November 17, 2024
The aiM Program has played a pivotal role for our trainees helping them transition into impactful careers. Below, we spotlight three recent PhD graduates who have leveraged their aiM experience to excel in their respective domains. They share insights into their challenges, memorable milestones, evolving goals, and advice for future students.
Jessica Lalonde – Postdoctoral Fellow at Los Alamos National Laboratory
PhD 2024, Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science
Biggest Challenge:
Jessica’s transition from her PhD at Duke University into her role at Los Alamos National Laboratory involved adapting her mechanical engineering background to biomanufacturing pipelines using machine learning (ML). Moving into this highly specialized field required her to quickly learn new techniques and workflows while applying her existing knowledge in innovative ways.
Memorable Project:
Jessica’s current research focuses on optimizing sustainable polymers and aviation biofuel production using ML workflows—a direct application of skills she honed during her time in graduate school. The interdisciplinary nature of her work aligns closely with her experiences at aiM, where she gained exposure to both materials science and artificial intelligence.
Advice for Current Grad Students:
Jessica encourages students interested in national laboratories or ML applications in materials science to reach out and ask questions. She highlights that programs like aiM provide an excellent foundation for working in such interdisciplinary environments and stresses the importance of staying curious and open-minded.
Evolving Goals:
With a continued commitment to making tangible contributions in sustainable technologies, Jessica hopes her biomanufacturing research will contribute significantly toward environmental sustainability.
Simiao (Ben) Ren, PhD – Research Scientist at Meta Inc.
PhD 2023, Electrical and Computer Engineering
Biggest Challenge:
Transitioning from academia to a large tech corporation like Meta presented a significant challenge for Ben. As a PhD student, he was accustomed to working independently or with a close-knit group of domain experts. However, in the corporate world, the scale of problems requires extensive collaboration across departments. Ben credits the aiM program for helping him develop these interdisciplinary collaboration skills. "aiM immersed me into a diverse group where I had to present my research and work with people from different fields," he explains. This experience prepared him well for the collaborative environment at Meta.
Memorable Project:
Ben recalls working on a project where he had to collaborate with colleagues unfamiliar with machine learning (ML). This mirrored his experience in the aiM program, where he worked with material scientists while having limited knowledge of their field. "I learned how important it is to break down assumptions and be audience-aware," he says. This ability to communicate complex ideas clearly has been invaluable in his current role.
Advice for Current Grad Students:
Ben urges students to seize every opportunity to join interdisciplinary programs like aiM. "The world is much bigger than your lab," he advises. He emphasizes that great ideas often come from discussions and new perspectives. Additionally, he highlights the importance of soft skills—especially for those aiming to work in large corporations—skills that can be honed through programs like aiM.
Evolving Goals:
Since grad school, Ben’s overarching goal has been to make a positive impact on people’s lives. While this goal remains constant, his vision has expanded: "I hope to start my own company one day that brings happiness to people." His entrepreneurial aspirations reflect his desire to create meaningful innovations beyond the corporate setting.
Winston Lindqwister – Postdoctoral Researcher at TU Delft
PhD 2024, Civil and Environmental Engineering
Biggest Challenge:
For Winston, moving from Duke University to Delft University of Technology (TU Delft) in the Netherlands involved multiple transitions—not only geographically but also academically. Shifting from geomaterials to 3D-printed living materials was daunting at first. However, Winston embraced small failures along the way and sought help from his community when needed. He believes that his experiences in graduate school and the aiM program helped him navigate these challenges: "The process of moving a project started in aiM through to publication taught me how to adapt my expertise to new areas."
Memorable Project:
One of Winston’s standout experiences was taking an aiM project through its final stages of publication. This multidisciplinary work required him to adapt his ideas and collaborate with researchers from different fields—something that has become a cornerstone of his postdoctoral research today.
Advice for Current Grad Students:
Winston encourages students not to fear failure or setbacks and reminds them that asking for help is always acceptable. He believes one of the greatest benefits of programs like aiM is the community: "You join a network of diverse researchers who support each other." This support system, according to Winston, is invaluable when navigating the often difficult world of research.
Evolving Goals:
Winston remains committed to pursuing an academic career and plans to apply for faculty positions soon. "What happens after that is anyone's guess," he says with optimism, recognizing that academia is full of uncertainties but also opportunities.
Final Thoughts
These stories demonstrate how interdisciplinary graduate training can serve as a powerful catalyst for career growth across diverse fields. Their journeys offer valuable lessons on collaboration, adaptability, and continuous learning.
For current students or recent graduates, the advice is clear: embrace interdisciplinary opportunities, seek out collaborations beyond your immediate field, and don’t hesitate to ask for help along the way.