Participant Testimonials
BIRS significantly impacted my current research and career development. Several new and interesting insights were gained through meeting others in related scientific disciplines. Future directions for my research will be affected by the subjects discussed within the workshop. Connections exploring new research areas were helpful in directing future research for myself and the entire multiscale research community.
It was a very very exciting experience. I would certainly look forward to another "follow-up" workshop possibly in a year. For me, it has opened up the "possibility" of new collaborations and rejuvenated the process of resuming some not-so-old collaborations.
The recent workshop at BIRS impacted my current research in several ways. (1) I was able to interact and network with leaders in my field to understand commonalities in my research and potential for collaboration. I also was able to ask clarifying questions about other researchers' work. (2) I was able to discern with more clarity the outstanding research questions in my area. (3) I was able to see and begin to address the difficulties in connecting two sometimes disparate fields: engineering and mathematics, as both communities have different needs, interests, and language. Also, the workshop most likely helped my job prospects as I will eventually pursue a faculty position. Being able to network with the participants will help me have a better name when I go through the interview process.
As a 4th-year graduate student, I attended this workshop for educational purposes, although the topic was not completely directly related to my current research. In that respect, I did not have the necessary hindsight/knowledge to contribute to the discussions or engage in future work for now. However, the workshop was very fruitful, in that it successfully opened a constructive dialogue between engineers and academics, through the presentations and the evening discussions. In addition, I certainly made new contacts that I wouldn't have had otherwise.
Applied Physics and Applied Mathematics, Columbia University
