The Unlikely Scholar

At 25, Jay was at the minute sitting in front of gates of the prestigious university to begin his PhD in the field of theoretical physics. It is important to mention that Jay was diagnosed with a form of autistic disorder called Asperger’s syndrome when he was 8. The sequence with all the hurdles led Jay to this very moment, only with the focus to know more about the universe. Unlike other people who were concerned with societal reservations or other temptations, Jay only had interesting complex sums. He texted no one and was in no condition to talk to anyone.

But life at university also had its difficult moments. Constructing social relations was one of the issues that Jay could not comfortably ignore. Group work discussions usually left Jay with a sense of alienation because he was not able to grasp the hidden meaning in gestures or voice inflections. Jay would rather sit in the dusty library or in his peaceful flat where the only thing to be interpreted were the physical theories and not the people.

In contrast to all the advisors that Jay had worked with, Dr. Sen had a different No wonder he managed to look beyond Jay’s odd behavior and noticed an intelligent mind working at another level. People like Dr. Sen had mentored many bright people, but what was distinctive about Jay was his hyper-focus combined with deep processing of information. Where it was interesting for how silent and studious the student was, Dr. Sen was interested in the fact that this quiet, reserved person was a scientist, who would stretch the limits of his discipline.

One afternoon during a seminar, the discussion shifted focus to a theoretical problem which had not been solved over long years even by the most brilliant physicists. While the room was abuzz with ideas, Jay hardly uttered a word, but his mind was calculating potential alternatives. He had a sense of what to do next, but he could not bring himself to say it out loud. It was always clear to him what he wanted to say but speaking to the audience was often a stress reliever for him. What if he said something and his explanation could be misinterpreted instead?

Noticing his discomfort, Dr. Sen sent him a supportive glance. “Jay, why don’t you speak your behalf?”

Drawing a deep breath, Jay proceeded to present his theory in some details, outlining his reasoning. The audience went into silence. He was very brief, very accurate, and very impressive. He has a solution which others have apparently missed for years and has integrated hypothesis fragments into a new concept. By the time he completed his speech, the professors present in that room looked at each other in amazement and disbelief. Thanks to the talent which helped him to concentrate, Jay now understood what nobody else did: how to tackle the task from a different angle.

News about Jay’s breakthrough spread like wildfire on the campus. Out of the blue, the once quiet and shy student was in demand from students and even teachers. Those who found it hard to make these attempts like studios now wanted to do some. Yet, Jay did not desire popularity. His goal was the same – to gain more knowledge and to answer questions about the basic laws of the universe.

However, the increased focus on academic achievement had some strain of its own. The first was that, the more he worked, the more social activities there were and this made it hard to stand in front of the audience and present arguments for assessment. Participating in these events meant being a constant recipient of small talk and other unwritten rules. With support from Dr. Sen and several other friends who encouraged him, Jay settled into a routine. He realized that he could take these practices without being awash in his research.

As the phases of his PhD continued, his work began to gain the interest from the outside of his university. Authoritative scientific journals began publishing his original works in quantum field theory and he was brought up to speak in international events. Stony as it was, Jay remained patient under all these advances. It was not the praises that he was after—furthering the comprehension of mankind’s limitations was what truly mattered.

One evening, when Jay was exhausted from days of intense research, sat in Dr. Sen’s office. He must have looked prideful to his mentee.

“You have come a long way, haven’t you, Jay?” Dr. Sen remarked. “I remember a time when you started here and many people were doubting you. They figured it was not possible for someone with such difficulties in social interactions to fit in this kind of environment. But every time I saw you, I was sure that your brain was working differently perhaps in ways that even ordinary people couldn’t think of. That’s the beauty of you.”

Jay would wear a small grin, for he partly accepted something he had been yearning for. “It has not all been smooth,” he said. “But this is what I love. I can’t think of doing anything else.”

Dr. Sen nodded. “And because of that, you’re going to revolutionize the world.”

When Jay completed his Ph.D. finally after a long time, his thesis troubling the field of physics, was perceived as one of the main achievements in physics. He had shown it was not his eccentricity which limited his scientific research, but indeed, that it was his main weapon.

Jay took center stage at his graduation and for the first time, even out his diploma in hand, he felt as if he belonged there – not because he worked out how to be accepted, but because he had found himself there. This was the place where his strange yet brilliant mind could thrive and change the world around him for the better.

As a wrapup this is a true story about myself and my triumph over having asbergers syndrome and i would not change a thing.

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