Beyond the Lab Coat - Ainārs Knoks (Institute of Solid State Physics, University of Latvia)
Did you dream of becoming a scientist as a child?
I didn't dream of being a scientist because I had no idea
that it was an option. But I had a lot of curiosity.
What inspired you to pursue science?
My teachers in school helped me to have the courage to
try.
What do you love most about being a scientist today?
I enjoy investigating how reality emerges and is expressed.
What’s one myth about scientists you’d love to bust?
That science is deterministic and final. There are many unknowns,
and we have only models (assumptions) of how things "work"; science
is the process of investigation rather than a final destination.
What’s the weirdest or most unexpected thing you’ve
learned in your field?
The most important part of good science and interesting
discoveries is a good team; people are the most important
investment/value.
What’s your favorite non-science hobby?
Historical European Martial Arts (HEMA)/ Reconstruction,
which involves swords, armor, and fighting/fencing.
If science were a movie genre, what would it be?
It would have somewhat individual genre mixing sci-fi, documentaries,
reality TV, with a sprinkle of psychedelics.
What’s your favorite movie?
Jawan
What’s your favorite book?
The Hobbit
What music or song always inspires you?
That depends on the task at hand. But I always enjoy Heavy
or Hardcore Metal with some growling or excellent vocals (Slaughter to Prevail,
Lamb of God, Disturbed, Paleface Swiss, Slipknot, etc.).
If you weren’t a scientist, what would you be doing
today?
Honestly, it's hard to imagine myself as anything else, but
if I had to choose, I would be either a Viking or an engineer.
If you could invite any scientist—past or present—to
dinner, who would it be?
Nicola Tesla or Richard Feynman could be very interesting to
talk to.