Last Friday, during the Perimeter Scholars International (PSI) master’s program convocation ceremony, PSI student Andrii Torchylo offered his classmates an important insight.
“Physics is hard,” he said, “It becomes hard to admit to ourselves that we don't know or don't understand something, and yet this is the essence of the subject. The goal of theoretical physics is to be confused and to make progress.”
Indeed, over the past ten months, the 25 students in this year’s PSI class learned firsthand how difficult and rewarding theoretical physics can be. The program is designed to reflect Perimeter’s commitment to collaboration across disciplines, to cultivate young talent and encourage them to see connections across fields and approaches. Students are exposed to a broad range of physics topics and complete an essay project with a Perimeter faculty member, offering a holistic educational experience with real research.
This year’s class hailed from 16 countries spanning six continents. Of the graduating class, 21 are heading directly into their PhD at institutions like Oxford and MIT, a few are staying in Waterloo for further studies, and one graduate is staying at Perimeter as a research assistant.
“Look for a big problem”
Pedro Vieira, Clay Riddell Paul Dirac Chair in Theoretical Physics at Perimeter, gave the keynote address and offered three important pieces of advice to the graduates.
The first was to pick a big problem for their PhD. “Think of a problem that you cannot see the end of,” he said. “It may look too intimidating, but you will have a few years to study it, and that's a unique opportunity.”
Second, Vieira encouraged them to forge important friendships over the next few years. “When I was a PhD student, I had this friend… [that] if I ever had a problem, if I was out of ideas, if I was stuck, I could write him and say ‘let's brainstorm a little bit,’” he said. “That's not trivial. It's not just a collaborator. If you manage to find someone that you like working with, that is also a friend that you can share with. It’s a blessing.”
Finally, Vieira encouraged the class to simply try things. “There are so many things to explore. Sometimes things will not go well…. some things will work for you. Just don’t forget: keep trying things. That’s what makes life exciting.”
A year of physics and friendships
The PSI students picked Andrii Torchylo and Madison Schuetze as their class representatives. During her speech, Schuetze reflected on her time with the class. “I remember my very first impression of our class. It was ‘Wow, these guys are insanely smart,’” she said. “And now that I've gotten to know you, laugh with you, see you at your best and at your worst, my impression of our class is ‘Wow, these guys are insanely smart.’”
“We've become a team. We became friends. That is what makes this class so special. We showed up for the work, even when it was hard, and we showed up for each other. A master's degree is about so much more than mastering a subject. It's learning how to keep going when it's tough, supporting each other, and discovering how capable we truly are.”
From all of us at Perimeter Institute, we want to wish the Class of 2026 the very best in their next chapter and to remind them that the door is always open. Come back and visit and remember: physics is hard.
About PI
Perimeter Institute is the world’s largest research hub devoted to theoretical physics. The independent Institute was founded in 1999 to foster breakthroughs in the fundamental understanding of our universe, from the smallest particles to the entire cosmos. Research at Perimeter is motivated by the understanding that fundamental science advances human knowledge and catalyzes innovation, and that today’s theoretical physics is tomorrow’s technology. Located in the Region of Waterloo, the not-for-profit Institute is a unique public-private endeavour, including the Governments of Ontario and Canada, that enables cutting-edge research, trains the next generation of scientific pioneers, and shares the power of physics through award-winning educational outreach and public engagement.
