Subject: I once asked about David Bernholdt's wife Date: Mon, 17 Jan 2000 19:50:02 -0500 From: Geoffrey Fox ------- Blind-Carbon-Copy Reply-to: gcf@npac.syr.edu To: "M. Y. Hussaini" Subject: I once asked about David Bernholdt's wife Date: Mon, 17 Jan 2000 19:50:02 -0500 From: Geoffrey Fox But in fact David himself might be a stronger candidate as so naturally fits CSIT model. I enclose email from Harrison (his postdoc adviser in DoE PNNL) and graduate student adviser Bartlett from Florida David will and does get an exceptional letter from me. (I do not know Bartlett bit Harrison is well respected in HPCC community) I note that interestingly his wife fits with magnet lab and David with CSIT! Geoffrey Fox gcf@npac.syr.edu, http://www.npac.syr.edu Director of NPAC and Professor of Physics and Computer Science Phones Cell 3152546387 Office 3154432163 Npac 3154431723 Fax 3154434741 - ------- Forwarded Messages Date: Mon, 17 Jan 2000 14:37:58 -0800 From: "Harrison, Robert J" To: "'Geoffrey Fox'" Subject: RE: David Bernholdt Prof. Fox, I think if David were to take on a full-time chemistry position his research would become much more chemically motivated that it is now. He does find genuine satisfaction in solving chemical problems and he works very effectively with experimentalists. David is a very good theoretical chemist. He has a very strong formal background, and at PNNL he pursued theory, computation and interaction with experimentalists with equal vigor. As a chemist's chemist, one would have to only rate him as very good, rather than excellent. However, I would expect David to conduct his most fruitful research at the interface between computer science, computational science, and theoretical chemistry. Of the few people working in that area, I would rate David very highly indeed. So, if you are looking for a person who can credibly stand with a foot in both camps, then I very much think that David is your man. If you're just trying to hire a chemist, then you'll probably want someone else, though you might have trouble holding a conversation with him/her. Sincerely, Robert - - -----Original Message----- From: Geoffrey Fox [mailto:gcf@npac.syr.edu] Sent: Saturday, January 08, 2000 5:23 AM To: rj_harrison@pnl.gov Subject: David Bernholdt As you may know David Bernholdt has been a wonderful member of my computational science research group at Syracuse. I am moving to the new school of Computational Science and Information Technology (CSIT) at Florida State University and I wanted to explore options for him there as a faculty member in Chemistry and part of the CSIT School. Although I can evaluate his computational abilities well, I cannot do the same in Chemistry and I wondered if you could give some idea where he would stand from that point of view. Thank You - ------- Message 2 Date: Mon, 17 Jan 2000 16:25:04 -0800 From: "Harrison, Robert J" To: "'Geoffrey Fox'" Subject: RE: David Bernholdt David Bernholdt is a definitely better chemist and computational scientist than David Moncrief (at FSU/SCRI), Rick Kendall (just hired at Ames Lab/Iowa State), or Curtis Janssen (Sandia). I would say that he is directly comparable to Steve Plimpton (Sandia), or Mike Colvin (LLNL, Sandia) in parallel computing and computational science skills, though David probably has a greater depth in computer science thanks to his time at NPAC. There are some other theoretical chemists who develop codes to whom I could compare him, but none of them are interested in the computer science side of things. Hope this helps Robert - - -----Original Message----- From: Geoffrey Fox [mailto:gcf@npac.syr.edu] Sent: Monday, January 17, 2000 2:54 PM To: Harrison, Robert J Subject: Re: David Bernholdt Could you give some examples/comparisons of "Of the few people working in that area at the interface between computer science, computational science, and theoretical chemistry." ? Thank you Reply by Geoffrey Fox gcf@npac.syr.edu, http://www.npac.syr.edu, Phones Cell 3152546387 Office 3154432163 Npac 3154431723 Fax 3154434741 - ------- Message 3 Date: Mon, 17 Jan 2000 19:11:02 -0500 From: Rod Bartlett To: Geoffrey Fox Subject: Re: David Bernholdt Dear Geoffrey, I'm delighted to hear that you are moving to FSU and that David might accompany you. As you know, David is an excellent Computational Scientist, and I can add that he is also an excellent chemist. David has the usual background of students in the Quantum Theory Project that he is formally trained in chemistry, but has far more than the usual proficiency in Math and Phys. His background in Chemistry from Illinois is likely to be among the best undergraduate preparation possible, and he only enhanced that while here in graduate school. In my group in particular, he worked on carbon clusters, and the phtoionization spectra of molecules and he addressed the detailed interplay between theory and experiment with aplomb. However, unlike most, David was particulary adept at the computational aspects of quantum chemistry, though he was none the less able when it came to formal developments, and we tend to try to emphasize whatever aspect of quantum chemistry is most cnsistent with the student's long range goals. In this, there was not doubt that David had a special aptitude for computers. David is an excellent chemist, physicist, and computational scientist. He will, doubtless, be one of your most important components in your new efforts at FSU. He can readily interact with the chemistry department at FSU (he knowns many of them already!). Furthermore, his long association with the Quantum Theory Project and the University of Florida and his position in quantum chemistry in general, will certainly be an asset to your program. Sincerely, Rod Bartlett Graduate Research Professor - ------- Message 4 Date: Mon, 17 Jan 2000 19:18:11 -0500 From: Rod Bartlett To: Geoffrey Fox Subject: Re: David Bernholdt A PS on David. David is the equal of any cnadidate for a position as a theoretical chemist in a Univeristy. Jerzy Cioslowski is good, and perhaps better than he's perceived by many, but he's the only one there. David would fill a void. They need help in theory, and David and Jerzy would be mutually beneficial. To add such a person to FSU's dept would significnatly improve it, and in a way that's entirely consitent with your goals for Computer and Information Sciences. I give him my strongest support. Thanks, Rod - ------- End of Forwarded Messages ------- End of Blind-Carbon-Copy