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I was born on the southern coast of Trinidad and Tobago and lived there until I was eight. My family moved to the Bronx, NY, where I lived until I went off to Haverford College in Pennsylvania. While in college, I developed an interest sociology, philosophy and physics. I know that a lot of my scientific roots stem from growing up in the Bronx; as you well know, the art or rapping was invented in there. It was all around me growing up. The rappers would ‘battle’ each other with words and wit. The most important element was who delivered the best improvisational rhyme -- you didn’t know where someone was going to go with their words. I learned from a very young age to embrace the unknown, a quality that I know is beneficial in theoretical research.
 My interest in physics started with computers. My father was a cab driver by night and a computer technician by day. When I was 12 he bought home a used computer (1979 commodore PET). Video games were very primitive back then, so I taught myself how to program better games. Little did I know, I was picking up useful research skills. Eventually learning code was not enough, I had to understand how computers really worked. I learned from a teacher that it had to do with the flow of electrons through semiconductors. My curiosity took me to the local library where I discovered the words "Quantum Mechanics;" although I was mystified by the equations, I got hooked. This was my first introduction to physics.
At De Witt Clinton High School, in NY, I was very fortunate to have Mr. Daniel Kaplan as both my Music (Jazz Ensemble) and Physics teacher. He really inspired me, by telling me about the various connections between physics and music, including stories about physicist that played music and musicians that loved physics. Over the years I’ve developed a passion for both physics and the Tenor Saxophone. Nowadays, I play and arrange for a jazz band in San Francisco, when I’m not thinking about the early universe.
 After completing my PhD under the supervision of Dr. Robert Brandenberger at Brown in Theoretical Physics (Superstrings and Cosmology), I pursued my first postdoc at Imperial College in London. This was one of the best times of my life. Aside from doing a lot of thinking about the connections between Quantum Gravity and Inflation, I had the great fortune of meeting one of my heros in physics, Lee Smolin, who later introduced me to Brian Eno (producer of U2 and David Bowie, inventor of Ambient Music). I learned a great deal about the creative process in general from Brian and he really encouraged me to remain in physics -- I’m hoping it was because I didn’t suck on the sax. But I’ll never forget those years in London, drinking wine in Paris and giving talks around Europe.
  I now work at SLAC, where I research at interface between fundamental physics and cosmology. I’m currently developing a new way of explaining the observed matter-antimatter asymmetry directly from the inflationary epoch in the early universe from primordial gravitational waves. My collaborators and I expect this theory to have observable effects in the CMB. Here at SLAC, I’ve been very fortunate to work closely with my gurus Michael Peskin and BJ Bjorken.
During my free time I like to stay fit by biking, running and drinking wine (good antioxidant). At night I play in the Jazz and Funk venues with my band Izum in San Francisco -- come check us out sometime.
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