Postdoc Profile: Saikat Das

By Christos Litos, on behalf of the Physics Graduate Community

In the movie “Ratatouille,” Anton Ego says,  “[…] But the bitter truth we critics must face is that […] The world is often unkind to new talent, new creations. The new needs friends.”

To some, this is just one of many quotes from a Disney Pixar movie. To Saikat Das, it was inspiration to pursue his passion for science.

Saikat was born in India, where he also completed all his formal training as a physicist. Growing up among a cohort full of aspiring engineers, Saikat chose to pursue a different path: that of physics. This was determined not by a singular factor but by two: his competence in physics and his love for science fiction. If it weren’t for the inspiration of the world-renowned Jules Verne, the physics department at UF might have missed what is most certainly a great physicist.

At his core, Saikat is an astrophysicist. His thesis was on the origin and propagation of Ultra High Energy Cosmic Rays (UHECRs), which are very energetic nuclei that fall on earth and produce a cascade of particles. He worked in this field throughout his Ph.D. as well as throughout his two postdocs, the first one being in Japan and the second here at UF. While here, he has also been working on magnetic turbulence with his supervisor, Professor Siyao Xu. They are investigating whether “mirror acceleration”, a form of such turbulence, can efficiently accelerate particles in astrophysical plasmas.

As with all, Saikat is not simply a compilation of his work. When he is not engaging in his research, he thoroughly enjoys learning about new cuisines by attempting their recipes, whether it’s a dish from his home country India, or a plate from Western cuisine, as well as partaking in activities that involve socializing and dancing. Given his hobbies, it is no wonder that he is such a welcoming person.