Bouchet Award - Nuclei and Humans: two sides of the same coin

Nuclear physics is an amazing field that allows to probe the interactions between nucleons inside the nucleus using fundamental particles such as the electron or much larger and heavier objects like ions as magnifying glasses, providing crucial information about the how, why and what is happening inside nuclei. The Facility for Rare Isotope Beams (East Lansing, MI) will start its highly anticipated experimental nuclear astrophysics program in 2022, thus testing our current understanding of a large number of predicted unstable (neutron and proton rich) nuclei with the possibility to enable new physics beyond the standard model. In fact, scientific discoveries have historically been rooted in the desire for some to take on a quest to tackle the unknown, often with relentless commitments and efforts, and sometimes bold actions that have proven to unravel new pathways. On one end, it is fascinating that any object located somewhere in our universe always interact through some forces. On another end, it is even more remarkable that the macroscopic world is a mirror image of the microscopic world in many ways. Impactful scientific results often stemmed from dynamic and multidisciplinary teams of theorists and experimentalists in which both sides listen carefully, process, and understand the information shared. This talk will provide some brief review on the role and successes of nuclear physics experiments and theories as they pertain to my journey in becoming a nuclear physicist, as well as establishing bridges to under-represented groups, while enduring yet unknown but interesting challenges within and outside the physics community.