Pelita by A.P.I.

A very nice song. Boleh bikin naik semangat. Layan...

A Next Level

Yesterday, I sit for my oral physics comprehensive exam. It consists of a mini-project of current interest that also relate to my future proposal of Ph.D interest. It took me approximately 30 minutes to talk and the rest is for the Q&A session.

All together there are three committee members whom two of them are my internal examiners. Both are from physics department. The first was a high energy physicist, and the other was a theoretical condensed matter physicist. I was told my by my friend regarding this professor of theoretical condensed matter (he was from Greece), of how he usually give the student a pretty hard time if he was one of the examiner.

And this is in fact so true, because the first time when I sent him my type written report, he got so many suggestion in mind. There are certain things that he asked me to do and until the last minute of the day of the exam (presentation day), he event sent me an email saying what he aspect to see in my slides. This I cannot do of cause because of the time constraint that I have to follow. But at the end of my presentation, he again asked me to prepare another additional report and sent him a copy.

The story during the exam/presentation was a bit hectic. My other examiner asked few questions plus some suggestion of what I've been proposing in the current project. This is absolutely fine with me since I know absolutely what I did. But, the 1000 millions questions were by my Greek professor. His question covered from the very little things of physics to a wide knowledge of quantum mechanics but still in the interval of what I have said in my slide. I was so lucky that I did attend my supervisor's course on quantum mechanics and plus do some exercises on certain topics on the so famous nowadays coherent states. There are times, I was stumbled a bit, trying to focus and remember of what will be the answer, but overall I made his satisfied.

At this point, I believed I have give the best that I can and well, I did passed my comprehensive. This is indeed a good news as I am now officially a PhD candidate.

Thanks to the millions people around me and may I be prepared for the next level of the real research work.

Peace...

Life at SGW

I'm packing my things today. And later on will return my current office key to the department. It definitely a sad thing as I like my current workspace together with the rest of the students a lot. They are very understanding, helpfull and sometimes even hilarious. I can ask any question related to mathematical analysis and proof to these people. They're really nice. Thanks guys. I will be using my new office at Loyola Campus for now. Most people said that Loyola is more study-like environment, greener with its old building decoration plus quieter if compare to the SGW campus which is situated in the busy downtown area.

But, for me the busiest does not really bother me at all. Because the last time I spend my time at Loyola, I was trying my very best to cooperate with the so quiet motion. How bizarre that is. I told one of my friend that I'm going to move and pack my things. And he responded with, how sad it could be. Though I'll be seeing you guys again. It's not like I'm going back to Malaysia already.

Even though, I now don't have a permanent space/office here, but I will of cause definitely will come here now and then since my supervisor is here. There will be the graduate's room for which I can used. Also for the time being before the Fall semester is starting, I'll be using my friend's office to spend my weekdays for work purpose.

Today also, I'm able to take some pictures of the three of us. The mathematical physics student. Valerie is now Dr. Hudon and Ferenc will soon go for his thesis defense in July. Look how we pose in front the mathematical and statistic receptionist counter.

Me and Valerie Hudon

the mathematical physicist trio. ha ha

Fixing Thorough the Errors

It has been a while I'm using LaTeX as my word processor and I can say that I am quite comfortable with it. However, there are times when what you type and configure doesn't come out nicely. This never happened when I'm working in Microsoft word office.

Actually, there so much things you can do with LaTeX. Sometimes one can even experiment new style of writing, saving files, include files and so on. There are tons of references for those who would like to begin with LaTeX. And believe me it was really easy and helpful. But when one deals with the actual work with LaTeX, one can't imagine how one need to deal with the errors during the compilation of one files. Usually errors can be fix very quick. But today, it is very challenging. As I was writing just in a normal mode and everything was just fine. And next when I changed into a new file to continue with, I facing this kind of error for which I didn't know where to fix it since the file looked all perfect to me.

This is somehow very troublesome and annoying. Because now it has been one hour and more since I ever try to fix the error. It is related to the undefined references due to the cross-references in LaTeX. I somehow lost my focus since I cannot have the perfect compile pdf file. I guess I should stop running the compilation and just continue with the contents.

arrghhh...

p\s- I've emailed a friend who a master of this piece and perhaps he has the answer to it.

Oh Writing

I always get nervous, whenever I send my reports which definitely involved writing to someone who obviously experienced and smart. In this sense it is due to the academic writing (not when I'm blogging). Those reports which consist of technical and understanding of certain discussed topics. So in my case it would be the physics of mathematics. Graduate students, I assume will for sure experience the same thing. Of having to send reports, write-up, papers, theses and others writing materials to your supervisor. Doing this is to make sure that what you do is appropriately to what you have studied and mostly to witness your job in terms of documentation. And the viewers/readers are your referee to confirm your work.

I still remember during my final thesis writing of my masters. I supposed that I do OK in my writing but the results is not as I expected. The comments were made by my former supervisor was that,

"I think you watched too many English (US) movie. Your style of writing told me that. Please stop watching movies and you better start doing real writing. Meaning professional. " (I must agree, as people used to say your writing represent who you are)

From that day, I promised myself to work out my style of writing ever since. Not to do the same mistake again. And the most important part not to what Malay used to say "syok sendiri". My former also insist on knowing what your are writing and what is the thing you want really to say and keep your writing related to each other. He was also the one who taught me that equations and mathematical expression deserved to be treated as in line with the notions of a story. For example when you read a journals, you also read each mathematical equations together between the line if there is. Not to exclude them.

I must really really thank to my former adviser to really changed the way I write. Last two weeks, I sent my first report to my adviser. And I was so nervous about how it would turns out. And today we met, he told me he was satisfied. We just have to add some more to the idea. That's all. And more he didn't mention anything about my writing. Perhaps it is readable.

Thanks...

I've Been Monitored

Last week I missed my quantum mechanic class not because I do it in purpose but I have a bad cold and sore throat. And I feel so bad about it. Of cause this is just my audit course, not an officially registered one. But I've been given my full commitment for this class. I have take the opportunity to do almost all the assignment. At least it is for my own good.

But, the truth is I hardly ever missed a class or even a related weekly seminar. But last week I cannot help it because my body didn't seem to cooperate that well. Last week also I hand in my report a day earlier before the day of class via email to my adviser and supposedly I should at least have a quick discussed with him last week. But I missed them.
And this week, yesterday when I met him before the class, he asked me

"what happen to you last week? "
"sorry Prof. I had a cold" (oops...he wonders where I'd go)
"well, I can see that you still have a cold now, even you sound different"

I just putting up a smile. I hate to be the person anyone turned to especially before the class was about to get started. I really didn't purposely skipped the class. Believe me.

Then later after the class, one of my friend suggest me some medicine to relief the cold. I guess I getting better soon enough.

April Now

Its been a few days of April now. I have to try my best to catching up. Especially in my preparation towards my proposal seminar and also the write-up.

Right now, I am compiling the associated literature due to my related research on this specific integral form. Perhaps, I will try smart enough to arrange time together with if not smooth, but almost smooth during the execution.

Good luck.