A little about myself: I'm currently a PhD student in experimental physics, which involves an odd mix of both the complex and the simple. The research itself is very complex (it's on the frontiers of quantum mechanics), but much of the day to day to work is fairly simple (soldering, fixing/maintaining a variety of machines), so I sometimes describe myself as a glorified mechanic. I always love to talk about my research if physics is something that interests you.

I've also become very passionate about visual art over the last several years. My work spans a variety of media: acrylic & watercolor painting, ink drawings, paper cut-out collages, and mobiles (kinetic sculptures).

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

I love meeting interesting people, and getting a sense of culture from the perspective of a local rather than a tourist.

Music, Movies, and Books

Music: Bob Dylan, The Rolling Stones, The Beatles, Leonard Cohen, Katzenjammer, Philip Glass, Joni Mitchell, The Magnetic Fields, The Velvet Underground

Movies: Easy Rider, You Can Count on Me, There Will Be Blood, Paris je t'aime, Donnie Darko, Pulp Fiction, The Big Lebowski, O Brother Where Art Thou, Dazed and Confused, The Hours, The Triplets of Belleville, Yi Yi: A One and a Two, Koyaanisqatsi

Books: The Fan Man, Slaughterhouse-Five, Player Piano, Ender's Game, The Stranger, Pale Fire, A Streetcar Named Desire, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, Dubliners

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

I spent most of my summers during high school traveling the world with a youth orchestra, in which I played violin. In China we performed in several small rural villages, sometimes for people who had never seen an orchestra or heard classical music before. The most memorable concert was in Yangshuo, where we performed on the Li river: literally, on the river. The local ferrymen had tied their bamboo rafts together and covered them with a layer of plywood, creating a floating stage. After we played, a group of locals reciprocated with a tai-chi performance.

Countries I’ve Visited

Austria, Canada, China, Czech Republic, France, Greece, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Poland, Spain, United Kingdom, United States

Countries I’ve Lived In

United States