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Student profile: Monica Bugeanu

Name monica
Monica Bugeanu
(Under-) Graduate Education 
Computer Science (Diploma)
Politehnica University of Bucharest
Bucharest, Romania


Why did you choose the Master's program Simulation Sciences?

I chose this Master's program because it offers insight on both the theoretical part of the simulation process as well as the practical part. An additional motive is the fact that, in the university, I studied computer science and had many courses in that field, and very little in other fields that apply computer science to solve their problems. This Master's program offers a very good opportunity to get in touch with the forgotten parts of physics and mathematics that we all started with at school and then combine them with computer science.
Why would you recommend the German Research School to other students worldwide?

I would recommend the Master's program of the German Research School to other students that would like to broaden their horizon and try to learn something about other fields as well and not only stay in the field that they learned during the bachelor/diploma studies. For example a person that finishes physics in Romania does not have so many employment opportunities as a person that, besides physics, also knows something about computer simulation and parallel programming.
What are your plans for the future, once you have finished your Master's degree?

After finishing my Master's degree I intend to try a doctoral program, I am not sure in which direction exactly, since at the moment I have a diploma in computer science (allowing me to start a PhD in this field) and in this Master's program I am trying to learn something about bioinformatics and computational genetics (which would then allow me to do a PhD in that field as well).
Where and in what kind of industry or research would you like to work in the future?

I think that since I am learning more about bioinformatics I would like to make at least some research in this field. I heard a lot about stem cells and their possible applications in, for example, dentistry by regenerating the teeth and having your own natural teeth at the age of 80. But of course the SF movies I watched, like X-Men, made me also think about DNA mutations. I honestly have not yet decided where I want to work, I would first like to think about this Master's program as an interesting step in my education. Then I would consider the area of my doctoral thesis. The last years of my PhD, I think, will be the time when I will give serious thought as to where I want to work. For my PhD thesis, I would like to work at a university or a research center.  I have not set a specific direction yet, but for sure it will be a place where I could learn a lot of things.
What do you do in your free time?

Lately in my free time I am reading about biology. As mentioned before, my study program at this Master's program includes lectures in bioinformatics and my biology is quite rusty, if I might say so. That level is the level I achieved at school and it is not comparable to the level of the biologists taking some of the courses I want to attend next semester.
In the rest of my free time I like to be creative. I like playing the piano and the guitar. I want to start gardening (I will start with something easy, like growing my own spices) which I would use instead of the ones from the store in my rather unique dishes which I then share with my friends.
How is living in Aachen?

Aachen - it took me some time getting used to. Coming from Romania to Germany is not an easy transition. Moving to a new environment is always hard, but Aachen is a very warm city with lots of international students and lots of different cultures, so everybody can feel welcome here.