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 where learning begins. You might be surprised by how frequently Sohang will say the same. This habit strengthens our conviction when we say "I think so" or "I understand". However, "I don't know" should be followed by a genuine effort to find out. What we do not want to ever hear is "I don't want to know" or "I don't care".

(iii) No law of conservation of knowledge: Unlike mass or energy, knowledge is not conserved. When we learn, teach, 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, confusion, and iteration. Our group welcomes that process at every step.

(iv) Every question is an opportunity: One of the most powerful tools a scientist has 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 genuine and either 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–6 pm, Monday through Friday. Research often involves thinking, reading, coding, writing, and discussion, which 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 regular 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 medical/personal 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 offer research office-hour sessions twice a week during which group members are welcome to drop in with questions and ideas. These impromptu interactions are most helpful for younger students, but are open to everyone depending on Sohang's availability.

For quickest responses, communication through the group’s online space (either Slack or Teams, TBD) is encouraged.

Group Meetings

Group meetings are a central part of how we learn from one another. These meetings are not only meant for reporting polished results; they are also for learning new ideas, discussing new papers, sharing technical roadblocks, and getting early feedback on research progress. Group members are expected to regularly attend and actively participate in these meetings. Sohang will try his best to maintain a low-pressure environment such that students and postdocs can freely ask questions without the fear of being judged.

Meetings will include 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. Preparing a first draft 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

Conferences are invaluable not only for presenting research, but also for learning how the field is evolving, meeting collaborators, and engaging with the broader scientific community.

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 one of the most serious mishaps 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'.)

To help create accountability, we will alternate between code and data backup deadlines every week. Sohang will appreciate a short message each time a backup is completed.

Annual Evaluations

Every summer, Sohang will meet individually with each group member to reflect on research progress over the past year. These meetings will emphasize what should have been learned and achieved at a given stage, and how current progress aligns with those expectations. The aim will be to clearly identify gaps and areas requiring improvement. 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 years and postdoctoral researchers, these discussions will also include planning next career steps and long-term goals.

Social Activities

A strong sense of community can make research more enjoyable and strengthen trust within the group. Social 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 social activities will include:

(i) Coffee walks: If schedules permit, once a week the group is free to join Sohang on a walk to a nearby coffee shop for a tea/coffee/dessert break. This provides an opportunity to step outdoors together, and can be immediately arranged after group meetings, or after the code/data backup deadline

(ii) Group dinner: Every semester, the group shares a meal at a favorite restaurant. These are usually planned in advance to accommodate everyone’s availability

(iii) Summer retreat: Typically over the summer, the group will coordinate a short day trip to a nearby location, often involving a short hike and a picnic in a natural setting

(iv) Holiday party: Sohang will host an annual group holiday gathering, typically at the end of the fall semester.

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

Group Responsibilities

A healthy group depends on shared responsibility. Even in a theoretical and computational setting, there is important collective work involved in sustaining a functional group. We currently maintain two rotating roles:

(i) Group meeting organizer: This person is responsible for scheduling and announcing group meetings, as well as helping reserve rooms at the beginning of each semester.

(ii) Keepers of group software: This is typically a 2-person team in charge of maintaining up-to-date installation and runtime environments for codes developed by our group, as well as third-party open-source codes that we use. These members will also work with Sohang in maintaining the group-codes handbook with updated instruction manuals and tutorials.