Name: Nashwan Sabti
Current position: PhD
Affiliation: King's College London
Field of research: Cosmology
What is your career trajectory to date?
I did a double bachelor in physics and astronomy (Leiden University), then a master in theoretical physics (also Leiden University). Now I am about to finish my PhD in physics (King's College London).
What are the most exciting open questions in your research area?
There are too many! Personally speaking, I am very interested in finding ways to detect the cosmic neutrino background and exploring the high-redshift Universe between cosmic dawn and reionisation.
What do you like and dislike about being a scientist?
Like: I don't have to wake up at 6-7 in the morning.
Dislike: It's not clear to me when to stop working.
More seriously, I like that there's a freedom to try out different things and see what sticks. I dislike the uncertainties that come with an academic career.
In your career so far, at what point were you the most excited, and what were you excited about?
When I finished my first paper. It was a fun experience, everything just went smoothly and it was the start of a great collaboration.
What new skills would you like to learn in the next year?
I would like to learn how to use N-body/hydro simulations in addressing questions I have as well as learning how to program in Julia.
What advances or new results are you excited about or looking forward to?
A new era of 21-cm cosmology will soon be upon us and I'm very excited to see what we'll learn! If the aftermath of the EDGES signal was anything to go by, it seems we're in for a ride.
What is the biggest obstacle that is slowing down your research field right now?
Computers are simply not fast enough.
What role do you think a community network like EuCAPT can play in developing theoretical astroparticle physics and cosmology in Europe?
If it could create a more collaborative environment - especially for young scientists - that would be great.
What’s your favorite food?
Mediterranean and Japanese. I'm also a big fan of my mother's cooking :)
Have you lived in a different European country than you do now? If so, would you like to tell us something about it, e.g. a fond memory or something you found surprising?
London is a fantastic city for those who like live performances of any kind. My university is located in the heart of the city, which makes it very easy to walk to a venue after work.
How do you like to relax after a hard day of work?
Movie night with pizza or just spend time with family and friends.
Do you have any non-physics interests that you would like to share?
I enjoy going to the theatre/opera/ballet/musical and listening to orchestral music.
What do you hope to see accomplished scientifically in the next 50 years?
Besides a resolution to the dark-matter problem, the detection and characterisation of the relic neutrino background at a similar level as with the CMB today.