Steven Rodriguez, Ph.D., analysis scientist from the Computational Multiphysics Techniques Laboratory on the U.S. Naval Analysis Laboratory (NRL), was awarded an early profession fellowship sponsored by the Mathematically Gifted and Black (MGB) neighborhood and the Society for Industrial and Utilized Arithmetic (SIAM).
Rodriguez’s analysis in utilized arithmetic focuses on computational multiphysics, model-reduction, dynamical programs, and numerical optimization. Not too long ago, he has been main efforts at NRL to develop machine studying expertise to drastically cut back the computational expense of high-fidelity physics simulations, together with additive manufacturing, hypersonics, and free-surface fluid dynamics.
“Mainly, we try to deliver the facility of high-performance computing to simulate physics to smaller gadgets like laptops and even iPads. That is difficult as a result of there isn’t any ‘tremendous’ {hardware} we will use to present smaller gadgets HPC capabilities. So, we now have to be intelligent and manipulate physics equations in order that these gadgets can deal with the reminiscence and computing calls for of high-fidelity simulation. In the end, we need to give design engineers straightforward and low-cost entry to highly effective simulations, mentioned Rodriguez”
Rodriguez began working within the discipline of arithmetic and scientific computing as an undergraduate pupil on the College of California, San Diego (UCSD) and has in depth experiences throughout many alternative authorities laboratories. When requested concerning the function arithmetic has had on his life, Rodriguez mentioned, “Arithmetic has taken me to so many locations I solely dreamed of as a child rising up within the inner-city of Los Angeles. This contains engaged on data-driven model-reduction strategies for the Mars 2020 rover, engaged on octtree algorithms for aeroacoustic simulations on the NASA Langley Analysis Middle, and now I’m working at NRL subsequent to Nobel-caliber researchers!”
The MGB-SIAM Early Profession (MSEC) fellowship acknowledges achievements of early profession utilized mathematicians – significantly these belonging to underrepresented racial and ethnic teams traditionally excluded from the mathematical sciences in the US.
“This award means the world to me, and I’m glad MGB and SIAM are celebrating the achievements of underrepresented mathematicians regardless of their historic exclusion in arithmetic,” mentioned Rodriguez. “My dad and mom have been civil struggle refugees from Central America, and I needed to be the primary in my household to attend and graduate from a college, not to mention to obtain a Ph.D. Sadly, I additionally needed to overcome many cases of prejudice, racism, and isolation throughout my training, which embrace being advised by a professor to drop out of my program as a result of I didn’t belong on the College of California, San Diego (UCSD), being the third Latino graduate of my Ph.D. program in 150 years, being known as too “brown” to be a Ph.D. pupil at Lehigh College by college students, and getting advised by different college students’ dad and mom that I used to be stealing funding and a Ph.D. place from white college students. Luckily, I had great pals, professors, and a implausible advisor at UCSD and Lehigh College to get me by means of these tough instances, however my story isn’t unusual among the many underrepresented neighborhood and other people of coloration.”
Rodriguez stays dedicated to serving members of underrepresented communities, particularly the Latine neighborhood. Over the past ten years he has offered professional bono tutoring companies and crash programs for faculty purposes and monetary help cycles to first era school college students and their dad and mom. He hopes the MSEC fellowship will present him alternatives to additional his analysis in arithmetic, give him a platform to additional attain out to his neighborhood and encourage the subsequent era of Latine mathematicians.
In regards to the U.S. Naval Analysis Laboratory
NRL is a scientific and engineering command devoted to analysis that drives revolutionary advances for the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps from the seafloor to area and within the data area. NRL is positioned in Washington, D.C. with main discipline websites in Stennis House Middle, Mississippi; Key West, Florida; Monterey, California, and employs roughly 3,000 civilian scientists, engineers and assist personnel.
