Summary
Highlights
Tai-Danae Bradley reintroduces the fAQ podcast with a new format, featuring casual conversations with SandboxAQ colleagues. She introduces Stefan Bogdanovic, a physicist with a PhD from Delft University of Technology and postdoctoral experience at Harvard, highlighting his resilience and optimism shaped by his upbringing in the Balkans.
Stefan recounts growing up in Serbia during the late 80s and 90s, a tumultuous period marked by the 'balkanization' of Yugoslavia. Despite the challenges, his protective parents and strong community shielded him. He attributes his deep optimism to his mother and the perspective gained from experiencing difficult times, which allows him to appreciate current stability.
Stefan shares how he became interested in physics at a young age, particularly theoretical physics, a path his civil engineer father was initially worried about. He attended a summer camp for gifted children at 14, where he was exposed to quantum physics, which ignited his passion but also led to imposter syndrome due to the abstract and dry teaching methods prevalent in Eastern Europe.
Stefan reflects on the pedagogical differences between Eastern European and Dutch approaches to science education. He emphasizes the importance of psychological safety in learning environments, defining its absence as a fear to speak up or ask questions, which can be detrimental to both personal and professional growth. He now strives to be a teacher who fosters a safe learning space.
Stefan discusses his shift from theoretical to experimental physics at the advice of a professor and the struggles of building experiments during his PhD. He recounts his valuable postdoc experience at Harvard, where he learned the crucial lesson of knowing when to persevere and when to abandon a failing project, developing resilience in the process. His move to SandboxAQ was unexpected, initiated by a former colleague from Harvard.
Stefan details his experience at SandboxAQ, initially building a magnetocardiography device using NV diamond magnetometers. He describes the pivotal moment when the device's real-world deployment at UCSF revealed its limitations in a noisy clinical environment. This led to the difficult decision to switch to a different sensor technology and forced him to shed his identity as an NV magnetometry expert to prioritize application-focused solutions.
Stefan explains how letting go of his specific tech-focused identity allowed him to embrace new roles focused on solving the biggest problems for the team. He transitioned from scientific development to overseeing engineering, and now focuses on market strategy, engaging with cardiologists and hospital administrators, and leading the company's IP portfolio. This adaptability, he notes, is crucial in a startup environment.
Stefan reflects on his current perspective, stating that he doesn't have a singular 'big dream' but is content with his current path. He shares how building medical devices that can potentially save lives has given him a profound sense of purpose, fundamentally changing his view on the application of scientific skills. He concludes by emphasizing the importance of doing meaningful work.