Episode
Montu Saxena: insights from a condensed-matter physicist
- Podcast
- People doing Physics
- Published
- May 7, 2026
- Duration seconds
- 2768
- Processing state
not_requested- Canonical source
- https://people-doing-physics.captivate.fm/episode/montu-saxena
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Summary
Today we are delighted to be joined by Siddharth Shanker Saxena, known to friends and colleagues as Montu, a condensed-matter physicist at the Cavendish Laboratory and head of the Cambridge Central Asia Forum. By Montu’s own admission, he was never able to pick a side, and so has spent his whole life exploring the world of superconductivity, all the while advocating for international relations and anthropology. Together we talk about the moments that shape a scientific life: learning to believe you belong, the role of mentoring, and what “failure" can teach you. We also dig into the enduring puzzle of superconductivity: how to explain it simply, why it continues to captivate physicists, and how to stay comfortable saying “we don’t know.” Useful Links: Montu talked in depth about superconductivity in this podcast for Quanta Magazine: Will Better Superconductors Transform the World? | Quanta Magazine He was also recently featured in this Varsity article: Meet the Cambridge physicist who advocates for the humanities | Varsity To explore Montu's work : Siddharth Saxena | Jesus College in the University of Cambridge And finally, to learn more about the Cambridge Central Asia Forum, visit Cambridge Central Asia Forum | Share and join the conversation Help us get better by taking our quick survey . Your feedback will help us understand how we can improve in the future. Thank you! If you like this episode don’t forget to rate it and leave a review on your favourite podcast app. It really helps others to find us. Any comment about the podcast or question you would like to ask our physicists, email us at [email protected] or join the conversation on Twitter using the hashtag #PeopleDoingPhysics. Episode credits Hosts: Charlotte Lane and Vanessa Bismuth Recording and editing:…