He’s a doctor of physics and a recipient of the National Science Foundation’s prestigious CAREER award, so University professor Raghuveer “Raghu” Parthasarathy knows a thing or two about single-celled organisms. He said if he were to be one, he’d be tuberculosis.
“It’s very hard to kill it,” Parthasarathy said. “And it’s very popular.”
With his research team of seven University students – four graduates and three undergraduates – Parthasarathy has built artificial material using biological molecules that mimic the structures of the tuberculosis molecule membranes. Unlike other molecules, tuberculosis molecules don’t die when they’re dehydrated and Parthasarathy is curious as to why that is.
“Not knowing the answer is the exciting part. That’s kind of the key reason science is so interesting,” he said.
Parthasarathy – who was born in India, raised in San Diego, and educated at the University of California, Berkeley, and the University of Chicago – has always loved science because he said it’s everywhere.
For example, he uses white toothpaste, but not for any particular reason; at its core, it’s the same as clear toothpaste. But the solid particles in the two different toothpastes’ matrices reflect light differently, which gives them different appearances.
University senior Jordan Crist also thinks science’s omnipresence makes it fascinating.
“You can pretty much explain anything,” Crist said. “It’s kind of fun, like a lot of times, you’re just walking around and you’re like, ‘Why is that light yellow?’ You can explain why all the lights in Springfield are yellow, why the sky is blue, why the ocean is blue. It changes the whole perspective on how you look at things.”
Crist has taken two classes with Parthasarathy – vibration and waves, and statistical mechanics – and is currently one of his research assistants.
“In physics, there’s some professors who explain things well and put it in terms that students can understand and there are some professors who can’t. He’s very good at relating things,” Crist said. “He’s a great boss. He’s a great dad, he always brings his son to work and takes him out reading. He’s pretty much awesome at just about everything.”
Crist added that 2-year-old Kiran, whose name means “ray of light” in Sanskrit, is destined to be smart.
Parthasarathy – whose wife is Julie, a chemist he met while they were students in Chicago – said Kiran already has an interest in science, such as water’s transformation into ice cubes.
“Kids really do have this curiosity … a lot of people, I think lose that curiosity, which I think is unfortunate,” Parthasarathy said. “I don’t know why it is, but I think with a lot of things, people are content not to know. I think people would be happier if they weren’t complacent, but it’s hard to convince them of that.”
Between teaching, research and his family, Parthasarathy doesn’t have much spare time, but he doesn’t mind because he enjoys what he does. He started teaching at the University in June 2006 and fit right in, according to Dr. Steve Kevan, physics professor and head of the department.
“He’s an excellent teacher, he does really good service. He’s a great researcher. I have absolutely no complaints,” said Kevan, who has been at the University since 1985. “He’s really easy to talk to and fun to have around.”
Kevan said he hasn’t heard much student feedback on Parthasarathy, which is a good thing. He said when people seek out the department head to talk about faculty members, it’s usually to complain.
“We have lots of good, young faculty and he’s among that group,” he said. “I think he’s settled in very well.”
Though Parthasarathy enjoys walking through canyons and biking, he doesn’t feel comfortable calling himself an outdoorsy person by Eugene standards – “I think here, you have to hike for weeks on end and catch fish with your bare hands or something,” he laughed – but his favorite aspect of Oregon is its natural beauty.
“The scenery is just fantastic,” he said. “I bike to work and half my ride is along the Willamette River. I just can’t believe that’s my commute.”
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