Introducing ISNSCE Vice President Erik Winfree
The Society’s newly elected Vice President, Erik Winfree, is a Professor of Computer Science, Bioengineering, and Computation & Neural Systems at California Institute of Technology. He holds a B.S. degree in Mathematics from University of Chicago, and a Ph.D. degree in Computation & Neural Systems from California Institute of Technology. Erik’s term begins at FNANO 2025, and he will assume the position of President at FNANO 2027 and Past President at FNANO 2029.
RESEARCH INTERESTS:
Our group is interested in biomolecular computation: how systems of biomolecules, such as DNA and enzymes, can process information and carry out algorithms. While our theoretical studies are wide-ranging, our experimental efforts focus on coaxing DNA to perform algorithmic tricks.
ISNSCE VISION STATEMENT:
I believe the highest immediate priority for ISNSCE is to solidify the progress made possible by Seeman’s gift endowment and to demonstrate that we deserve the trust he put in us. A central goal of the Society is to facilitate multidisciplinary science and scientists working near the nexus of chemistry, physics, biology, computer science and engineering toward the goal of “controlling matter with chemical information”. Beyond our flagship conferences, what can we do to support the next generation to explore, master, and more deeply merge these fields — and continue to unlock their potential? I have some ideas, but if elected, I would first embark on a (Zoom) listening tour to understand what faculty and students consider needs and opportunities where ISNSCE could make a difference.
