Expectations

Our group aims to foster intellectual ambition within a thoroughly supportive and collaborative research environment. The goal of this page is to make Sohang's mentorship philosophy and the group's mutual expectations transparent from the outset. Group members are encouraged to share their feedback as and when they encounter difficulties or opportunities.

Mentorship Values

Here are some core values that Sohang aspires to cultivate within the group.

(i) Learning new things together: Group members come in with different backgrounds and goals, and we do not expect everyone to follow the same path. What we do expect is a willingness to continuously learn new things, share those learnings generously with others, and take ownership of developing the expertise needed to move projects forward.

(ii) "I don't know" is always welcome: We take pride in being able to quickly say "I don't know" or "I'm not sure", because that is often the first step in any learning process. You might be surprised by how frequently Sohang will say the same. This habit strengthens our conviction when we say "I understand" or "I know". However, "I don't know" should be followed by a genuine effort to know what you don't. What we do not want to ever hear is "I don't want/care to know".

(iii) No law of conservation of knowledge: Unlike mass or energy, knowledge is not conserved. When we learn and share, we create positive superpositions. We aim to build an environment where ideas can be discussed early, even before they are fully formed. Many good projects begin with partial thoughts and confusion. Our group welcomes that process at every step.

(iv) Every question is an opportunity: One of our most powerful tools is the ability to ask questions. Our group strongly encourages asking and answering scientific questions of all kinds. No question is stupid as long as it is rooted in curiosity or necessity.

(v) The best way to learn is often to do: Many areas of theoretical chemistry are so specialized that it is impossible to feel fully prepared before beginning research. The best way to learn is often by doing, and by making and admitting to one's mistakes with complete honesty. The goal is to get the best at figuring out when you are wrong, and to learn how to avoid making the same mistake again.

(vi) Zero tolerance for intolerance: We do not tolerate discrimination against group members on any grounds. If such incidents arise, they will be immediately addressed and with utmost seriousness.

Work Hours

We designate the work week as approximately 9 am–5 pm, Monday through Friday. Our work involves thinking, reading, writing/deriving equations, coding and discussions. Many of these may not occur on the same schedule for everyone. At the same time physical presence matters when working in a team, where informal conversations and spontaneous questions often help new ideas develop. With this in mind, group members are expected to maintain in-office presence for approximately four days each week. Reasonable exceptions and flexibility can be arranged in consultation with Sohang, especially in cases of disabilities, personal circumstances, or emergencies.

Responses to work-related messages are expected in a timely manner during regular work hours. Sohang may occasionally send messages outside the designated work week when something comes to mind or to avoid forgetting it; however, timely responses will only be expected once the work week resumes. Sohang will maintain the group calendar carefully to make his availability clear at all times. In the same spirit, graduate students are expected to add their class and TA schedules to the group calendar.

Meetings with Sohang

Every group member will have a scheduled one-hour meeting with Sohang each week. Consistent participation is expected barring vacations, or emergencies. Group members are generally expected to bring an informal summary of the work undertaken in the past week, including instances of challenges and breakthroughs. These meetings can also be used to discuss broader ideas related to research and professional development.

In addition, Sohang will usually keep his door open whe he is available, when group members are welcome to drop in with questions and ideas. These impromptu interactions are most helpful for younger students when questions can be answered through relatively short discussions.

For quickest responses, communication through the group’s online space MS Teams space is encouraged.

Group Meetings

Group meetings are a central part of how we work. Our group meetings tend to be full of questions from all participating members, so they often take the full 90 minutes scheduled per week. Group members are expected to attend every meeting and participate actively. Sohang tries his best to maintain a low-pressure environment such that the group can freely ask questions without the fear of being judged.

Meetings have acommodated a range of formats: (i) research updates, (ii) journal clubs, (iii) theory reviews, (iv) coding tutorials, and (v) practice talks.

Paper Writing

Writing is a core part of scientific training. We begin drafting a manuscript quite early as it is often the stage at which ideas become sharper, weaknesses emerge, and the real contribution to the literature becomes clear.

For a graduate student’s first paper, Sohang will typically write the initial draft and then edit it collaboratively with the student. For subsequent papers, the first author is expected to prepare the initial draft (typically in Overleaf) and share it with Sohang for feedback and revision.

For preferred graphics styles and text formatting, please ask Sohang for the group repository.

Attending Conferences

Graduate students will begin attending conferences in their second or third year, depending on when their first one or two papers are completed. Postdoctoral scientists will typically begin attending at the end of their first year.

Depending on the availability of funds, each group member will typically attend one domestic conference (e.g., ACS, APS, or GRC) per year.

Code/Data Backup

Every group member is responsible for maintaining reliable backups of their code and data. Losing access to carefully completed research is probably the most serious mishap that can occur in a theory group, and we will do our best to avoid such situations. (If you have not heard about it already, ask Sohang about his painful 'water bottle accident'.)

Last group meeting day of every month serves as a deadline for everyone (including Sohang) to backup their code and data, and send a message in the group chat.

Annual Evaluations

Every summer, Sohang will meet individually with group members to reflect on progress over the past year. These meetings will emphasize what has worked well, what has not, and will incllude conversations about what should have been learnt/achieved at a given stage, and how current progress aligns with those expectations. Together, Sohang and the group member will outline goals and strategies for the coming year. Group members will also have an opportunity to share feedback on mentorship and group culture.

For PhD students at the end of their third/fourth year, these discussions can also include planning a graduation timeline and identifying long-term career goals.

Social Activities

Group activities are meant to create opportunities for shared leisure and connection, not obligations. Participation should never feel mandatory or exclusionary, and group members should let Sohang know if they ever feel this way. Our activities include:

(i) Weekly coffee hours (ii) Group lunch/dinners (iii) Summer day-trips (iv) Winter holiday party

Group activities should be respectful of different personalities, cultures, and circumstances.

Group Responsibilities

Even in a theoretical and computational setting, there is important collective work involved in sustaining a functional group. We currently maintain the following rotating responsibilities:

(i) Group Meetings: Coordinate the meeting schedule and send weekly reminders in the group chat.

(ii) Group Software: Two group members maintain the installation and runtime environments for both our own codes and the third-party software we use. They also work with Sohang to update instructions in our code manuals up to date.

(iii) Office Safety and Supplies: Help keep the group space safe and ensure that computers and other electronics are operated safely. Keep track of shared supplies and coordinate with Sohang to place orders through Workday.

(iv) Calendar and Social Activities: Keep the group calendar up to date with student TA/class schedules and plan social activities, with inputs from all group members.