A Research Assistant at the Department of Entomology. Nothing would have prepared me for that.

A couple of decades ago, I landed in the US as a Computer Science student. If you had asked me about data structures, computer networks or microprocessors I would have indulged a little, algorithms would work too; if you really pushed me I could have blurted something about software engineering. Yet, I landed an unlikely gig – an assistant for a research scientist at the Department of Entomology. It is the study of insects, and my good professor studied Hessian fly; the little fly that could infest acres of wheat produce.

Not that I was dissecting an insect, just so we are clear! My good professor would use a tiny DOS utility, provide a DNA pattern as input and run it. When the output showed, he would study the pattern intently before deciding its fate. To the other file meant it is no good. All eliminated patterns lived there. Occasionally, on some outputs, he would let out a victory cry – Gooood! Let’s store it in the lab file. The patterns in the lab file would be researched further. They may be presented in his next conference, or make it into his next research paper. He ran his little DOS utility few times every day, it was laborious work with so many patterns left to run.

One day, I happened to stumble into my good professor’s office, carrying my resume door-to-door, across the university, and checking if anyone would need a student programmer’s help.

You do.. computer?
Ahem.., yes sir, I do.. computer.
You code program?
Oh yes, sir, I code.
What you code?
Um… Java, C, C++.

He considered for a few seconds, and asked me to come over. He ran a demo of his daily chore with his DOS utility.

Can you write a program to get outputs for all my patterns.. all at once?
I think we can try…
What program you use?
I can try Java
This computer can do Java? Java is good?
Yes, sir, this machine will do, I can put the data into a single file, read it, iterate…
(stops me with a raised hand and a genial smile) No, no, no, I don’t know computer, you do the magic okay, you take how long?
Um… a week may be…
Okay, 20 hours, you want to start tomorrow? We try and see if it works, I put you on payroll okay?

Tomorrow? I was ready already! With all my might, I suppressed my emotions.

Yes sir, I’ll start tomorrow.

That was my first Work Order. My first software assignment that I would be paid for. For a computer graduate, it was not a complicated task, and the job was finished in a few days, as promised. My good professor was overjoyed.

That’s good, Praaadip, now I save lot of time.

He went a step further, he gave me credits on his conferences, presentations, and acknowledged how automation helped with quicker research. On the other hand, both of us knew, my work was over the moment the program worked.

Any more computer work you have? Where you work?
Um.. no sir, I’m looking.
So what you do until then?
Not sure, sir, I’ll keep looking.

The kind-hearted man knew I needed more work. He proposed if I wanted to try working in his lab. He would teach a few things and I could try and see if I could help. I readily accepted. He had a lab full of equipment, twice the size of my high-school chemistry lab. The memories of my high school gushed into my mind. Conical flasks, Tripods, Bunsen burners…

You get computer work, you free to go!

Who would pass up such an offer! So, I started, loading the vials just as he instructed. Any small computer help, now and then, was a bonus – typing up a letter, or preparing notes for a conference, or a presentation. Rest of my work hours were spent on my burettes, pipettes, conical flasks and the countless vials that I had to fill-in with some magical potion used for testing.

We developed a good rapport, some of his doctorate students wondered how a computer science student fit into this lab. Occasionally, he would check on the tray of vials that I worked on, with a magnifying glass in one hand, and the tray on the other. It was not uncommon to throw away many hours of work. The razor thin margin was hard to get. It’s okay, he would say. Finally, one day, after many work hours that went down the drain, he seemed satisfied. You’re getting better, Praaadip!

My professor was an immigrant from China. He landed as a student, worked his way through Masters, and then got his doctoral degree. He was a workaholic; immersed into his study, with tons of research papers to his credit. He never really lived away from the Universities. Generally a reserved person, he threw every reservation into trash when the topic of his research came up. He tried to explain to me about the harms of hessian fly in its current form, and how the produce could be saved through his research. He talked about the effect of fertilizers on the plants and the insect; and how a better chemical composition could help the produce and also keep the insect harmless, and alive; thereby, not breaking the food chain. For the most part, I nodded without many comments.

Sometimes, he threw me off-balance, Why you study computers? You want to study insects? You can always switch, Praaadip! I would take a few seconds to gather myself, and then I remind him how the computer helped automate his research! He would give out a heartful laugh and then pat on my shoulder. But the computer is going down? After the dot-com bubble and the 9/11, the early 2000s witnessed a brief recession. We are coming out of it, sir. It is getting better, now! He knew, I would not study hessian fly.

After a good 10 months at the lab, I finally landed another part-time job, this time a “computer work”. It was difficult to tell who was happier.

Computer work? Praaadip? He made sure.
Yes, sir. I would be working on a web-based portal, there is some database work…
(raising his hand, with a familiar smile) I don’t know computer, Praaadip! Computer work, right?
Yes, sir.

He was beaming with pride. The following week, he offered me a farewell lunch, wished me well, and bid goodbye! We visited occasionally while I was at the university. When he learnt about my first full-time job, he wrote a long email with his best wishes.

My good professor was my guardian angel. He didn’t teach me anything from the book. He never preached to me, he just showed kindness, and didn’t expect anything in return. Some people just inspire you to be better human beings.