In a country renowned for its scientific research opportunities and ample rainfall, Engineering Fluid Dynamics PhD candidate Ryan Sidin has found a perfect niche for his studies in the behavior of droplets.
The 29-year-old Sidin is originally from Wanica, Suriname. After completing an undergraduate engineering degree in his home country, Sidin came to the UT for the first time in 2003 for a master's degree in applied physics working with the Physics of Complex Fluids group. After returning home to work for a year, Sidin returned to Twente in April of 2005 to begin his PhD project under Harry Hoeijmakers and Rob Hagmeijer on the analysis of droplet radius distribution in condensing flow. Sidin's research has to do with studying the transition from vapor to liquid, or condensation. The aim of the project he is working on is to `obtain a method to predict the size distribution function, to predict the size of these droplets and their amount.' This work has many applications, some of the most lucrative being in the natural gas industry. The research may lead to the improvement of a supersonic gas conditioner for the industry: a device that enables the separation of gas from unwanted material.
As for his vision of life after the UT, Sidin says that the future is wide open in some respects, but he is likely to return to Suriname. `That is where my roots are and I would really like to contribute to my own country's development. I do cherish my time here in the Netherlands however; in Suriname you are more part of a larger community in a different sense; there are political issues that can distract you from science. At the UT, I can focus purely on science; it is ideal in that sense.'
Sidin is fully immersed in his research and really enjoys living and working on campus. `I live with a lot of other international students here on campus; it's nice because we all share a lot of the same experiences and can understand each other to some degree regardless of where we come from.'
The experience of lecturing, both in Suriname and at the UT, has been enjoyable for Sidin. `I am equally comfortable with teaching or research; I think they both further your work in different ways.' Living between two cultures has also been educational. `My previous connections, but also the focus on science that is available here, really encouraged me to return to Twente. The general focus on science in the Netherlands and the ability to spend time focused on a project is a real bonus. In Suriname it is often the case that you have limited resources or other responsibilities that can distract or hinder you.'
Among the former Dutch colonies, the Surinamese are sorely under-represented in academics. Sidin is a welcome exception to that tacit rule. He maintains a friendly, relaxed demeanor here in Twente, all the while - according to his peers in Fluid Dynamics - working assiduously at his research.
Favorites
Languages: Dutch, English, and Sranang Tongo
Favorite book: Lies and Damn Lies: the art of approximation in science (MIT lecture notes by Sanjoy Mahajan)
Favorite film: Blood Diamond
Favorite football teams: In NL, Ajax; in Europe, FC Barcelona; in the world, Brazil.
Favorite dishes: Nasi, Roti (stewed meat with flatbread), and Saoto (chicken soup)
Dream destination: Greece, for the history.
Best part of living in NL: The opportunity to focus on scientific research
Worst part about living in NL: Lack of legitimate Surinamese food. `It seems like something happens to Surinamese cooks when they come to the Netherlands, it just doesn't taste the same.'
Hobby: Attending air shows.
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| (Foto: Frans van der Veeken) |
