Doctoral candidate 5 - Dibakar Borah - Institute of Nuclear Physics, IFJ PAN, Karkow, Poland

Supervisor: Bartlomiej Zapotoczny, IFJ PAN;

co-supervisor: Malgorzata Lekka, IFJ PAN.

Meet our doctoral candidate at the Institute of Nuclear Physics,IFJ Pan, Krakow Poland Dibakar Borah!

Tell us about yourself, who are you? And how do you like to spend your time?

My name is Dibakar. I am from India and my state is Assam. To be more precise, from the city of Tezpur, known as the "City of Eternal Romance." I recently moved to Poland, which has been quite a change for me, since it is my first time in abroad and the climate here is very different from India. However, I enjoy this type of weather very much; it’s much more pleasant for working but I have heard that the winter is difficult due to snowfall

In my free time, I often scroll through videos, reels and read books. Previously, I mostly read about personality development, mainly works by Dale Carnegie and Sadhguru. However, I must add that I prefer reading articles from lesser-known authors, as I feel they speak their minds and are not bound by their audiences' or publishers' expectations. More recently, I have taken a step back from reading and am more practically considering what I want to do with my life, where I want to go, and exploring new opportunities.

What is your educational background and what have been up until now?

After completing my Bachelor's degree, I earned a Master of Science in Physics, with High Energy Physics as an elective. In my thesis, I sought to develop an alternative equation for Majorana particles. However, I was also keen to delve into the experimental domain of physics, so I decided to pursue an additional Master of Technology degree in Applied Optics (Optical Engineering) at the Indian Institute of Technology Delhi.

Following my time at the institute, I was hired as a Data Scientist by a company where I worked for nearly two years. Nevertheless, my enduring interest in microscopes led me to stay alert for intriguing projects. Eventually, an opportunity arose with the ImAge-D Project.

Why did you decide to join ImAge-D?
Prior to the ImAge-D project, I was working in the domain of Optical Coherence Tomography, a noninvasive imaging method that uses light to obtain internal images of biological specimens. Beyond the technical and physical aspects, I was also interested in learning more about the behavior of microorganisms.

With ImAge-D, I have the opportunity to combine both biology and optics, which I see as a great advantage. The project allows me to contribute to the field of microscopy by improving my knowledge and skills, and hopefully exploring new methods in the field. Additionally, my experience as a data scientist allows me to apply my knowledge of computational data analysis to the images I will capture with the microscope.

What are your expectations regarding your work in the ImAge-D project?

I aim to give back to society as a researcher, aspiring to contribute to further advancements in microscopy within the framework of this project. While success cannot be guaranteed, it is my ambition to expand my knowledge with the help of professors from diverse disciplines, enabling me to write successful research grant applications post-PhD. In addition to enhancing my experimental skills in microscopy, I eagerly anticipate the social benefits of collaborating with a variety of professors. This multidisciplinary approach offers both professional and social advantages.

Could you share a fun fact with us?

India shares a common border with Bangladesh, and one day, I visited a river named Dawki in Meghalaya. However, the border there was only marked by one small stone. While my friends were taking pictures, I accidentally crossed the border into Bangladesh by stepping over this stone. Immediately, two or three soldiers came after me, pulled me aside, and warned me never to cross the border again, as it could lead to national issues. So, if you ever find yourself in that area, watch out for the border stones!

Thank you very much Dibakar for the in-depth interview. Welcome to Europe, welcome to the ImAge-D project and all the best for the following year!