The 2025 Simons Puerto Rico Winter School in Computational Physics

By Valerie DeLaCámara

The Simons Puerto Rico Winter School in Computational Physics is a Simons-funded collaboration among the University of Puerto Rico-Rio Piedras (UPRRP), Brown University, and the Simons Flatiron Institute to host a one-week institute on the UPR Rio Piedras campus during which UPRRP undergraduates will learn about a wide range of computational physics topics from leading experts.

The school consists of general-interest lectures from Brown and UPRRP faculty followed by computational practica, during which students can engage in programming activities and interact with practitioners. Initial lectures will focus on the microscopic world of quantum, chemical, and biophysics before transcending scales to more macroscopic topics in astrophysics, high-energy physics, and climate physics.

In addition to exposing students to the breadth of computational physics research, the school also serves as an opportunity to connect UPRRP undergraduates with researchers who can subsequently serve as research mentors.

According to program faculty Brown Assistant Professor Loukas Gouskos, there were approximately 40 students at the 2025 Simons Winter School. He says a key to this year's success is that returning participants "came in with a clearer sense of what to expect, making the program even more impactful. Their enthusiasm and thirst for knowledge were exceptional, with strong engagement across all subjects, from AI and its applications in physics to cosmology and computational methods. Many students expressed excitement about AI's role in modern physics. Their feedback highlighted how the Winter School helped them set academic goals, understand what it takes to excel in research and build confidence for future opportunities." 

Innovations to the 2025 Winter School included the introduction of the Master Class. According to UPRRP Professor Carlos Vicente, the concept was well received by the UPRRP students and effectively maintained student engagement with the material. Prof. Vicente felt that the clear tasks outlined in Prof. Jay Tang's master class also helped to ensure student success with the material. He relays that Brown Professor and 2025 Winter School Program Director Savvas Koushiappas' master class, which included a primer on cosmology and related subjects, was "a hit" with the students. 

Prof. Vicente relates that there were hurdles to overcome in the Winter School; for example, the group had to move to a different location due to last-minute week-long power outages at the UPR-Rio Piedras campus. The group ended up meeting at the UPR-Carolina campus. He laughs as he recalls that the new location was popular because the Carolina campus has "the culinary school and the meals were quite good!" 

It is common for UPR students to face hurdles like the fallout from tropical storms or frequent power outages, which create logistical disasters that could quickly derail their academic pursuits. Their resilience and dedication to their goals are motivated by more than good cuisine: they are single-minded in their pursuit of the excellent physics instruction afforded by the Simons Brown-UPR Winter School.

Each successive year, the Winter School evolves to meet student needs and interests. For example, this year, when the joint faculty introduced the "master class," they devised a setting to include a private lesson with speakers that was more interactive and included questions and tasks for the students. Prof. Vicente says that "the students loved the master class; it allowed them to interact with the Brown faculty in a workshop environment, which had a high impact on student engagement." He said that while some students had not taken advanced courses, they were "eager and quite able to grasp the main ideas." 

Prof. Koushiappas remarked on the student experience: "It was rewarding seeing the students being interested not only in the latest problems in physics but also in how to learn and set goals for their careers and accomplish those goals. There is no better reward than seeing students who get inspired, ask many questions, and want to go on and study further." He said the UPRRP students are "hungry to learn, they are very enthusiastic to hear about what we work on, what are the hot topics in each of the research areas we presented, but also what are the fundamental steps that one must take to work in these areas and how to prepare for studies in these fields.”

Brown Professor Ian Dell'Antonio embraces the advantages to both students and faculty. He was thrilled to meet many great students, and says the UPRRP students had the unique opportunity to learn from a more "varied faculty" since there are "very few astrophysics opportunities at UPR." 

Key Advantage of the Winter School

Prof. Gouskos says, "The Brown/UPR Winter School in Computational Physics has been an incredibly enriching experience for both the students and me." He stresses that a "key advantage of the Simons Winter School is that undergraduates can participate early in their studies, gaining clarity on expectations and time to develop the necessary skills for high-level research at Brown or another institution." Prof. Gouskos views the impacts of program participation holistically, saying, “I believe the impact of the Winter School on UPR students has been essential; beyond the technical knowledge, it has given them a renewed sense of purpose, a clearer academic trajectory, and the confidence to pursue research opportunities. Programs like this are vital in bridging the gap between aspiring scientists and world-class research, ensuring that talented students, regardless of background, have the support to thrive.”

Of approximately 45 students in the lecture and master class, Prof. Ian Dell'Antonio says he spoke personally to 15 students. With the Summer PROBE Program at Brown in mind, he says, "Certainly, there are more candidates that would do well than we have funding for." 

A Deeply Rewarding Experience

While the students are the primary beneficiaries of program participation, the educators also come away with lessons learned; they returned to Providence with a renewed sense of purpose. Prof. Gouskos enjoyed the UPRRP students' fresh perspectives and enthusiasm, which he says "serves as a reminder that science is a continuous learning process for both students and educators." He says he has benefitted personally and professionally and that teaching at the Winter School was "deeply rewarding." 

Reflecting on his career, Prof. Gouskos credits the Winter School with fulfilling an early goal of engaging with and mentoring students. "On a personal and professional level, teaching at the Winter School has been deeply rewarding. One of the reasons I transitioned from my role as Experimental Physics Research Staff at CERN in Geneva/Switzerland to a university was the opportunity to engage with students and transfer knowledge and expertise to them. Seeing the UPRRP students' intellectual curiosity and drive underlines the importance of mentorship in shaping the next generation of scientists. 

I believe the Winter School's impact on UPR students has been essential; beyond the technical knowledge, it has given them a renewed sense of purpose, a clearer academic trajectory and the confidence to pursue research opportunities. Programs like this are vital in bridging the gap between aspiring scientists and world-class research, ensuring that talented students, regardless of background, have the support to thrive."