I spent a week at the MSCC summer workshop hosted by Dr. Nascimento - an accessible introduction to quantum chemistry tailored for new graduate students and undergraduates. Funded by the NSF, the workshop struck a great balance between core concepts and practical skills: from how we model molecules at the quantum level to setting up and interpreting electronic-structure calculations with care and reproducibility in mind.

As a physical chemist, I came away with new tools for my toolkit. The instructors emphasized good habits — sanity checks on inputs, strategies for choosing methods and basis sets, and clear workflows for analyzing outputs - alongside tips for organizing projects and documenting results. It was the kind of focused, nuts‑and‑bolts guidance that pays off immediately at the bench and the keyboard.

My only regret: I couldn’t make more of the hands‑on sessions. Many of those labs overlapped with my summer TA schedule, and I had to miss several. Even so, the live demos, shared notebooks, and instructor commentary were valuable, and I feel better prepared to apply these approaches in my own work.

The community made the week even better. I met new friends—locally, Samyak Prasad, and from farther afield, Saquib Shahbaz — and I’m excited to keep in touch as we each take these ideas back to our departments. Having peers at different institutions who are exploring similar questions is a real boost.

Huge thanks to Dr. Nascimento and the MSCC team for creating a welcoming, well‑paced learning environment. If you’re a new grad student or an undergraduate curious about quantum chemistry, I’d highly recommend keeping this workshop on your radar as it is promised to return in 2026!