Dr. Saurya Das, Professor, Department of Physics & Astronomy

Tell us a little bit about yourself.
I wanted to do physics since middle school. I did my bachelors, master's, and PhD in physics in India, following which I did postdoctoral fellowships at Penn State University and the Universities of Winnipeg and New Brunswick. I then moved to Lethbridge with a tenure track position. Quite a move from +40 summers in India to -40 winters in Canada! I like the winters!

How long have you been at ULethbridge and what do you do here?
I've been here more than 20 years. I teach, I do research and work in various committees.

I am a theoretical physicist interested in some of the fundamental questions of nature, such as what the fundamental constituents of our universe and of spacetime are, where did the universe come from, how it evolves and what would be its ultimate fate. Fortunately, quantum mechanics, which is a needed to answer these questions, is my area of expertise. I approach these problems using established and new physical laws, calculations and techniques and have achieved some success towards obtaining the answers. I collaborate widely nationally and internationally, work with the students, postdocs and research associates in my group and have formed partnerships with agencies and consortia regionally and worldwide, including Quantum Alberta, Quantum Horizons Alberta, Quantum Major Innovations Fund Project, Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA), Einstein Telescope and Cosmic Explorer.

They support my research and some of them have invested or committed to invest significant resources in terms of funding to quantum research at the ULethbridge, making it a hub of fundamental research in southern Alberta, at par with other leading places in the country and contributing to the overall quantum ecosystem in Canada. I am proud of what I do!

What's the best part of your job?
Interacting with students, doing technical calculations, publishing new results and giving talks on my work.

What do you enjoy doing outside of work?
Travelling, cooking, listening to music, singing (classical, jazz and the Eastern folk music form called Baul), playing the piano and the Eastern folk instruments of harmonium, dotara and dubki.