10 Questions with Rodrigo Bermudez Schettino

1) When did you work at CERN (including its Scientific Collaborations) and what did you work on?
"I joined the IT-CM-LCS at CERN openlab as a Summer Student in 2021. I worked on the authenticated cron (acron) project, a Linux service to schedule regular task execution—especially important for scientific experiments."

2) What is your best memory of working at CERN?
"Although I could only be there virtually, due to COVID regulations, I cherish the virtual coffee meetings with my team and our Friday talks, where we presented a topic of our choice."

3) What is your current job and where is it located?
"I work as a DevOps Engineer at the Center for Humans and Machines at the Max Planck Institute for Human Development in Berlin. My job is to design and maintain the technical infrastructure for research experiments."

4) What skills did you develop during your CERN work experience which have been particularly useful in your subsequent career trajectory?
"I particularly improved my public speaking skills thanks to the regular presentations that I was motivated to give—I thank my supervisor, Dr. Ulrich Schwickerath."

6) What tips would you give to someone who is considering a career transition from academia to industry?
"I would encourage people to get involved with Open Source to start building a portfolio that showcases your practical experience."

7) What advice would you give your younger self?
"To get closer to research from an early stage."

8) Do you still keep a close eye on what’s going on at CERN?
"Yes! I enjoy reading the newsletter and occasionally check CERN's website."

9) In your opinion, what is the unique value of the CERN Alumni Network?
"I love to be surrounded by so many interesting people, reading about their news, and keeping in touch with CERN."

10) Imagine you are stranded on a desert island. You can have one piece of music, one book and one luxury item. Which music, book and luxury item would you choose and why?

• "I would choose the book When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi because I found it motivating and yet it is a reminder to enjoy life."
• "I would listen to Bad Bunny."
• "I would take no luxury item."