Well done, Dr. Sen-Gupta

I was reading the latest issue of 'Biopotential', our Graduate Students' newsletter the other day. It features a detailed personal interview (on page 5) of Dr. Anirban Sen-Gupta, the latest addition to the faculty at Case-BME.

I keenly read that, and found some of the answers very interesting. While reading it, I was subconsciously thinking about those questions in my mind. I was actually very surprised to see Dr. Sen-Gupta commenting on some of the questions in exactly the same manner as I would have answered them.

For e.g. Read this:

What were your favorite parts of being a grad student... and your least favorites?

Most favorite part: understanding why it is called Doctor of "Philosophy" ...makes you philosophical after a year or two about every success and every failure, every positive and every negative thing happening in your life. You kind of imbibe that "Oh well, that's life" mentality.

Least favorite part: As an "international student" with visa limitations, I guess the least favorite part was being in a very tight economic situation, as I was not allowed, by federal law, to work outside of the campus and had to squeeze everything within a measly grad stipend. Over past several years I see that the stipend has increased a lot, but when I first started, things would be just enough for paying the rent and doing some very calculated groceries, that's it.

What do you like so far about being a prof? How does it feel on the .other. side?

I like a bunch of things about being a prof:

1) The salary of course!!

2) The chance to contribute to the students' career

3) The opportunity to come to terms with my own strengths and weaknesses about being "responsible", even if partially, for hundreds of students.

4) The glee and content I see in my parents' eyes when I get to meet them, maybe, a rare one time in two years; I think, in their mind and somewhat with respect to the Indian culture, they feel that I have at last "established" myself ...

Being on the "other" side feels great and at the same time, once-in-a-while, makes me feel damned nervous. "Responsibility" always brings a sense of "risk", a sense of "uncertainty"; being responsible, to whatever extent, for the career development for hundreds of students has the "thrill", as well as, that "can I do it?" feeling associated to it, especially during the initial years. I guess once I loose all my hair, get perennial migraine and start wearing 1 inch thick glasses, that nervous feeling will go away.

Do you have any advice for new grad students?

Yeah, start getting used to working at least 15 hours a day, through most of the year; and once in a while take a vacation to clear your head. Don't do your research because you "have to"; do it because you "want to"

What about grad students nearing the end of their program?

End of "grad years" brings even more "uncertainty" to life if you think big picture; "job uncertainty", "family uncertainty" and what not. So take strength from all the tough times that you have had to go through during your grad years and dive into the bigger sea of things with confidence. Life, in itself, is a never-ending program; graduating here, is just the beginning.

What are some of your non-professional interests/hobbies?

Sports: Soccer, Racquetball, Ping-Pong.

Music: Indian Classical Instruments and Western anything with good guitar pieces. Traveling to unknown, "non-tourist" places to explore them.

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Very well said, Dr. Sen-Dupta, I must say !. I was particularly impressed about the "philosophy" part, as well as the other side of being PhD part.

After Dr. Baskaran, Dr. Sen-Gupta is second faculty of Indian origin in our department. Both are excellent ambassadors of my country; and I am sure that they will be perfect role models for budding PhDs like me in years to come.