Within the sciences, there has typically been a delineation between two broad camps; theoreticians and experimentalists. Over the last two decades, a third branch has sprung up to fill a void that remained. These are the computational scientists. Using theoretical formulations as inputs into computer-based algorithms, these researchers attempt to couple pure theory and experiment in ways that guide efforts and minimize unnecessary work.
Dr. Ridwan Sakidja, an Associate Professor in our department, is one of these. He stops by this week to chat about his research and the successes he and his collaborators have recently seen.