Welcome to my blog, Ufara Suntalk, and welcome to my first post! The phrase ‘Hello World!’ serves as the first exercise in nearly every programming textbook, often becoming an inside joke among programmers. Its purpose is to introduce learners to the structure of a programming language and to the process of generating output. This analogy holds some relevance here since blogging is intricately linked to computer-related activities, and this marks my first entry into the blogosphere. So, here goes: Hello World!
Who am I?
I’m a South African student pursuing a PhD in Physics at the North-West University’s Centre for Space Research. My research focuses on the numerical modelling (utilising custom-written software with numerical schemes to solve the equations governing the transport or movement) of solar energetic particles (charged particles, predominantly electrons and protons, originating from solar flares and coronal mass ejections, moving at speeds around 25% to 50% of the speed of light) by stochastic differential equations (I’ll explain all of this in future posts). My background includes roles as a learning facilitator and laboratory assistant for first-year physics. Currently, I serve as a laboratory assistant for second-year physics and a tutor for fourth-year statistical mechanics. This has afforded me valuable experience in simplifying physics concepts for diverse audiences – a task easier said than done.
The Aim of Ufara Suntalk
I have several reasons for launching this blog, but two stand out as primary motivations:
- To offer a glimpse into the everyday life and inner workings of a physicist’s mind to the general public (recognizing that not all physicists fit the portrayal in The Big Bang Theory, though in some ways, there might be overlaps).
- To share my passion for physics with a broader audience in an accessible manner. This endeavour aims to hone my writing skills while enhancing my ability to comprehend and communicate my research effectively.
I aim to publish twice a month. The first post will be a short piece on the daily life of physicists, while the second post will be a longer technical piece on an interesting topic.
Who is Ufara Suntalk for?
This blog is intended for everyone, irrespective of their educational background. Occasionally, I may presume a certain level of familiarity with physical or mathematical concepts to avoid beginning explanations from a first-year physics standpoint. However, rest assured that I consistently aim to present mathematics from a physics-first perspective. Consequently, you should find the content understandable, even if you are not well-versed in the specific mathematical techniques.
What does Ufara Mean?
The name of this blog originates from the Middle Egyptian words ‘wfA ra‘ (see the Middle Egyptian dictionary by Mark Vygus). I chose this name due to my fascination with Ancient Egypt. The blog’s logo consists of the hieroglyphs representing these words (identified using the Manuel de Codage system as G43-I9-G1-G39-A2-D21:D36-N5-C2A). ‘wfA ra‘ represents the transliteration of these hieroglyphs, rendering the words in Latin characters, unfortunately omitting information contained within the determinative hieroglyphs concluding each word. The precise pronunciation of Middle Egyptian remains unknown. While there are reconstructions of the spoken language, they likely bear little resemblance to the original language. Describing the sounds, ‘f‘ and ‘r‘ can generally be pronounced as written. The ‘w‘ is often mispronounced as a vowel, akin to the ‘u‘ used in the blog title, but it’s actually a labial glide consonant, similar to the ‘w‘ sound in ‘water.’ The ‘A‘ represents a glottal stop, similar to the ‘a‘ in ‘apple‘ or the ‘o‘ in ‘bottle.’ The ‘a‘ signifies a strongly guttural consonant or a voiced pharyngeal fricative, like the Arabic ‘aiyn-sound, resembling the ‘ach‘ sound in ‘Achmed.’ The first word, ‘wfA,’ serves as both a verb and a noun, signifying ‘to talk about’ or ‘to discuss.’ The second word, ‘ra,’ can refer to either the Ancient Egyptian sun god, Ra, or the sun itself. Hence, ‘Suntalk’ emerges from these origins.
I hope you enjoy reading this blog and discover my research to be equally fascinating. If you do, please consider following the blog. Additionally, don’t hesitate to share it with individuals you believe would be interested. All blog posts will be accessible on the Blog page. For more information about this blog, visit the About page, or if you wish to reach out, head to the Contact page.
Ufara Suntalk 