Beyond Academia
Interests and activities beyond my PhD research.
Books.
Beyond the realm of Mathematics textbooks, I like to read non-fiction, econ, politics and behavioural science books.
My current top 5:
- Against the Gods: The Remarkable Story of Risk by Peter L. Bernstein
- Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman
- Seven and a Half Lessons About the Brain by Lisa Feldman Barrett
- The (Mis)Behaviour of Markets by (the legend) Benoit Mandelbrot and Richard L. Hudson
- Notes from Underground by Fyodor Dostoevsky (another legend!).
I also love philosophy, sci-fi and classic novels. What draws me in the most is the contrast between the dark, existential focus of Russian classic literature and the class-conscious, conversational tone of English classics.
Reading literature feels like immersing myself in the history, culture, and emotional world of the people of that time — something you can never fully find in history books.
Sports
I genuinely love trying new sports!
My personal rule is to take on a new sport every one to two years and stick with it long enough to become “not too bad” at it.
While curiosity is what draws me to new sports, many of these pursuits have also been competitive rather than purely recreational - not because I “have to win”, but because I enjoy the challenge. You will never see me sulk after a bad game!
Over the years, I’ve competed for multiple volleyball teams, rowed for QMUL — including racing at HORR 2024 (not WeHORR, but HORR! Yeap, strange…), ran a marathon in 2025, won first place in regional high jump and a gymnastics competition in Bulgaria before moving to the UK, and performed as part of a dance crew at the London Paralympic Games (2012).
More recently, I’ve been tackling Yoga and Wild Thing has quickly become one of my favourite things to do during work breaks.
More moments
