Devrhoid Davis, pursuing his passion for physics

For 23-year-old Devrhoid Davis, it is his insatiable zest for understanding how things work and finding solutions to problems that propelled him into the field of physics.

"I love the sense of gratification that comes from forming a hypothesis to a problem then seeing it work as you imagined it would. Also, I have a unique interest in how machines and everything in general work," Davis said.

Having graduated from the University of the West Indies with a major in medical physics and bioengineering and a minor in electronics, Davis was immediately employed to UWI's physics department as a research assistant.

MANY DUTIES

Davis, who hails from Hayes, Clarendon, is tasked with a plethora of duties on a daily basis, including developing websites and making electronic devices that can be programmed to do a variety of things.

"I develop electronic devices that can detect the temperature of a room and automatically turn on the air conditioner. Another example of the devices I make is seen when you walk into a room and the lights automatically turn on," Davis explained.

The Clarendon College graduate is also on the team that developed the physics department's real-time effluent monitoring system, which measures the water quality from sewage treatment plants to ensure that it is in keeping with environmental regulations.

"We are now working on commercialising it to be used at sewage treatment plants islandwide," Davis said.

CHALLENGES

Despite his passion for the field and the work he does, Davis admitted there are challenges, but like a true physicist, he finds a way to understand and overcome them. "There is often a lack of resources, which is overcome through improving one's resourcefulness. Also, sometimes the codes you create don't work. I have found that the key to overcoming this challenge is to practices the art of problem solving through constantly taking on programming challenges and practising coding small projects until they became second nature, I am developing the ability to catch errors before they break my programmes or websites," Davis explained.

Though his passion lies in the field of physics, Davis also dabbles in other ventures. "I am also an investor on the Jamaica Stock Exchange and I am currently developing my own website to publish market analyses," he told THE STAR. Davis' ultimate goal is to obtain a PhD in biomedical engineering, then build a research and development institute, focusing on advanced prosthetics and robotics.

For others wishing to take on the mammoth task of pursuing a profession in physics, Davis advised that they take it on wholeheartedly. "Get acquainted with all the different aspects of the field, learn to write programmes and to build things from scratch," he said

Davis added: "Surround yourself with persons who are masters in the different sub-fields. Learn to communicate effectively and be a team player. You will greatly accelerate your progress in this way."