Dr Sosso inspires Chemistry students

A brilliant lecture about the fascinating intersection of machine learning and chemistry inspired Rugby School science students this month.

The Chemistry Department was privileged to host Dr Gabriele Sosso from the University of Warwick who provided an illuminating glimpse into the realm of cutting-edge research. Dr Sosso delved into the fascinating intersection of machine learning and chemistry, showcasing his utilization of the UK’s largest supercomputer, ARCHER2 in Edinburgh, boasting an impressive 750,000 cores compared to a standard desktop PC’s mere 4 cores.

Rugby’s equally inspired Head of Chemistry, Dr Stephen Belding, said students were introduced to a remarkable molecule uncovered through machine learning, a substance with the potential to mitigate damage to red blood cells when subjected to freezing temperatures.

“The discovery, credited to one of Dr Sosso’s PhD students, underscores the profound impact of computational approaches in advancing scientific understanding. Such a discovery would have taken years, or even decades, using a traditional laboratory based approach,” said Dr Belding.

He added: “Dr Sosso also shed light on an innovative lecture series at Warwick, commencing this week, where students are being adeptly trained to leverage ChatGPT in a sophisticated manner to tackle complex problems. Furthermore, he highlighted the evolving landscape of coding in the research domain, noting the prevalent use of the Python language. In a departure from the practices of the past two decades, researchers benefit from a rich array of Python packages, expediting and enhancing the coding process for a diverse range of challenges.

“The insightful presentation not only underscored the transformative power of technology in scientific exploration but also emphasized the dynamic and collaborative nature of modern research.”