Kotwal works on the CDF experiment at the US Department of Energy’s Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory. “I think that the excitement of figuring something out is almost as much as what the answer will be.” “We’re searching for the facts with as much rigor as we can,” Kotwal says. Only after making their measurement do the physicists compare their methodology and results with those from other experiments.īut unlike for Kotwal’s students, the right answer is not listed in the back of a book. Independent teams of scientists tackle the same fundamental problems using distinct detectors and techniques. Once you get to the end, then-and only then-get together with your colleagues and compare.”Īs researchers, Kotwal and his colleagues apply this same methodology. “Take your best shot and see how far you can go. “If you discuss too much with each other right from the beginning, you might end up reproducing someone else’s thoughts,” he says.

Duke physics professor Ashutosh Kotwal always tells his students to work through problem sets independently before consulting with classmates.

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