We’re looking forward to introducing you to Dr. Tolga Erbora. Check out our conversation below.
Tolga, so good to connect and we’re excited to share your story and insights with our audience. There’s a ton to learn from your story, but let’s start with a warm up before we get into the heart of the interview. What is something outside of work that is bringing you joy lately?
Running. I really like that Miami not only has a strong presence in fitness and wellness spaces, but also a very positive, upbeat, and kind community of runners and folks who like to exercise and play sports for fun. With that, we have some of the most beautiful routes available to peruse for this. I have participated with three run clubs in the area since the fall of 2024 where we do community runs, ranging from 5K to 8K+ in distance. Being a part of this has led me to challenge myself to a Half Marathon next year. The sentiment after doing some of these runs, particularly my furthest challenges, matches a quote that one of my fitness instructors always says, “You didn’t think you could, but you just did”.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I am a recently graduated Ph. D in Physics at Florida International University and am now teaching faculty and Lab Coordinator for the introductory physics labs with the university. My aim is to improve the learning experience in physics for all levels and promote it as the true foundation of nature, a comprehensive study of the universe in which we live. Physics has gained notoriety for being a difficult subject to teach. All physics are elegant, but it becomes a tall task to show the world how the details that are widely known to be challenging add to the elegance. The first principles and empirical foundations one gets in physics become relatable and very applicable to many fields, – big data, architecture, urban planning, finance, cancer treatment, the arts, just to name a select few. I am also a huge proponent of real-world applications and academic research that bridges disciplines and academia with industry. Recently I have signed on with the FIU Honors College, of which I was a student, to teach a class bridging the sciences with urban planning, encouraging innovation and uniquely informed approaches to local, national, and international case studies of cities/societies and how they function.
My creative hobbies include photography, model trains, and LEGO building. I have had a fascination for modeling cities in miniature. With LEGO it makes for a fun challenge, taking advantage of the true versatility of the brick and the limitless possibilities in what one could create. With the product evolving over the past several decades, it is very hard to find something that cannot be duplicated with the parts. I have been capturing scenes local to the area to be expressive with them and in some cases immortalize them, including certain train, vehicle, and building models. In other cases, we can tell stories or send messages through these models. What kind of impact do we want to leave? Upbeat? Nostalgic? Whimsical? I have been elected and spent quite a bit of time serving on the executive committee of the local recognized LEGO Users Group (a fan club of sorts), the Greater Florida LEGO Users Group. I have organized and held key roles in major collaborations and displays with fellow members of the group at various events in South and Central Florida.
My goals – educate, innovate, and create. My hobby goals – build and capture South Florida and other beautiful parts of the world in ways both realistic and imaginative.
Thanks for sharing that. Would love to go back in time and hear about how your past might have impacted who you are today. Who saw you clearly before you could see yourself?
Short/direct answer: My closest family members. My parents. There is every reason in the world that they see me through their lens. But, sometimes, there are others very skilled at identifying potential.
This answer can go back to grade school. Since I was young, guidance counselors and my first and second grade teacher definitely saw what I could be capable of. I was placed in a certain academic track designed for rigorous learning and excellence. This carried through to Middle and High School, and on to the University world.
In my University experience, I can strongly echo this regarding the professors I have worked and taken classes with. One chance meeting in what was supposed to be a shift as a Learning Assistant turned into a very unique Honors College experience that paved the way for a really strong relationship with the program that lasts through to today – and in that instance I ran into the Dean of the Honors College. Similarly, in less than a year of studying physics, I was matched with a research group in particle physics that is thriving today with involvement in no fewer than two national labs, lots of research using experimental data, and essentially an incubator of theory research.
If you could say one kind thing to your younger self, what would it be?
Seize the moment and don’t be afraid to take more risks and initiative. Be more social. I was shy growing up, and know that several opportunities for growth were shied away from, so there are regrets for not pushing through on certain objectives. Life is full of experimentation, and with that comes trial and error. Don’t be afraid to hit failures. Identify what works and what doesn’t work. We can always move on from what does not work whilst focusing on what works best for us.
Next, maybe we can discuss some of your foundational philosophies and views? How do you differentiate between fads and real foundational shifts?
Foundational shifts definitely take time. Compare it to momentum conservation. A lighter particle moving faster (ie. the life cycle of a fad) can have the same momentum as a heavier particle moving slower. For me, it is things that behave in the faster, lighter (less substance) way that register as a fad. A foundational shift is a more substantial, thoughtful beast of an idea or object that emerges in due time.
In academics, it will take a substantial amount of time for an idea/theorem to be proposed and proven, and for quality research to be done. Some research projects reflect the “now” and feel like fads. These usually don’t get support much longer than the lifespan of this ‘fad’ and become pretty much a memory. Long-term projects that really are developing theory and expanding knowledge around a central theme give off a foundational shift more clearly.
As a LEGO hobbyist, I spot it with a blend of the actions of the LEGO community, LEGO’s marketing, and the product they put out. For instance, one can argue the increasing share of Adult Fan of LEGO marketing is a foundational shift since it is sustaining itself. Also, the evolution of the parts palette to include more complicated techniques across the board and unique shapes is another sustaining shift. A typical build today will look and feel substantially different than one thirty years ago. But the fads? The various IP lines that come off as “hot now”…. Enjoyable, but not always my cup of tea.
Thank you so much for all of your openness so far. Maybe we can close with a future oriented question. Are you tap dancing to work? Have you been that level of excited at any point in your career? If so, please tell us about those days.
I am entering a new chapter mixing teaching, research, creativity, and leisure into one, so at this point the answer is yes. The university is one of the greatest resources one can find in a city. So many places to find reference material, readings, and text. So much opportunity to network, make friends, and collaborate with local organizations and businesses. The drive to get published. Being in South Florida, there is always something going on too – whether at my workplace or locally. The city is growing and there is many an opportunity to buy into this growth. The sky is the limit as long as we are motivated.
My departments strive for academic freedom and teaching for excellence. Scolding is extremely rare, as it should be. Everyone is positive and we always learn new things each day.
Each semester, I am working to find new approaches and introduce new ways to teach and communicate physics. The curiosity to blend my field with other disciplines is always there too, and oftentimes I will find myself reading papers and articles trying to expand my horizons and foster new ideas that could lead to new research opportunities…
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tolgaerbora/, https://www.instagram.com/tolgacity/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tolgaerbora/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@TolgaEastCoast, https://www.youtube.com/@tolgacity
- Other: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Tolga-Erbora
