Sílvia Casacuberta Puig, a graduate of Mathematics, Computer Science, and Philosophy — with a concurrent masters in Computer Science. Originally from Barcelona, she is passionate about theoretical computer science and inclusivity. Previously, she has worked at OpenDP, IBM, ETH Zurich, and the Max Planck Institute. At Harvard, she served as the Co-President of Harvard Gender Inclusivity in Mathematics as well as the Academics Director of Harvard WiCS. She has been recognized as a member of Phi Beta Kappa and received the Captain Jonathan Fay Prize and Hoopes Prize for her thesis on the complexity theoretic implication of multi-calibration. She is a Global Rhodes Scholar going on to study computer science at Oxford, followed by a PhD in computer science at Stanford. 

HTR:

You’ve been nominated as an innovator. What does being an innovator mean to you? How do you try to embody that in your daily life?

Sílvia Casacuberta Puig: 

To me, being an innovator means generating good questions and trying to find answers to them. It involves solving problems that are relevant both to the research field and to society. In order to come up with good ideas, you need to innovate, try new paths that no one has tried before. I think this spirit is really crucial for CS research in any setting, whether industry or academia.

HTR:

You’re an international student. Can you share your perspective on coming to Harvard? What interested you and brought you to Harvard specifically for science research or math?

Sílvia Casacuberta Puig:

Looking back, I was very naive and I was lacking a lot of information. I grew up in Barcelona and had never been to the U.S. or even realized that universities like Harvard and MIT were accessible. A Catalan foundation selected me for a scientific program, for which I spent one summer immersing myself in astrophysics and one doing research at MIT. I was very impressed by the American universities’ structure, the liberal arts system, and the availability of renowned researchers in every field. That experience made me realize that this was an environment I wanted to be a part of, and I applied to Harvard. The decision was instinctive, but I’m glad I made it. Harvard exceeded my expectations and gave me the freedom to explore without preconceived notions.

HTR:

You were involved in math and science from an early age. What sparked your interest in these fields?

Sílvia Casacuberta Puig:

Research always felt right to me: I come from a family of scientists and so I grew up surrounded by science. It was a job that seemed so exciting to me when I was little. I enjoy learning, and the interdisciplinary nature of American universities particularly appealed to me. I liked the freedom of creativity that research offers, and the ability to think and read about the topics that interest you. Moreover, I really admire the passion, intelligence, and kindness of people in the research community. I was also drawn to Harvard’s resources and faculty, which made it feel like a playground for curiosity.

HTR:

Can you walk us through your journey in computer science?

Sílvia Casacuberta Puig:

I started with machine learning, as it was a hot topic. After a stint at Imperial College London, I moved to Natural Language Processing at the Radcliffe Institute. My sophomore year at Harvard led me to theoretical computer science, thanks to courses like CS 124 and CS 121. I decided that I wanted to try research in theoretical CS, and so I worked on matrix algorithms at ETH, transitioned to cryptography at IBM Zurich, explored differential privacy back at Harvard with the OpenDP group, and finally landed on algorithmic fairness for my senior thesis.

HTR:

What were some highlight classes for you along the way?

Sílvia Casacuberta Puig:

I love the theory CS group at Harvard; they are a very welcoming group and attending their seminar was always a highlight in my week. CS 124 and CS 121 were game-changers. I also enjoyed cryptography by Boaz Barak,, creating a new undergraduate theory class with Salil Vadhan, and a course on theory CS for society by Cynthia Dwork. This class, in particular, expanded my perspective on how theoretical CS can be used to address societal issues, like privacy and fairness.

HTR:

You’ve also worked extensively on inclusivity within the CS department, being a TA for many different classes. Why is being a mentor important to you?

Sílvia Casacuberta Puig:

Being a teaching fellow has been a major part of my Harvard journey. I enjoy teaching, and it has also been a platform for impacting students’ experiences in male-dominated fields like computer science and math. Science is a social endeavor and progresses within societal norms, and therefore who teaches you, your classmates, and your mentors significantly impact your experience in the field. As a teacher, I’ve tried to encourage more women to take computer science and math courses and to feel comfortable and self-confident in classes. To see my students continue in computer science and become increasingly engaged in the field is incredibly fulfilling.

HTR: 

Do you have any hobbies or interests outside of your work that you think have been beneficial to you in surprising ways?

Sílvia Casacuberta Puig: 

Yes, definitely music. I play the violin and the piano, and all throughout my undergrad, I played in orchestras at Harvard. I find making music with other people one of my favorite activities. It’s a wholesome experience to do music in college, because you play with friends and have friends in the audience.

HTR: 

If you could go back to your freshman year, what advice would you give to your younger self about navigating Harvard?

Sílvia Casacuberta Puig:

I’d tell my younger self not to be overwhelmed by the sea of opportunities at Harvard. It’s normal to try out different things in your freshman year, but there’s a certain sense of stability and serenity once you figure out what you like. So, I would tell my freshman self to not be worried, that you have to go through this noise to figure out who you are and what you want to do. Eventually, you’ll find a path that feels fulfilling.

HTR: 

You have some exciting things coming up with Oxford and Stanford. What are you excited about, and longer-term, what kind of person do you want to be in the future?

Sílvia Casacuberta Puig: 

I’m really excited to see different environments from Harvard and different CS departments. I’m looking forward to learning more about different CS cultures, ways of doing classes, research, and interacting with people. As for the long term, there are two main things I’d like to do with my life: to do good research and to improve women and minority representation in computer science.

HTR: 

Looking into the future of research and development, what are some things that you’re most excited to see or get involved in over the next 10-20 years?

Sílvia Casacuberta Puig: 

We’re seeing an incredibly fast-moving field of artificial intelligence and for the first time, we’re having real involvement from non-computer scientists. It’s exciting but also scary because everything is moving so fast. However, I believe computer scientists have a real opportunity to get this right. We need to address issues around privacy and fairness, especially when it comes to how these systems impact minorities. It’s a very exciting moment for computer scientists to use the tools of computer science to tackle these societal issues.