Hi, I'm Vincent Kooij.

I write about fundamental physics, electronics, computer science, and number theory. This site is part personal notebook, part educational resource. Here, I share ideas, experiments, and insights from the projects I'm exploring.

I don't just share results. I walk through the steps, the reasoning, and the small insights that make complex ideas click. My goal is simple: uncover key ideas, understand them deeply, and explain them clearly so others can build on them. I don't have all the answers, and I still have a lot to learn, but I'm happy to share what I've learned so far.

My path hasn't been straight. I began in electronic engineering, moved into theoretical physics at Leiden and Oxford, and later completed a PhD in experimental physics at Leiden. Along the way, I worked as a plant manager on the Caribbean island of Bonaire, redesigning and commissioning a new wind-diesel power plant. Blending a hands-on mindset with a strong theoretical background turned out to be surprisingly effective.

I value curiosity and first principles thinking. When you break an idea down to its essentials and question every assumption, clarity tends to show up. That's the spirit behind the ideas, experiments, and insights you'll find here.

In the meantime, here's a paper from my PhD research: "Mach reflection and formation of transient toroidal helium plasma". It shows how careful experiments and analysis turned early ideas into published work.