Growing up, chemistry and computer science major Christian Ruff noticed some of his peers didn’t have access to the technological resources they needed to be successful. That observation gave the Columbia native the drive to want to make an impact on the world through technology and science.
We talked to the Honors College senior about how his experiences at the University of South Carolina have helped shape him.
Why did you want to study chemistry and computer science?
I consider myself a naturally curious person — I just like to learn things. I didn’t find my real passion for chemistry until I got into the university, but I’ve been playing around with computers all my life. I am fascinated with how the world works. The chemistry major is a great lens to think about that because you get a background in physics, biology, chemistry and math to understand the world from a physical point of view. Plus, it teaches you the scientific way to approach problems. With computer science, I’m just in awe of all of the things that technology can do. For example, I automate a lot of tasks in my personal and work life, saving me hours of time weekly. Obviously, there are benefits like being more employable, but the true value is that it teaches you to think systematically. That’s probably one of the biggest things you can learn from any major — how to think about things in ways you haven’t before. I might not be doing chemistry or computer science for the rest of my life, but I will be problem-solving.
How did you become interested in computer science?
I was very involved in robotics when I was younger. I enjoyed how it was a way to do things that humans did not need to. If people are not spending time doing procedural work, we can be doing more important and abstract tasks. In this way, computer science has a unique way of making my life, and other people’s lives, more efficient and enjoyable. It’s even more useful when it can be integrated cheaply and placed in the hands of people, regardless of socioeconomic status.
Was there a specific course that spurred your interest in chemistry?
My CHEM 111 course with Dr. (Morgan) Stefik — he’s the person I do research with now. He played these really interesting videos about how material science and chemistry have applications in rocket science, biomedicine, energy storage — you name it. It was exciting to see how we as humans created technological advancements using our understanding of chemistry and engineering that, for example, help us get to space.
What kind of research are you involved in?
I’m a research assistant. I do research in an area called material science, particularly with polymers, geared towards creating very small structures (at the scale of nanometers) for energy devices. One of the biggest applications of this research is to create a material that can charge a battery as fast as we can put gasoline in our cars. Think about electric vehicles: after a long day of driving them around, you eventually have to recharge them — and it takes hours to do that. But when you have a gasoline car, you can go to the pump and put gas in your car in like a minute. Our goal is to achieve this same efficiency with batteries by creating materials that allow fast reaction rates and better facilitate the motion of electrons and ions. That way, we can make batteries charge extremely fast. The same speed as, perhaps one day, we can put gas in our car.
Why is it important for you to understand people and be open to their ideas?
Nothing in this world has been created by one person’s efforts. Science is literally built off other people’s knowledge. We use what the researchers before us found and published as a basis of our scientific understanding. We use their ideas to inspire the next generation of technologies that are impactful to the world, and the work we do is going to be used by future generations to develop things that are useful to them. Same thing with music, design and even social advocacy. If we don’t understand the people that are around us, we cannot make an impact.
How has time at USC impacted you?
I’ve had all of these unique experiences because I go to this university. I took a singing class with a very good opera singer. I’ve also taken a scuba class and received a certification. You can’t do that at every university. And at the same time, I’ve had access to some of the best scientists in the world, like Dr. Stefik, who is doing research in polymer science and energy devices. USC, in general, has taught me how to think. Before I got to college, I did not really understand how to approach problems the way that I do now. If I hadn’t come to USC, I don’t think I would’ve had access to the world of opportunities I have here. USC is a big research university with a lot of renowned professionals in their field, opportunities to do whatever interests you and students from all over the world who want to make a difference just like I do. It’s like a dream come true.