I obtained my BSc degree in Physics at the Basel University, Switzerland, in July 2007. For my MSc degree in Physics (2009) I joined Prof. Goedecker’s group to perform theoretical research on silicon and NaCl nanostructures. During my PhD I developed methods for crystal structure prediction based on the minima hopping algorithm. I continued my research at the Universtiy of Basel on a Novartis Excellence Scholarship, during which I worked on method development, hydrogen storage and photovoltaic materials. In 2015, I was awarded an Advanced Postdoc Mobility grant from the Swiss National Science Foundation and joined the group of Prof. Wolverton at Northwestern University in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering, where I worked on thermoelectric materials and superconductors. Since 2017, I am working with Prof. Umrigar at Cornell University on Quantum Monte Carlo methods applied to topics in materials science, and with Prof. Hoffmann on high-pressure materials chemistry.