Andrew E. Brereton

I work now at a company called Cyclica. We are a biotechnology company that uses Artificial Intelligence (AI) to help make medicines that are more effective for patients. I do research and develop methods for computational drug design. Simply put, I write code that teaches computers how to design new drugs.

There are 7 main types of work that I do:

1. Programming/coding. This is when I am writing new methods to solve problems. Sometimes this means improving existing methods, or even just combining existing methods in new ways. For example, I recently developed a new machine learning approach for predicting the properties of small molecules, called POEM.
2. Meetings. Every day I attend meetings with my coworkers. Some are educational where we present to each other on various topics. Sometimes these are topics we are sharing for their benefit. At other times, we are presenting on our work so we can get their input. Some meetings are focused on planning. Some are just for fun. Sometimes, I have to meet with our external partners or clients, usually to explain our science to them.
3. Thinking. I spend a lot of time procrastinating, or "wasting" time J. This is important. Much of what I do requires creative problem solving, and I believe this is something that can't be forced. You owe it to yourself to keep your stress low and give your brain room to come up with ideas. Sometimes this means you need to take a step back and let things work in the background.
4. Planning. Each month I will either start a new project, or continue an existing project. This requires that I plan what I intend to accomplish, and what I will need that month in order to succeed. I have to communicate these needs and expectations with my boss and the rest of my team. Planning helps us all work together well, and make sure no one is disappointed. It also helps me to stay focused and finish my tasks. Often, I will plan my large coding projects by using markers to color in an outline on a big sheet of paper.
5. Writing. This includes writing scientific papers for publication, as well as writing the occasional blog post or opinion piece. Sometimes this is for my own reasons. Sometimes I am asked to share my opinions by my company.
6. Cleaning/Maintaining. All good things require hard work to keep them working, and my job is no different. Code needs to be maintained (kept organized and clean/clear). I also need to do my share of reviewing other people's code (just as they review mine). In this way, help my coworkers flesh out their own ideas. It can be boring but you can't neglect these cleaning tasks for too long. If you do, everything else becomes much more difficult.
7. Outreach. Sometimes I am tasked with volunteering with educational outreach opportunities, like hackathons or conferences. This is always optional but I like it. I think it's important to pass along the things I have learned, so that the next generation can come up with even crazier ideas than I did.