Graduate Alumni Profile: Dr. Nakib H. Protik

Dr. Nakib H. Protik was a graduate student in BC Physics from 2014-2019. For his doctoral research work, carried out under the supervision of Prof. David Broido, he studied the effects of impurity scattering on heat transport and developed a computational method for calculating the self-consistent coupled transport of charge and heat in materials. Since obtaining his PhD, he has held postdoctoral research positions at Harvard University, USA and ICN2, Spain. He is currently an Alexander von Humboldt Research Fellow at the Institute of Physics and IRIS Adlershof of Humboldt University of Berlin, Germany.

How do you reflect on your time as a physics graduate student at BC?

I had a wonderful time at BC. The campus is an architectural gem in the region and the people were friendly and smart. I fondly remember the inspiring classes I took with Profs. Ziqiang Wang, Pradip Bakshi, Kevin Bedell, Jan Engelbrecht, and Krzysztof Kempa. My doctoral supervisor, Prof. David Broido, was a great mentor to me and has shaped the way I think about and approach research problems. My cohort was a fantastic group of young physicists. There was a great sense of camaraderie among us and we really pulled together when the going got tough at times. I also remember the kind and supportive staff members - Jane, Nancy, Sile, and Scott. I have studied and worked in many universities around the world, and to me BC was truly special.

How did your experience at BC contribute to your current career?

The training I received at BC was crucial for my career trajectory. In my opinion, BC Physics strikes a good balance between the amount of coursework, teaching, and research that is required from its doctoral students. Its location in the Greater Boston area also benefited me since it allowed me to easily network with the other excellent physics departments in the region.