Hello ! I am a Research Scientist. I work at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography in University of California, San Diego, but I stay in Los Angeles with my wife. My research is on using sound to understand different things about the ocean - about marine creatures, about ships, and about melting ice. I am an avid traveller, and while I was working in Singapore, I have travelled a lot around the world. I am very passionate about travel, science, music, movies, series, and books, but I also keep trying out new things (recent hobbies I tried out include bouldering !)

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

For like-minded culture and travel-enthusiasts. I usually have to spend a night in San Diego occasionally after meeting people, and couchsurfing seems to be an ideal way to do it since I love meeting people, do not spend the day at home, and only return home for sleeping.

Interests

• reading
• science
• travel
• research
• movies and series

Music, Movies, and Books

Movies:
Chinese: Red Cliff
Japanese: Shoplifters
Korean: Parasite and Handmaiden
Hindi: Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara, Queen, Mard Ko Dard Nahi Hota
Iranian: A separation, and Salesman
Malayalam: Jallikattu
Tamil: Super Deluxe

English list would be pretty long. The first few that come to mind include Shawshank redemption and The Dark Knight

In 2019 (English): Parasite, Jojo Rabbit, Knives out, Little Women, 1917, Uncut gems, Joker, Ford v Ferrari, John Wick 3, Bombshell, almost in that order (I've watched them all !).

I'm also fond of Indian movies, and can suggest some good ones if you like.

Books:
Sci Fi (my favorite genre): Rememberance of Earth's past (Liu Cixin) and Timeline (Crichton)
Drama: Kiterunner, and Kane and Abel
Autobiography: surely you are joking Mr. Feynman
Law: Firm (John Grisham)
Fantasy: Lord of the Rings (Game of thrones is a close second)

Music: Mostly Indian Carnatic, Pop and Bollywood, but I also love rock (Nirvana, Rammstein, Metallica), and have broad tastes so can enjoy Jazz as well.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Watched Northern lights in Alaska
White-water rafting in Bali
Sunsets in Bagan (Myanmar), Angkorwat (Cambodia), Bali (Indonesia)
Read LOTR and Game of Thrones before the movies/series came out

What I Can Share with Hosts

My experiences, travelling around the world !
I can talk ages about movies. We could spend a whole evening with beer and movies, I say.
Science is also something that interests me.

Countries I’ve Visited

Cambodia, Croatia, France, India, Indonesia, Italy, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Philippines, Scotland, Singapore, Spain, Thailand, Viet Nam

Countries I’ve Lived In

India, Singapore, United Arab Emirates, United States