Kraus says his Nevada experience prepared him well
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By Nicole Brown
Richard Kraus, a graduate of the University's College of Science, is living a dream right now.
“I have to wear a suit and gown when I go to formal hall, which I do once a week,” Kraus said about the University of Cambridge’s traditions.
He graduated from Nevada in May 2007 with a bachelor of science degree, majoring in physics and earning a minor in mathematics. And now, he’s attending the University of Cambridge in England in pursuit of a doctorate in physics.
Originally, the 23-year-old Kraus was born in Illinois, but he moved to Nevada when he was 10. He attended Reno High School and graduated in the class of 2003, then joined the Wolf Pack family.
He said his Nevada professors prepared him well for his studies in England.
“Working in a research lab with Dr. Aaron Covington of the physics department (at Nevada) has helped me the most," he said. "Many undergraduate students here (in England) only get to do research for eight weeks. I feel that with my three years of experience, I have an advantage over them.”
Kraus wanted to attend Cambridge because he hopes to perfect his trade.
“I decided to come to Cambridge because it has a great reputation for education in physics. A mentor of mine from Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory went there as an undergraduate and spoke very highly of it,” he said about his choice. “And I thought it would be a great experience to live in a different country for a few years.”
And quite a different country it is. Kraus has been exploring the English culture by trying new sports and food to add to his out-of-country experience.
“There is an open-air market which is open every day of the week and it's on my way to work,” Kraus said about his scrumptious English breakfast routine. “The bread and cheese they sell is quite good and at least better than Cheerios.”
Another cultural experience is learning the lingo. Kraus said he hasn’t perfected the British accent yet, but it’s starting to creep up in his everyday speech.
“I probably slip into one when I talk to British people for extended periods of time,” he said of his British-accent-in-progress. “I find myself using British terms quite often though: ‘trousers’ instead of ‘pants,’ ‘cheers’ instead of ‘thanks.’”
Kraus said that he expects to continue his studies in England for at least three or four more years. He is currently spending a great deal of time in the lab, studying at home, and trying new sports like rowing.
He admitted that although the experience has been energizing and exciting, that time away from northern Nevada gets to him sometimes.
“I have a lot of great friends that still attend the University, and of course I miss seeing them on a regular basis,” he said.
Nicole Brown is an undergraduate journalism major who writes for University Communications.
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