Student Profiles
Student Testimonials
I am a second year MS Applied Mathematics student interested in applied differential equations and numerical analysis. My goal is to leverage mathematics to tackle real-world challenges. At UIC’s Mathematics Department, I have found an exceptionally supportive and dynamic environment that fosters academic and professional growth. The department is home to renowned researchers in Applied Mathematics, Pure Mathematics, Statistics, and Computer Science, providing students with cutting-edge and interdisciplinary research and collaboration opportunities and it is an ideal place for scholars looking to bridge theoretical insights with practical impact. Outside of academia, I am the Founder of MerbsConnect, an initiative dedicated to mentoring first year students in mathematics, statistics, actuarial science, IT, and computer science. MerbsConnect hosts an annual conference at the University of Cape Coast (UCC) where I graduated as the Overall Best Student and Valedictorian. My long-term goal is to pursue a Ph.D. at UIC, contributing to advancements in Applied Mathematics while continuing to mentor the next generation of mathematicians.
I am a second year PhD student in algebraic geometry, advised by Izzet Coşkun. I have found the department here to be incredibly welcoming and social. I especially enjoy our department tea times and bridge nights. I am currently president of the Math Grad Student Association, do work with Symbols of Inclusion and have organized an introductory algebra grad student seminar. I love to organize events and find ways to make math and math spaces accessible and welcoming to everyone. In my free time in Chicago I enjoy dancing, language learning, and cooking. Please reach out if you have any questions about UIC or Chicago or just want to chat!
I’m a sixth-year Pure Math PhD student here at UIC. My research interests are in geometry and topology, and I want to write software to generate mathematical examples and visualizations. Outside of teaching and classes, I’m involved with our graduate workers’ union, which represents teaching and research assistants, and I organize the undergraduate COMAP Mathematical Competition in Modeling here at UIC. Before graduate school, I studied electrical and computer engineering and worked for a few years writing software for deep ocean robots. Fortunately, our department is very welcoming to students with a variety of math interests and backgrounds. My favorite moments in math have been meeting colleagues from around the world at specialized conferences, since it is so validating to share your research with people who understand all the subtle details in your work.
I am in my fourth year toward my PhD in pure math where I study model theory, a branch of mathematical logic. I am also pursuing an MA in the philosophy department at UIC. As my studies suggest, I hope to do interdisciplinary research someday; indeed, I see model theory as a great tool for making rigorous the philosophical program of “quasi-empiricism” for use in research mathematics. During my time at UIC, the math department has been nothing short of welcoming. The friendly and stimulating environment—complete with young faculty at the forefront of current research—drew me, and I’ve been happy to spend such intellectually formative years here. Outside the university, I enjoy reading, bookbinding, and playing games with friends.