My Path to D. E. Shaw Research or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Small Molecules

Considering a career in industry? Thinking of switching fields after graduate school? How about doing both at the same time?

Come learn about how an aspiring experimental plasma researcher ended up working on advanced force fields for drug discovery via studies on magnetic bimetallic alloys. I will talk about my trajectory through graduate school, how I made the jump from experiment to computation, and the experiences and decisions that led me to a career at D. E. Shaw Research. In addition, I will discuss what I did right—and wrong—in my job search, as well as what I've learned about the process since then.