Costa Rican Students & Alumni at Rice
- Esteban Dodero Rojas
- Reyner Daniel Vargas Gamboa
- David Brenes
- Luis Diego Gene Antillon
- Dr. Jose Castro Nieto
- Dr. Luis Leopoldo Pérez
- Pamela Zuñiga Fallas
Esteban Dodero Rojas
Esteban Dodero Rojas, undergraduate visiting researcher at CTBP.
1. Why did you choose to come to Rice University for your research internship?
Rice University is way more than an educational center. Its research level and productivity is well known around the globe, especially in the field I was searching for research opportunities. Also, at the place where I did my internship (Center for Theoretical Biological Physics), I was offered the resources, knowledge and support needed for me to grow as a scientist and as a person.
2. How can students benefit from Rice?
Besides the abundant amount of resources that Rice University provides to do research, any student at this university is welcomed as part of a community. Support and motivation can be found all around coming from professors, administrative staff or other students.
3. What makes Rice unique from other places?
The resources available for anyone to take with ease. At Rice, one has a very versatile agenda that lets you explore many aspects of sciences, or other disciplines. Also, with the biggest medical center (Texas Medical Center – TMC) next to it, Rice becomes a great place to do interdisciplinary research.
4. What’s your favorite thing about Rice?
At Rice, I felt like I was more than a number. Its size assures you that you will be considered as an important part of the university. Even though I did not stay for more than 8 months, I know it is a place where I would be welcomed anytime.
Bio:
Esteban is originally from Grecia, Alajuela. He is currently an undergraduate physics student at the University of Costa Rica. He has participated in several research projects related to astrophysics, biophysics, information theory, high energy physics, and complex systems. During his stay at Rice University, he worked at the CTBP as an visiting researcher under the supervision of Dr. José Onuchic; mainly focused on prediction of data using Hopfield networks.
Reyner Daniel Vargas Gamboa
Reyner Daniel Vargas Gamboa, UCR Chemistry student
1. Why did you choose to come to Rice University for your exchange program?
Academics and student life. Rice has one of the best research community and professors in the field that I want to specialize in, Chemical Biology. It accomplishes this while having one of the best campuses in the world, with programs, facilities and faculty who are always there for you and want you to grow not only as a professional, but also as a person. They have an inculcating team and multidisciplinary work in all aspects – from courses to great facilities, such as the Bioscience Research Collaborative. Rice has everything you are looking for in an exchange program.
2. How can students benefit from Rice?
Numerous ways: 1) There are courses in a lot of fields and specializations. For sure you’ll find something in your area which maybe isn’t even taught at your home university. 2) Research, where there are tons of groups in all the areas, and being able to develop a project with the funding and academic staff we have over here, is a whole new and productive experience. 3) Overall experiencing a cultural exchange, with people from all over the country and world.
3. What makes Rice unique from other places?
It’s size, facilities and how they result in a more personal experience, unlike bigger universities, you feel that you are part of a community; making possible to find everything you need inside the campus, but at the same time having next to you an amazing city to discover.
4. What’s your favorite thing about Rice?
My development over here, and how I feel at home every day at Rice; being away from your country sometimes is difficult, but being at Rice makes it easier. I’m enjoying everything, the friends I’m making, the courses I’m taking, and the research I’m accomplishing – and how all of these come into one whole experience, making me feel part of it, at home. Also, the food at the serveries is amazing.
Bio:
My name is Reyner Vargas, and I’m a Chemistry student at the University of Costa Rica (UCR). I’m lucky to not only live in such a beautiful country, but also, to share, learn and be able to develop part of my academic career at Rice.
I discovered that Chemistry was my passion when I was in my last semester of high school, when I won some international Chemistry Olympiads. Studying, learning and preparing made the whole opportunity a joyful experience for me. From there, I entered to the UCR and started my studies in this amazing science. Studying it opened my mind to a whole new world, but also made me realize that I needed to improve, and show the scientific community that I’m ready to contribute and give back. Luckily, the exchange opportunity came at a great time.
Having helped in two research groups in Costa Rica, I knew what I want to do (Chemical Biology). However, it wasn’t possible back there because we don’t have this major concentration. Rice, it’s courses, and the experience to collaborate in Dr. Zachary Ball’s group in the Bioscience Research Collaborative, are a big leap toward the direction that I want to follow. This even opened new opportunities for a research internship this summer in the University of Fribourg in this field.
David Brenes
David Brenes, Graduate Student at the BioE department
1. Why did you choose to come to Rice University to do your doctorate?
I chose to come to Rice because of its academic strength and how welcoming it was to me and my ideas. From the moment I stepped on campus, I felt like I was more than just another recruit to the program. People take a genuine interest on who you are and what you do. I knew that at Rice I would receive the support necessary to successfully overcome the challenges associated with a career in research.
2. How can students, scholars and researchers benefit from Rice?
Rice is very well connected to the reset of the world. Being in the center of the US gives you regular flights to both east coast and west coast at accessible prices. In addition, there is affordable flights to Europe and Asia directly from Houston. This is ideal when traveling out to conference or to visit other institutions.
3.What makes Rice unique from other places?
Rice is next to the largest medical center in the world, which provides an ideal environment for translation research. I regularly engage with researchers and clinicians or attend one of the multiple ongoing conferences at the TMC. It’s a great opportunity to create and test impactful ideas.
4.What’s your favorite thing about Rice?
Knowledge is everywhere you just need to reach out and take it. People at Rice are outgoing and passionate when talking about their academic pursuits. My favorite thing about Rice is the willingness of strangers to spark conversations and talk about their interests. This creates the opportunities to learn many things anywhere and at anypoint.
Bio:
Originally from San Jose, Costa Rica, David obtained his bachelors in Biomedical and Electrical & Computer Engineering from Duke University in 2018. As an undergraduate, he worked on applications of computer vision and eye-tracking to gain insights on consumer decision making. He also worked on medical device development and medical image processing to detect diabetic retinopathy and cancer. After moving to Houston, TX to pursue a doctoral degree in bioengineering at Rice University, David has been collaborating in projects for automated diagnosis of cervical cancer and other applications computer vision that address problems in low-resource settings.
Luis Diego Gene Antillon
Luis Diego Gene Antillon, Graduate Student of Bioengineering, Global Medical Innovation
1. Why did you choose to come to Rice University for your masters degree?
It offered an opportunity to develop collaborative projects using knowledge an technology from the Texas Medical Center in Houston to solve needs in Costa Rica. 2 of my master’s projects involved a lot of travel and networking in parts of Costa Rica that even I wasn’t very familiar with!
2. How can students, scholars and researchers benefit from Rice?
Rice offers a focused environment that is hard to come across in larger universities; you end up becoming acquainted with more people than you originally thought – somewhat like an extended family. This fosters a safe environment for discussion and innovation with a high degree of faculty availability.
3. What makes Rice unique from other places?
Contact with people – at Rice you’re not just another student or another researcher; you have a name from day one and everyone makes you feel like you can contribute and have an impact within and beyond Rice.
4. What’s your favorite thing about Rice?
It’s small size – just like Costa Rica, it’s a reminder that even though we’re a small country (or University in Rice’s case) we’re capable of having a huge impact in society and throughout the world.
Luis Diego Gene Antillon is from a small suburb town called Santa Ana, about 20 minutes west from the Costa Rican capital of San Jose. He was a graduate student in the Master of Bioengineering program, specifically in the Global Medical Innovation (GMI) track. Initially, Luis Diego pursued an undergraduate degree in electrical engineering at the University of Costa Rica but after realizing he had a strong passion for medical devices and healthcare, thus he transferred to the medical technology engineering program at Universidad Latina de Costa Rica where he graduated.
Dr. Jose Castro Nieto
Dr. Jose Castro Nieto-Received his PhD from Applied Physics in 2011
1. Why did you choose to come to Rice University to do your doctorate?
Prior to going to grad school I did an internship at NASA’s Advanced Space Propulsion Laboratory. My mentor was a former Rice grad and he had a strong influence on where I should apply for grad school. I also applied and was admitted to another large state university in Texas, which was a big contrast because that school is very big, and Rice is very small . . . maybe less than 5000 students at the time. I did my Bachelors at the University of Costa Rica, which is a very big school, so I wanted to experience of a small campus, where interactions would be more personal, and I could have closer connections.
2. How can students, scholars and researchers benefit from Rice?
I think Rice is very well placed as an academic and research institution. Both geographically and academically. For people from Central America moving to a country that has seasons can be challenging because we don’t really have them. The weather in Texas is a good way to ease into having seasons. It’s also a short flight, so for me it was easy to go back to Costa Rica every year, and very easy for family to visit. Rice is also academically and technically very well placed with good options all around, and it’s in the middle of the country, not too limited by being on the East Coast or the West Coast. Now with multiple direct flights between Costa Rica and Houston, it is very close for anyone.
3. What makes Rice unique from other places?
Rice has a quirky, nerdy personality. Back in the day it wasn’t necessarily a good thing, but these days it’s become sort of fashionable to be that way . It is okay and fashionable nowadays to be nerdy! Rice has a very unique personality. It’s not a party campus, yet it’s not really a super nerdy campus. Rice has a lot of history, and the campus is beautiful. The neighborhood around the campus is also beautiful and the proximity to the Museum District is great, and allows for so many opportunities. Rice has a close connection to Houston, and in some ways, they have grown up together.
4. What’s your favorite thing about Rice?
I like the size and the campus. I think it is very nice when you can walk around the campus and see that there are a lot of people, but at the same time not be overwhelmed by the number of people. During the summer as a grad student, it was nice because you almost had the campus to yourself, but during the semester it becomes so active and is full of life. Also, the beautiful campus has so many places where you can go to study and to meet people. The location of Rice is also quite advantageous because of the neighborhood, and especially Rice Village, which was one of my favorite places.
Bio:
Dr. Castro Nieto has over 13 years of experience in experimental plasma physics and engineering. He currently directs the scientific research initiatives of Ad Astra Rocket Company Costa Rica, the international subsidiary in the city of Liberia, Guanacaste that is wholly owned by Ad Astra Rocket Company domiciled in the city of Webster nearby the NASA Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas.
Dr. Castro Nieto leads the laboratory’s flagship experiment the VX-CR, which focuses on long term duration thermal management and plasma surface interactions for space applications. He also manages all renewable energy developments, including Costa Rica’s first hydrogen-based transportation ecosystem due to launch in June.
In 2016, Dr. Castro Nieto served as Co-Chairman of the Local Organizing Committee and Programme Committee for the United Nations/Costa Rica Workshop on Human Space Technology. This workshop organized jointly by United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs, the Government of Costa Rica, and the International Academy of Astronautics.
Prior to his work at Ad Astra Rocket Company Costa Rica, Dr. Castro Nieto managed the Transfer of Knowledge and Data Collection Program for Energy Services at the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. This involved forecasting, collecting, analyzing, and reporting of energy consumption data for all Olympic and Paralympic Venues. Additionally, he supervised a group of Energy Managers as part of the Data Collection Program including remote and in-situ metering, and developed the demand and consumption models to forecast energy and water consumption for London 2012. As part of the Local Organizing Committee for the London 2012 Olympics, he acted as liaison with the International Olympic Committee and future Organizing Committees, coordinated the Observers Program for Energy Services and co-authored the Energy Transfer of Knowledge report to the International Olympic Committee.
During his Ph.D studies, Dr. Castro Nieto was part of the team of researchers that developed and implemented the experimental setup to measure various properties of ultracold strontium ions. This team collected, analyzed, and modelled data as well as assembly and maintenance of ultra high vacuum, electronics, feedback circuitry, and optical setup of various cooling lasers for Rice University.
Dr. Castro Nieto has taught physics at the University of Costa Rica. He has also authored multiple peer reviewed publications and has been a speaker at international conferences in the USA, Germany, Canada and Brazil.
Dr. Luis Leopoldo Pérez
Dr. Luis Leopoldo Pérez-Received his PhD from Computer Science in 2014
1. Why did you choose to come to Rice University to do your doctorate?
Prior to joining Rice, I was a graduate student in Computer Engineering at the University of Florida. While working on my masters thesis, my advisor, Dr. Chris Jermaine, accepted a faculty position at the Rice CS department. My goal at the time was to do my Ph.D. research under his supervision, so he encouraged me to apply.
2. How can students, scholars and researchers benefit from Rice?
For students and scholars from Costa Rica, Rice offers the perfect combination of academic quality and geographic location. There are multiple daily flights to/from Houston from/to San José and Liberia and the time zone is the same during a good chunk of the year, which makes collaboration easier.
Moreover, Rice has very strong research programs in areas that are key to Costa Rica, such as computing and bioengineering.
3. What makes Rice unique from other places?
Its strong emphasis on quality over quantity. During my studies at the CS department, I found myself surrounded by relatively few but excellent students, all of them supervised by world-class scholars. In my opinion, this is the best environment for a graduate student and young scholar to be in.
(Actually, isn’t it funny that such a small school is located in a state known for bigger everything?)
4. What’s your favorite thing about Rice?
The people. Everyone: students, staff, and faculty.
Bio:
Dr. Luis L. Pérez is a data scientist and engineer from San José, Costa Rica, where he works as a consultant in machine learning and big data management with clients from Latin America and the Caribbean. He is also the head of data science at Singularities, a local startup that develops AI and machine learning solutions for logistics, finance and marketing applications.
Luis received his Ph.D. in Computer Science from Rice in 2014. During his studies, he was part of a team that developed techniques for efficient and scalable distributed machine learning on big data. He has published multiple research papers in world-class venues such as ICDE, ACM SIGMOD and VLDB and is the recipient of the IEEE ICDE 2017 Best Paper Award.
During his spare time, Luis enjoys weightlifting and gardening.
Pamela Zuñiga Fallas
Pamela Zuñiga Fallas, a visiting researcher at the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
1. Why did you choose to come to Rice University to do research?
During my undergraduate physics lessons and as part of nanotechnology’s history, I heard of Rice University as the place where in 1985 the fullerenes (novel arrangement of carbon) were discovered. By that moment I did not know that Rice was located in Houston, a city that back in 2005 generated a long lasting change in my worldview. After some years during a visit to Houston in 2014, I had the opportunity to closely interact with current Rice scientists and students. I was impressed by their unique approach towards environmental applications of nanotechnology and felt strongly motivated to apply for opportunities that allowed me to join them.
2. How can students, scholars and researchers benefit from Rice?
Rice’s ecosystem is full of a collaborative spirit that will allow endless ways of being benefited from it. As a very well placed private research university, Rice stimulates excellence with an environment that is competitive and open to innovation and change. For someone from Latin America, I would say that the main general benefit could be to learn an efficient working based on trust, taking responsibility for one’s own actions, and a strong direct communication style.
3. What makes Rice unique from other places?
Rice stimulates you to excellence and unconventional thinking while it makes you part of an exceptional team. Also, as it has a small community the interdisciplinary interaction and collaboration is favored. Its location is perfect for traveling to Costa Rica or other strategic US cities for conferences or business.
4. What’s your favorite thing about Rice?
The multicultural environment and its beautiful campus surrounded by trees and squirrels.
Bio:
Pamela Zuñiga Fallas (Born in San José, Costa Rica) is currently conducting applied and globally relevant research on nanotechnology-enabled water treatment in Dr. Alvarez’s Lab. Pamela has experience in the development of socially oriented projects for drinking water and clean energy access in Latin America. Also serves as consultant to innovation, conservancy, and educational projects worldwide. Her background degrees are in nanotechnology (2011) and environmental health (2015) achieved in two prestigious public universities in Costa Rica. The Costa Rican Science and Technology Ministry recognized her as innovation champion (2014). Pamela has taught nanotechnology at Instituto Tecnológico de Costa Rica. She has authored several peer-reviewed publications and has been a speaker at international conferences in the USA on chemistry, public health, microbiology, and nanotechnology.