Hi and welcome to New College West! My name is Mark Farino and I’m from Pittsburgh, PA. I graduated from the University of Pittsburgh with a BPhil in Physics and Math in 2022. My research focuses on studying neutrinos, which are the most abundant massive particle in the universe. The group I work with, PTOLEMY, hopes to measure the neutrino mass using radioactive hydrogen.

My favorite place to spend time on campus is the Lewis Center for the Arts, although I am mostly holed up in Jadwin breaking something expensive. The reverberance of rehearsals and other live entertainment helps make my busy work more enjoyable. Baker Rink gets an honorable mention and I would highly recommend attending a hockey game at some point if you can.

To prioritize my well-being, I like to take time away from my phone every day to read or journal. I would recommend trying to take time from your schedule every day to do something that you find similarly calming or enjoyable. It is very easy to get caught up in everything going on all the time. 

My advice to you as an incoming student would be this: Be emboldened to explore things outside of your comfort zone and recognize that there is no such thing as wasted time. You will always learn something (about the world or about yourself) by trying something new, even if you did not enjoy it in the moment. 

We all believe in your success, and I am very excited to meet you and be a resource on your academic journey!