Summer 2014
|
TOWER
15
Dr. Kunal Das
conducts graduate-
level researchwith
undergraduate
students.
accepted to graduate school without
being involved in research at KU,”
MATTHEWMEEHAN ’11 said.
“Being able to put NSF funded
research onmy résumé really helped
me stand out. It was a great educa-
tional experience and it gave me the
opportunity to actually do research,
rather than just learn about it in the
classroom.”
Meehan, who is currently a Ph.D.
candidate at the University of
Wisconsin-Madison,majored in phys-
ics at KU and was a member of Das’
undergraduate research team.
Along withANDREW J. PYLE
’11, he coauthored an article withDas.
Entitled ‘AQuantum Paddlewheel,’
the paper was submitted to one of the
top international journals for physics.
“Publications really help you stand
out,”Meehan explained. “It’s a huge
benefit to demonstrate that not only
have you done research, but you have
something to show for it.”
A keen instinct for identifying tal-
ented undergraduate students allows
Das to assemble a research team
capable of graduate-level work by
the time they leave KU.
“Doing well in classes is important,
but not the most important consider-
ation for research,” he revealed.
“Students have to be motivated and
demonstrate an interest in learning
above and beyond just getting a good
grade. Intellectual curiosity is a key
component of what I look for when
choosing students.”
Das sets high standards
for his students.He sees
his role as helping stu-
dents achieve their full
potential and show them
that they’re competing on a
national scale. It works.
IANTOMES ’15, joinedDas’ team
of undergraduate research students in
spring 2013. Since then, he’s been pre-
paring to conduct the NSF funded
research by studying topology.During
the 2013 – 2014 academic year, he’s
grown increasingly interested in
becoming a research scientist and
studying electric cells and solar
power.He’s also come to recognize
what motivates Das.
“The more you get to know him,
you can start to understand why he’s
doing research,”Tomes said. “He’s
truly passionate about it, he’s extre-
mely driven and he loves the field.”
Das’ investment in his students
doesn’t end with graduation.
Pyle, whomajored in physics and
chemistry at KU, is currently a
Ph.D. candidate in experimental
atomic, molecular and optical
physics at the College of William
andMary in Virginia.
At KU, Pyle was approached about
conducting research withDas during
the spring semester of his sophomore
year. By the end of his junior year,
he had been accepted for a
Research Experience for
Undergraduates at theCollege
ofWilliam andMary, where
he worked on applying one of
Das’ theoretical models to a
real life experimental system.He’s
already co-authored an article that
was published in
Physical ReviewA
,
the premier journal for atomic phys-
ics, and serves as co-author for another
article currently in peer review.
“After working withDr.Das dur-
ingmy senior year, I was accepted
to four out of the six graduate insti-
tutions I applied to,”Pyle said. “I’m
nowworking withDas’ collaborator,
and preparing to perform experi-
ments that I modeled using simu-
lations at KU.”
“When I was an undergrad I
thought I had everything together,”
Pyle recalled. “I didn’t have
trouble understanding lectures
or any of the necessary math.
Entering graduate school was
a whole new ballgame. I still
speak regularly withDr.Das.
He gives me encouragement
and advice all of the time; he’s
really helpedme along the way.
Das influencedme a lot and still
does today.”
Life and circumstances brought
Das to KU. Since then, he’s pictured
every accomplishment as a stepping
stone along his path.He never plans
to reach the end of the road.
So what advice would he give
students hoping to follow in the
footsteps of his elite undergraduate
research team?
“Always strive for more,”he said.
“Go back to the fundamentals, like
Einstein used to.Then you’ll have
something important. If you’re
motivated to do research, then
you’ll have the opportunity at
KU.Here, you can afford to think
deeply.”
