Title

UND Student of the Month: Abhishek Goswami

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

12-12-2011

Abstract

UND Student of the Month: Abhishek Goswami

The first thing one notices when they meet Abhishek Goswami is his infectious smile and easy laugh. They may not realize that he's also an incredibly hard worker, and a conscientious person who takes none of his success for granted.

"My father used to say, if you haven't worked hard to achieve your happiness, you haven't lived your life," he says, smiling, of course.

Abhishek, who came to UND to study electical engineering, has held several jobs including working as a web reporter, a math grader, an undergraduate research assistant for the College of Nursing and Health Sciences, an office assistant for the Biochemistry Department, a teacher in the Summer Institute of Linguistics, and has worked in every dining center on campus with the exception of Squires.

Abhishek will finish his second year at UND this January, and studied in India for two years prior to that, earning an Associates degree in Electrical Engineering. "I was fascinated by electronics at an early age. I used to break things apart to see how they worked--which is a cliche, I know, but it's true. You can ask my dad how many things I broke."

At UND, Abhishek has enjoyed developing his long-time interest in robotics, and has had opportunities to work with robots on a larger scale. "I always wanted to work with robots, and I'm fortunate [at UND] to get hands-on experience on professional-grade materials. I'm really happy that I could do something like that."

But there's more to Abhishek than robots and schoolwork. In addition to his time in the lab, he also logs hours on the cricket pitch. "I'm a fast bowler. I love the sound of the ball hitting the wickets and getting the batsman bowled. That's the best sound in the game of cricket."

In India, he grew up playing cricket and football [soccer]. Soccer loyalties run deep, and there Abhishek developed a lot of respect for both Chelsea and Liverpool--but not Manchester United. What is it about Man-U? "Arrogance," he says quickly. "Their body language on the field and the way they underrate their opponents. They are a good unit, but they're like the NY Yankees of EPL (English Premier League)."

Part of Abhishek's success at UND comes from his engagement with the social side of the college experience. "I draw my energy from people. I love to talk--I'm a chatterbox. Soccer brought me close to a lot of international students, and my curiosity pushed me to meet new people."

In the first year that Abhishek was at UND, he danced at the Feast of Nations, which led to many new friendships. "I auditioned for Feast of Nations with my freinds, and afterward had about 120 new friends on Facebook."

When he graduates from UND, Abishek plans to continue his education and do research in robotics. He intends to stay in the United States and eventually visit every state. What place does he want to see the most? "I want to see Pasadena, California. Driving next to the ocean on one of those snaking roads--that would be wonderful!"

With his drive to succeed and winning personality, it's easy to imagine him there.

Craig Garaas-Johnson

News and Features Editor

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