that I am always too busy supervising new students, attending meetings and jumping between different labs to properly dive into such questions. When was the last time I sat down and seriously brainstormed about my work? I am not sure I can remember.
Staying at home will inevitably “force” me to really concentrate on these points. In practice, I am aiming to concretise this by working on at least one review paper, by reading the great number of papers that have been piling up and that I kept procrastinating and just by sitting at my desk and thinking. Experiments might have stopped but thinking won’t.
As a group, we have moved our daily 11 am coffee break to Google Hangouts to keep our spirits up and feel connected like in our common room on campus. We have changed our bi-weekly group meetings to online weekly group updates, where everyone is expected to update the group about their ways of coping with the different way of working.
I am hopeful that the situation will come back to almost normal in a few months. I am convinced that by then I will have learned a lot more about my research. Maybe I will even impose myself one day a week of quarantine-style work. Labs will be busy and thriving again, full of people eager to try out the ideas they mulled over during these months. And some of those ideas will be winning ones that will make this lock-down worth it.
As an independent researcher, the most important skill is to find the “interesting” problems that I know I would be thrilled to solve, and potentially have the ability to solve. The skill required in finding such problems to solve improves with time, as your research experience grows, and you interact with senior scientists. Other skills include keeping up to date with new research by finding and reading (at least at a glance) new papers regularly. I have weekly group meetings to manage projects, to get an update on each student’s progress, and to solve problems together. I encourage my students to think critically and train their writing skills to make their thoughts more visible and clearer.
What do you like best and least about your job?
What I like the most is the freedom to explore the unknown. I get happiness from solving scientific problems that were thought to be insurmountable before – but we now have the answers for. And there is nothing more fulfilling than seeing my students graduate and flourish in their own careers.
What do you know today that you wish you knew when you were starting out in your career?
Direction and vision. Pick research topics that are either very fundamental and have a long-lasting impact, or have practical applications that can benefit society and the world at large.
Every day, I’m asked questions or presented with issues to solve that require me to apply the problem-solving skills I learnt during my physics studies – such as the ability to quickly analyse and act on information using logic and experience. My physics training also equipped me with an appreciation for clarity of thought and accuracy of terminology, which I believe are very important for communicating effectively with others at all levels, in any organization.
I still use my scientific skills to review commercial or patent material and to solve technical problems, especially in the areas of radiation and medical physics, enabling me to interact with peers inside and outside Elekta. As a technical leader and people manager, my physics knowledge helps me to better understand the challenges faced by the team, so that I can offer the necessary support and help the team to deliver within given time and budget constraints. This understanding also helps me to ensure that the necessary competencies are developed and maintained within the team, and that opportunities are offered for people to grow technically and personally within the organization.
What do you like best and least about your job?
The best thing about my job is that I’m surrounded by talented people who are all working together towards a common goal of delivering better cancer care for patients all over the world. I enjoy the variety of work – not only am I involved with the development of various technologies, but I also interact with the different stages of the lifecycle of the product. I very much enjoy the aspect of people development – it’s extremely rewarding to see members of the team grow over time and take on increased responsibilities. I love the global working environment that Elekta offers; it is stimulating to work with international colleagues and encounter a diversity of cultures.
Given the scale and complexity of the activities involved, my job requires a constant team mindset, working towards common objectives and managing interdependencies; an aspect that those with a strong preference for independent work may not enjoy. This type of career also requires a flexible attitude; while in academia the work may be shaped by individual scientific interest, in industry it is driven by priorities in business needs, which can change. The medical-device industry has stringent regulatory requirements, which involve documented evidence of processes and meeting compliance standards. Finally, work in industry usually follows a faster pace than academia or other non-commercial organizations.
What do you know today that you wish you knew when you were starting out in your career?
When I look back at my career, there was certainly a lot that I did not know at the start, but learned along the way. Actual experience was the most valuable form of training, but in the early days of my career I did not fully recognize that making mistakes is part of learning. So, I wish that I knew that everyone (including your boss) makes mistakes, and we should not be afraid to fail. I would also tell my younger self to keep an open mind about possible career paths. When I entered the industry, I was very much focused on science and technology. I only contemplated a career as a hands-on technical expert and had absolutely no interest in people management. But once I came across the opportunity to lead a team, my view changed completely and my career took a new direction, which enabled me to use and develop a different set of skills.
Precise patient positioning is an essential stage in any radiation treatment, but is particularly critical for particle therapies, which are highly sensitive to range uncertainties. If large tumour motion is expected, fiducial markers can be implanted into the tumour to verify target position prior to each radiotherapy fraction. These markers are generally made of high-atomic number materials to ensure that they are visible in X-ray images. They can, however, cause artefacts on the planning CT and can also induce dose perturbations due to edge-scattering during treatment.
To investigate the latter effect, a research team headed up at the GSI Helmholtz Centre for Heavy Ion Research has evaluated the severity of dose perturbations created by four small commercial markers with different geometries and materials. The team conducted experiments using carbon ion beams with three different energies at the Marburg Ion Therapy Center (Phys. Med. Biol. 10.1088/1361-6560/ab762f).
State-of-the-art detector
Previous studies using simulations and radiochromic film measurements showed that larger fiducials and heavier materials caused greater edge-scattering effects. With film measurements, however, it is difficult to predict exactly where to position the films along the beam axis to find the maximum dose perturbation.
To address this limitation, the GSI team developed a measurement system comprising six MIMOSA28 pixel sensors, CMOS-based detectors with a high spatial resolution. “The collaboration between GSI and the IPHC in Strasbourg was a good opportunity to use a state-of-the-art particle physics detector like the MIMOSA28 for clinical applications,” notes first author Claire-Anne Reidel.
The system measures the trajectory of every particle and reconstructs each individual track, which are then used to generate a 3D fluence distribution. From this, 2D fluence maps can be extracted to determine the position of the maximum dose perturbation along the beam axis. The magnitude of the maximum perturbation is computed by comparing the beam profile at its position with that of a non-disturbed beam.
“In contrast to the use of films, this CMOS technique delivers a continuous fluence distribution (map), where the maximum perturbation can be determined easily and much more information can be extracted than for the films,” Reidel explains.
To validate the tracking system, the team used the MIMOSA28 sensors to measure a 294.97 MeV/u carbon ion beam traversing a small water tank and/or a tissue-simulating polyethylene block. Comparing beam profiles from MIMOSA28 sensors with those measured by radiochromic films revealed good agreement between the two.
Set-up used to measure the fluence perturbation due to fiducial markers with the MIMOSA28 pixel sensors. (Courtesy: Phys. Med. Biol. 10.1088/1361-6560/ab762f)
The researchers next benchmarked the MIMOSA28 sensor profiles against films with fiducial markers inserted in the water tank at the beam isocentre. They studied four fiducial markers currently used for image guidance during ion beam therapy, including three small (below 0.5 mm in diameter) gold markers (Visicoil, Gold Anchor #1 and Gold Anchor #2), and a 1-mm diameter carbon-coated ZrO2 marker
The results confirmed the validity of using CMOS sensors for fluence perturbation measurements. For example, beam profiles for a 294.97 MeV/u carbon ion beam with the Gold Anchor #1 in place showed a cold spot of 2.4% measured by the CMOS sensor, and a cold spot of 2.5% measured with the film.
Cold spot comparisons
Reidel and colleagues next used 2D fluence maps to compute the size and position of maximum cold spots generated by the various fiducial markers. They first examined the Gold Anchor #1, Visicoil and carbon-coated ZrO2 fiducial markers at carbon ion beam energies of 278.84, 294.97 and 310.61 MeV/u.
The maximum cold spots and their position downstream of the fiducial marker varied as a function of beam energy, with smaller energies generating greater effects. Markers with higher density and atomic number created stronger and larger cold spots. For example, at 278.84 MeV/u, the maximum cold spots were 2.8%, 6.6% and 9.2% for the ZrO2, Gold Anchor #1 and Visicoil markers, at distances downstream of the fiducial marker of 23, 12 and 15 mm, respectively.
Left: fluence maps of 278.84 MeV/u carbon ion beams traversing Visicoil (upper panels) and ZrO2 (lower panels) fiducials placed at (0, 0). Right: corresponding beam profiles at the position of the maximum cold spot (vertical line on the fluence map). (Courtesy: Phys. Med. Biol. 10.1088/1361-6560/ab762f)
The team also analysed the Gold Anchor #2 marker, which is more complex since it is folded in a random shape. For 310.61 MeV/u carbon ions, the cold spot created by the Gold Anchor #2 was about 4.4%, compared with 4.2% for the Gold Anchor #1 and 7.3% for Visicoil.
Reidel notes that in particle therapy, two opposing fields are typically used per irradiation to minimize the impact of any cold spots, and that treatment fractionation will also smear out any effects. “Cold spots will be a lot more severe in cases where high doses per fraction and a low number of fractions are prescribed or rare treatments using a single-field irradiation,” she adds.
Despite having the thickest diameter, the carbon-coated ZrO2 marker induced lower perturbations (less than 3% for all energies) than gold markers, due to its lower density and atomic number. This could make the ZrO2 marker a preferred candidate for image guidance during carbon ion therapy, though its lower density may make it hard to see on X-ray images.
The researchers conclude that the MIMOSA28 pixel sensors can evaluate fluence perturbations due to edge-scattering effects for small fiducial markers used during ion-beam therapy. They note that the tracker system can determine the maximum cold spots without knowing their position along the beam axis in advance, providing a distinct advantage over radiochromic film.
“In the future, these measurements could be performed with different ion beams, such as protons – which should be more sensitive to perturbations by the markers – or helium beams, and with a more human-like phantom,” says Reidel.
My research group of about 10 people works on emerging concepts in photovoltaics and sensors. We use spectroscopic tools to study material properties and develop new device architectures. We are an interdisciplinary group, working at the interface between physics, chemistry, and materials science, and our work is aimed at answering fundamental questions in the context of real-world applications in energy conversion and sensing.
I have been at home since Monday the 16th of March, and I am adjusting to my home office. My workday starts at the same time as it used to, 8:30 – 9:00. While some deadlines (on grants, for example) have been extended, other more urgent things have come up, like how to organize an online class. I have been Skyping quite a lot of course. So, my day consists of grant/paper writing, e-mails, and Skype meetings – similar to what it used to be. I do try to go out a bit more during the day, though, which is something I didn’t do in the office.
The VU Amsterdam has been very flexible and communicative. I am receiving constant updates, and things are transparent. My department has been very clear about encouraging people to work at home and offering to cover any costs or help solve any problems that arise because of this. The building is still technically open, but all staff and students have been told to stay at home unless there is really a reason to go to the university (for example lab equipment that has to be maintained). Things are still somewhat relaxed in the Netherlands. Schools, restaurants, bars are closed, but the rest remain open for now. However, when you do see people out and about, they are maintaining a good distance from each other.
Planning for an uncertain future
My plans are to finalize two grant proposals and a paper, while keeping in regular touch with my group to ensure that their projects move forward, and that we find a suitable solution. This is probably too ambitious, but I will try! We are an experimental physics group, so a lab shutdown could be a disaster, but we are finding that everyone has some data to analyse, some text to write, some reading to do. For the next few weeks, we have a good plan for how to proceed.
I am not worried about myself at all. I have a stable job, and I can work from home if I have to. The silver lining for me is that I can get a lot of my to-do list done without many distractions. But it is clear to me that I am in a very privileged situation. I am worried about my students (some of whom come from other countries and are here on their own); colleagues with short-term contracts; people who are caring for others now; and generally about people in less stable financial, social, or personal situations. In the short term, it will be very stressful. As for the long term, it is very unpredictable, and no one knows how long it will last and what the direct and indirect consequences will be. It is indeed a strange situation.
My research revolves around building testable physical models of cosmic phenomena that are guided by current observational data, and can be tested with robust verifiable predictions. A strong foundation in physics and mathematics, combined with a systems approach to problem solving, are the crucial skills that I honed as an undergraduate at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and use every day on the job. The systems-thinking approach to a problem helps me pare down complex ideas and sift out critical ingredients – I first solve a simple version that captures the key features, before gradually adding back the complexity.
Thanks to my interdisciplinary career trajectory (I also have a graduate degree in the history and philosophy of science), I care deeply about expressing my ideas and processes and I aspire to write clearly and communicate effectively. I am a people person, and have cultivated emotional intelligence that stands me in good stead when working collaboratively in science. Adventurous and curious by nature, I have always enjoyed learning with an open mind and have been receptive to radical new ideas – and this has over time given me the courage and confidence to take intellectual risks.
What do you like best and least about your job?
What I love best about my job is the continuing thrill and joy of figuring things out when problem-solving. There is a sense of unadulterated joy that I derive from understanding something that seemed out of reach just an hour, a day, a week or a month ago. I enjoy the collaborative nature of research, interacting with other scientists from around the world, and working with others who may think very differently and bring new perspectives and insights. I also love the contact with the students I teach and mentor, who continually expose me to fresh ways of engaging with the world.
There are aspects of academic culture that I am not a great fan of, such as the emphasis on relentless self-promotion, the chasing after rapidly declining resources to fund basic science research like my own, and the competitiveness that occasionally descends to the petty. I know that science is a human endeavour and appreciate it deeply for that very reason, but the clash of ideas, which gets unnecessarily fierce sometimes, bothers me greatly. Another aspect that I find irksome is the growing level of bureaucracy and, in particular, inefficient meetings.
What do you know today that you wish you knew when you were starting out in your career?
There are a couple of things that I wish I had understood better when I was starting out in my career. The first is that each one of us gets to define success in our own terms, and create our very own personal collage of what matters to us – in our career, family, community, passions and interests – that collectively drives and catalyses us. Second, when I was young, I often felt like an outsider and this caused a sense of unease. Now, I have come to realize that being caught in this tussle between feeling like an insider and outsider is actually an empowering place to be, as it is freeing.
Finally, I wish I had known and understood that perseverance and persistence really come in handy for those intending to (and often compelled to) take intellectual risks – there will be resistance and one needs to accept that and be prepared to tackle it. Most of all, though, I am super grateful for having had the advantages, privilege and opportunities that have enabled me to pursue my personal dreams in my career and life.
