Narayan plays chess and sings Indian classical music. He is considering a career in business and marketing.
After a visit to a wastewater treatment plant, Narayan became intrigued with the microorganisms that process the waste. He wanted to know under which conditions the organisms work best. He hypothesized that the organisms would work best at a neutral pH.
Narayan obtained samples of "mixed liquor" – jargon for partially treated wastewater and microorganism-rich sludge – and tested them at pH 4.8 (acidic) to 10.6 (basic). He placed each sample in a sealed chamber with a respirometer that recorded the amount of carbon dioxide produced per hour. His data supported his hypothesis; an increase or decrease in the pH level decreased carbon dioxide production.
