Meet Quantistry’s newest member: David! He joins us as a scientist specializing in molecular dynamics simulations in materials research. His expertise in computational chemistry will further strengthen our scientific team and drive its expansion.

Let’s start with the warm-up and a first simple question: Tea, coffee, or water?
I used to drink mate (an Argentinean drink) but now I’m fully converted to coffee. Cappuccino or Flat white are usually my choices, iced during summertime.

What would you title your autobiography?
“Science, Travel and Diversity”

What's your favorite element from the periodic table and why?
I’d say Carbon. Carbon is one of the most abundant elements on Earth and has these polymeric forms that are the building block for all known life. Couple to that, it’s present in all kinds of natural and human made materials, we use it as a source of energy from crude oil and coal, we use its isotope C14 to estimate the age of certain objects and the list of applications can go forever. Also, Carbon chemistry is so ubiquitous, functional, and diverse, that it’s present in a vast amount of research on new materials and applications.

How did you first hear about Quantistry and what made you decide to apply?
I first heard about Quantistry through some colleagues in the sector, about how good Quantistry was positioning in the industry. Then, one of my previous colleagues (Christophe) started working at Quantistry and during a coffee talk, he mentioned how exciting the science that he was working on was and how nice teamwork was. So, after a couple of months, I decided to apply to Quantistry and now I’m part of the scientific team.

Cool, let's delve further into science, specifically focusing on molecular dynamics, where you are an expert. How has your professional background equipped you for your role at Quantistry?
I did my Ph.D. in Argentina in Material Science. My thesis was on molecular dynamics of liquids near the glass transition. After that I did a postdoc at Northwestern University in Chicago, at the Biomedical Enginering Department where I worked in collaboration with different experimental groups using molecular dynamics simulations to investigate several problems. Thereafter, I got a Marie Curie Fellowship to work at the Institute of Material Science in Barcelona, where I also collaborated with different experimental groups using molecular dynamics simulations. Then, in the last couple of years I have been working for companies that use molecular dynamics simulations to give in-silico solutions for different sectors in the industry. That experience in academia and industry consolidated my experience in using molecular dynamics simulations to solve problems related to biomedicine and material science applications. Now at Quantistry, I apply all that accumulated knowledge in molecular dynamics simulations to address a wide range of scientific projects, providing solutions for challenges in R&D.

And last but not least: Which scientist from any era would you like to have a coffee with?
I was thinking about Galileo Galilei, I think it would be incredible to talk with him. Galileo revolutionized our understanding of physics, astronomy, and mathematics during a very complicated time for science. I would be eager to discuss the origin of his hypothesis and how he planned his experiments. I’m also very interested in his view of the relationship between science and society and his struggles against the prevailing status quo of that time. I think that having a coffee with Galileo (if that were possible) would be an amazing opportunity to be inspired by his curiosity and relentless pursuit of knowledge.

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