Author: Andrew Foster
This article is proudly written without any usage of AI, not even to edit grammar. So if there are errors or typos, it is solely to remind you I am human and you are reading a creation by a real human. I hope you enjoy a more casual and authentic narrator tone, like we are conversing at a café, rather than a more removed, academic, and sophisticated tone.
The work week, Monday June 9th, began with a fun and informative week at UNIMORE, the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia. There was a half-day seminar on Advanced Nanobiomaterials full of interesting and informative talks with some tasty and savory coffee break snacks. This event was special because my peers in the cohort from Parma and Bologna visited Modena for the day. After the talks I showed my friends around the local campus and we had an enjoyable group lunch together.
On Tuesday, in true computational chemist fashion I was like an electric buzzing bee, submitting lots of calculations to be run and processed on BlueHive. BlueHive is the cluster from CIRC at the University of Rochester which I use to perform my molecular dynamic computations. It is so great to use the convenience of the supercomputer from back in the US through the use of my University of Rochester VPN while doing chemistry research in Italy. The advanced technology of the 21st century makes this international exchange and research program very accessible.
Wednesday through Friday I was very fortunate to attend and participate in the 1st International School on Computational Catalysis. This conference was organized and ran very well by many individuals, including my Italian principal investigator, Giovannimarria Piccini. Will Stoll, Dominic, and I were the only three American students in attendance; the conference consisted of many participants from across Europe and even individuals from India and Brazil.
The conference consisted of many events: lectures from distinguished professors, computational tutorials, an aperitif poster session by graduate students, a round table discussion and Q&A, as well as many delicious coffee breaks. The conference was full of new insights and offered room for personal growth. I am a very shy introvert and was one of the youngest two people to attend this seminar, as an undergraduate student. I put myself out of my comfort zone and asked questions after talks; I even approached a speaker during a coffee break to clarify a computational method and to see if it could be applicable for my research. I am so grateful for this IRES program, as I have been able to grow holistically and thrive in experiences beyond my comfort zone.
Susannah Scott, from UC Santa Barbara and executive editor of ACS Catalysis, was my favorite speaker from the entire experience. Although she was an experimentalist presenting at a computational seminar she displayed a regal and distinguished disposition. She spoke on future needs for the ever growing catalysis field and explained the best ways for computationalists to collaborate with experimentalists. My favorite attribute of hers was her commitment to data integrity and not accepting the first computation or answer. She never accepted the first calculation and in true science fashion, she questioned everything. This something we need more of in a time when data science and AI is in full bloom.
After the conference ended Friday afternoon, Dominic, Will, Alessandro (a local PhD student in Modena with me), and I all went out for a fun all you can eat sushi lunch. The long European lunch breaks during the conference offered many times for deeper and introspective conversations. We discussed imperialism and world history, and the difference of how it is taught in the US versus Italy; since history is a heavily subjective record held by the author. Surprisingly, there were more similarities than differences because as humans we are more alike than we are different.
Wednesday evening, I had an enjoyable aperitivo with Samuele, a PhD student in Bologna who is guiding the American cohort there. It was so nice to converse with a welcoming Italian. Before coming abroad this summer I knew I was required to write a blog article. I was originally very hesitant and scared to write something because I had so much nihilism on being American due to the state of global politics and war. I almost thought about introducing myself as Canadian to locals this summer. Thankfully it has been very refreshing to be perceived as a human first and be able to detach the label of “being American” from all the things that are out of my control in global politics.
Saturday I took a day trip to Bologna with my friends; there was a large pride event in the afternoon and evening. It was invigorating to see such a lively and accepting crowd in such a right-leaning country. We ended the night with a fun karaoke session. We were not the only Americans at the bar; we sang Katy Perry, the millennials sang Shania Twain and Carrie Underwood.
Sunday I spent the day in Modena feeling like a tourist in my own town, and reflecting on what it means to be an American living abroad. This program is a once in a lifetime opportunity, and I am very blessed, grateful, and fortunate to be able to participate in this IRES program two years in a row! However, adjusting to local daily life can feel awkward, stressful, or even anxiety-inducing. For example, the way I dress I feel like I stick out like a sore thumb, people stare for a long time. Especially as an individual who takes the “locals only” exit from the train station, away from the city center. I blend in more in the city center, where all the other tourists are visiting the city for the day. Whereas in the local suburbia of Modena, the concentration of foreigners is diluted and I feel like a volatile spectator ion.
As an American I have to adjust to the new unspoken societal rules in a foreign country. I am a proud cyclist from the states; I adore the pedestrian infrastructure Italy and Europe has. I purchased a cheap bike this summer for sixty euros, which I can sell back for half the price at the end of this program. The right of way and social etiquette is different here from America. I have to gracefully observe how the locals do it. Yet I have to do it stealthily and do it without staring like a creep.
I eat breakfast every morning at a café, often various ones because I want to explore the city. I have no issue greeting the barista, ordering, and paying in Italian. I fit in well enough in simple contexts. Sunday afternoon, I went for a walk around town and a local park. I live here so I know the best routes to explore while staying in the shade during the hot summer days. (It is beautiful ancestral wisdom to see how this city was built over a millennium ago; but they still took into careful consideration constructing buildings in accordance with the east and west.) I meandered leisurely through the local park. There is always a lively crowd laughing and bantering, their energy is contagious. However, I don’t speak Italian well enough so I am unaware if they are laughing or talking to me or if they are in their own world. Under my breath I whisper, “no capito” with despair. I am unaware if this makes me a self absorbed American or not by wondering if they are engaging with me or not. Nevertheless, I release the stress and tension of my worries and let go of what is out of my control and continue walking along.
I ended the week with a café macchiato and cannolo siciliano, my favorite dessert. I am abundantly grateful for the opportunities the universe has provided me. I have grown so much the past few weeks as both a chemist and an individual. The summer has only begun, I can wait to share the rest of my exciting and thrilling adventures with my thoughtful reflections.
