Manoj Kovalam

​At school, I was taught that cats understand Physics better than most humans do, particularly in adjusting their body postures to gravity. My obsession for both cats and physics started back then.
 
Like most other kids at that age, I was fascinated by stars and space, always stuck to the National Geographic channel on TV looking for new discoveries and space documentaries. This interest never faded away and it led me to study science for my undergrad, even though it’s not a very popular option in India.
 
During my Master’s, my supervisor introduced me to gravitational wave science (a very hot topic at that time) and I worked on analysing detector data, trying to identify gravitational-wave signals. After graduating, I started looking for potential PhD opportunities and found that the data analysis group at the University of Western Australia was the best place to continue my studies. I started off as an intern for 3 months and then became a full-time PhD student in the group.
 
Prior to this, I always liked working independently, but here I am, part of this huge collaboration that is OzGrav, with people from different streams working together towards a common goal. This is a new and an amazing experience for me. At OzGrav, I’ve had more than just an academic growth—I’ve achieved all-round development. The best part about OzGrav is the annual retreats, especially the fun activities involving teamwork.
 
Science aside, amidst my usual flow of work I also enjoy playing video games, watching anime (hail prince Vegeta!), going out on bike trips with a friend and petting random cats on the street (but getting beat up by them in the end).
 
I do not have any particular plans for my future yet, but that said, I am very excited to venture into the unknown.