On Research, feat. Jesse Rodriguez | Traces, Appendix 26

A conversation with Nuclear Engineer Jesse Rodriguez about research, physics, nuclear fusion, optical computing, plasma, and the relentless pursuit of truth.

Find me at cristian@ccb.life

About the Guest:
Jesse A. Rodríguez is a faculty member by courtesy in the School of Mechanical, Industrial, and Manufacturing Engineering at Oregon State University, starting in earnest as a tenure-track assistant professor in Fall 2024. He is currently working as a postdoctoral research associate at the Center for Statistics and Machine Learning at Princeton University under Dr. Bill Tang; Principal Research Scientist at Princeton Plasma Physics Lab. His postdoctoral research is focused on using deep learning to predict turbulent disruption events in tokamak fusion reactors, as well as tokamak digital twinning.

Jesse completed his PhD in Mechanical Engineering with a PhD Minor in Computational and Mathematical Engineering at Stanford University under Dr. Mark Cappelli in August 2023, his dissertation focusing on manipulating electromagnetic waves with plasma metamaterials. Rodríguez obtained his MS in Mechanical Engineering with a focus on fluid mechanics at Stanford University in 2020, and a triple honors BS in Physics, Mathematics, and Nuclear Engineering at Oregon State University in 2018. When not working, Jesse splits his time between his family, watch collecting, snowboarding, rock climbing, running, and going to the cinema.

Set Up:
- Camera: https://amzn.to/3PZVscb (don't laugh)
- Microphone: https://amzn.to/46f3pB5
- Teleprompter Stand: https://amzn.to/3tgS98y
- Telepromter App: https://amzn.to/46jdH31
- Teleprompter Screen: https://amzn.to/3PNfKFI (yup)
- Headphones: https://amzn.to/46gMSwo

Timestamps:
00:00 Introduction and Background
01:12 Early Life and Family History
03:37 Journey into the World of Physics
04:44 Discovering the Fascination with Nuclear Fusion
06:19 High School Experiences and Influential Mentors
08:55 Transition to University and Major Decisions
16:38 The Path to Stanford and PhD Research
18:20 Reflections on the Journey and Future Aspirations
20:17 The Role of Mentors and Personal Growth
21:24 Balancing Personal Life and Academic Pursuits
40:02 Balancing Personal Life and Work
41:00 Challenges in Maintaining Relationships
42:27 The Concept of Non-Negotiable Tasks
43:38 The Dichotomy of Dedication and Emotional Energy
44:34 The Frontier of Computation
45:15 The Vision of Optical Computing
46:06 The Idea of Light Moving in Electromagnetic Waves
51:23 The Concept of Inverse Design
54:27 The Challenges of Building an Optical Computer
56:19 The Excitement of Successful Experimentation
58:14 The Transition from Monotony to Creativity
01:21:22 The Future of Research at Oregon State

Chapters

• 0:00 26) Jesse Rodriguez
• 1:48 Introduction and Background
• 3:00 Early Life and Family History
• 5:25 Journey into the World of Physics
• 6:32 Discovering the Fascination with Nuclear Fusion
• 8:07 High School Experiences and Influential Mentors
• 10:43 Transition to University and Major Decisions
• 18:26 The Path to Stanford and PhD Research
• 20:08 Reflections on the Journey and Future Aspirations
• 22:05 The Role of Mentors and Personal Growth
• 23:12 Balancing Personal Life and Academic Pursuits
• 41:50 Balancing Personal Life and Work
• 42:08 The Importance of Time Management
• 42:48 Challenges in Maintaining Relationships
• 43:24 The Truth about Time Management
• 44:16 The Concept of Non-Negotiable Tasks
• 45:26 The Dichotomy of Dedication and Emotional Energy
• 45:47 Exploring the Layers of a PhD
• 46:22 The Frontier of Computation
• 47:03 The Vision of Optical Computing
• 47:55 The Idea of Light Moving in Electromagnetic Waves
• 53:11 The Concept of Inverse Design
• 56:16 The Challenges of Building an Optical Computer
• 58:07 The Excitement of Successful Experimentation
• 1:00:02 The Transition from Monotony to Creativity
• 1:23:10 The Future of Research at Oregon State