About Dr. Berebichez
Debbie Berebichez is a highly motivated, multi-talented young woman with a strong interest in the world of science and media communications. She successfully completed a Ph.D. in physics at Stanford University: the first Mexican woman ever to do so. She continues to work closely with her adviser, physics Nobel Laureate Robert Laughlin on promoting the public understanding of science. After obtaining the Doctorate Degree, Debbie pursued two postdoctoral fellowships in applied mathematics and physics and conducted further research at Columbia University's Applied Physics and Applied Mathematics department as well as at New York University's Courant Institute for Mathematical Sciences. She is a talented linguist, who speaks five languages. She currently works on Wall St. as a risk analyst and continues to develop video, articles and public communications programs to bring science to all.
In her scientific career, she is an expert in wave propagation in inhomogeneous media as well as in optimization. She is an inventor of a new technique to localize wireless signals in specific locations in buildings. A Summa Cum Laude B.A. graduate of Brandeis University, she received a full Wien Scholarship and was elected a member of Phi Beta Kappa. Her B.A. in both philosophy and physics infused her with a passion for expressing her scientific thoughts through media. She has experience in professional theater and has extensive on-camera practice. She is an avid writer, part-time model, newspaper columnist, avid mathematician, computational scientist and teacher.
"I have worked my whole life to acquire the knowledge and skills to communicate science in a fun and relevant way. I want to become the new "Oprah" of science", she says. Her passion is to encourage young people to learn more about science and mathematics through fun topics that mix entertainment with the science behind everyday life.
After studying philosophy and being recognized for writing short stories in Mexico, Debbie categorized herself as a “right-brain person.” But when in College she discovered that she had a burning passion for physics. With little previous math knowledge and a lot of perseverance, she embarked in a career of discovery to understand the physical laws governing our universe. It is this path that led her to do a Ph.D. in physics and enabled her to practice using the language of mathematics to study the world.
Because she was a creative oriented person who evolved to become technical, Debbie has a unique advantage to explain the complex concepts of science to lay people. She understands what is like to not understand science. And she believes that most people have that initial spark in them, the thought that says, “Why does this work the way it does?” But then, as we grow older, those inquisitive thoughts taper down as the pressing demands of the modern world increase. Let Debbie's experience reawaken in you the feeling of how fun science can be!
Academic
Ph.D. Dissertation (PDF)
Curriculum Vitae (PDF)
Research Paper: Optimization of Scattering Resonances (PDF)
Stanford University "Crossroads" Articles
Why & How The World Trade Centers Collapsed - 9/26/01 (PDF)DNA Chips Hold Great Disease Fighting Potential - 10/3/01 (PDF)
Physics Nobel Awarded For New State of Matter - 10/17/01 (PDF)