Empowered by HPC, Winning the Marie-Curie Postdoctoral Fellowship
It all began with a travel grant! I landed this wonderful opportunity to attend a quantum hackathon at the International Centre for Theoretical Physics (ICTP). During my visit, Dr. Irina Davydenkova presented the MHPC program and the topics covered in the program to all the participants of the quantum hackathon. Immediately, I consulted the MHPC website and was astonished to discover that the topics that pique my interest are encompassed within the program. And what is the best part? The courses are taught by distinguished experts in the field. So, I dove right in.
I applied to the MHPC program while juggling two other things: finalizing my PhD for defense and discussing with my host group in the UK the project proposal for the 2023 Marie-Curie fellowship. It was a whirlwind, but I was determined! Two months later, after the MHPC interview, I received two emails from ICTP and SISSA saying that I got into the MHPC program and that ICTP would offer me a full scholarship to cover everything. This means that I can focus all of my energy on learning from the best and diving deeper into the world of HPC. After that, I successfully defended my PhD in July 2023 (at UM5 in Rabat, Morocco), and I started writing my research proposal for the MSCA PF call. In the project description, I stated that all computational problems will be solved using HPC techniques that I will learn from the MHPC. In the CV part of the application, I highlighted that I will be doing the MHPC, as it shows that the project will be conducted not only by a researcher with a quantum information background but also by a future engineer who received extensive training on HPC techniques.
HPC nowadays is highly desirable as it looks like the magic that can make computational problems disappear faster than saying "Abracadabra, parallel processing"! The MHPC program presented me with a unique opportunity to enhance my proficiency and explore cutting-edge computational techniques that are increasingly crucial in the contemporary research landscape. These techniques include the development of parallel codes, GPU-accelerated computations, and the utilization of advanced libraries such as PETSc and DEAL-II to address intricate mathematical and physical problems. This honed my abilities in HPC, allowing me to gain valuable insights and practical experience along the way.
On February 12, 2023, I was informed that I had been awarded the esteemed Marie Skłodowska-Curie Postdoctoral Fellowship, achieving an exceptional score of 95.80%, which placed me among the top performers in the physics panel with a 5-out-of-five score for the research excellence criteria. This incredible achievement will take me to the Attosecond Quantum Physics Lab (the largest attosecond group in the UK) at King’s College London.
I am grateful to ICTP, SISSA, and all the MHPC staff for the opportunity to participate in this highly competitive program, which has played a crucial role in shaping my academic journey and preparing me for this exciting next chapter. I am delighted to share these lines with the hope that they may serve as an inspiration and motivation to others who are pursuing their academic and research aspirations.