Fellow Reflection: Brenda Rubenstein

Brenda Rubenstein recently completed her practicum at Los Alamos National Laboratory where she had the opportunity to work with some of the world’s experts in quantum Monte Carlo (QMC) methods.  While the project was initially loosely defined, she became the driving force behind its success.  In fact, her practicum supervisor shared that Brenda completed as much work over the summer as it would have taken him to complete in six months.  He described this Saddle Brook, N.J. native as an “extremely motivated, highly capable, exceptionally hard working, self starting individual.”  Outside of her research and theoretical chemistry studies at Columbia University, Brenda enjoys hiking, exploring new places and ideas, classic rock, adopting yellowed Dover math and physics books, and juggling.

Explain why you have an interest in computational science.

"A computer simulation is like the ultimate laboratory: not only does it allow you to examine virtually any property of a system you want, it allows you to do so for free! Simulations are definitely a case of having your cake and eating it too. This said, my love for computational science stems from my desire to be it able to do it all in science. I love to imagine experiments in all sorts of fields and test them without having to buy millions of dollars of equipment and wait years for reasonable results. Only computer simulation allows your scientific imagination to wander without having too much reality set in."

Why did the DOE CSGF program appeal to you?

"The DOE CSGF gives you a taste of autonomy, as a graduate student, believe it or not. It gives you a chance to develop the computational and scientific skills you desire from a self-designed practicum at the national labs. It grants you yearly travel funds to pursue science with collaborators far from campus. It welcomes you into a community of other developing scientists just like you. The DOE CSGF program has always appealed to me because it gives you a refreshing taste of what it would be like to be a professional scientist years before you are."

Explain the benefits you have received or positive experiences you have had in the DOE CSGF program.

"My practicum at Los Alamos National Laboratory was, by far, one of my most positive scientific experiences. My advisor and his colleagues were tremendously insightful and experienced, yet personable and down-to-earth. They taught me new techniques in a relaxed setting where I could learn and innovate. It was energizing to find a group of people having a great time being passionate about their science. The change of scenery was no less exhilarating."

Describe your career goal(s) in the computational science field.

"I hope to continue my current occupation of following the electrons by studying quantum transport and dynamics either in academia or in the National Laboratory system. Much of condensed matter physics and chemistry hinges on discovering new computational methods to model the electronic properties of novel materials. I hope to work towards quantum mechanical methods that will enable theoretical chemists to achieve their ultimate goal of predicting reactions before any reactants go to any products. Somewhere amidst that pursuit, I hope to also dabble in science and education policy, and maybe even spend some time with the family."