Where do you consider to be your hometown?
Guwahati, India
What is your degree program?
Ph.D. in statistics
What motivates you?
I work in discrete probability, specifically on random graphs and networks. We use probabilistic models to study a lot of real-world networks. The area raises a lot of questions that are very simple to state and understand without much background knowledge. And yet, the solutions always involve some really innovative and mind-blowing technique or the other. I was hooked the first time I saw some of these topics during an undergraduate class, and hope to make my own contributions to the field and further our understanding.
Why did you choose UNC-Chapel Hill when deciding on a program/place to study?
The Department of Statistics and Operations Research (STOR) at UNC-Chapel Hill has a very large and active probability research group, with a large number of faculty working on research areas that I wanted to pursue during my Ph.D.
How have you built community at Carolina?
A lot of University-organized events aimed at international students helped me meet students from other departments and make some close connections. Others have been through my hobbies, mostly. I like playing badminton, and met some wonderful people during badminton club practice. I have also recently started running regular board game sessions, which I’m an avid fan of.
Describe DSS in five words!
Fun, Energetic, Helpful, Connecting, Food!