Paul Constantine, Student
Math, UNT
Why I Chose Stanford
I considered two offers for graduate school. I had one offer from a
second tier school for four years of support in the Ph.D. program in
mathematics, and I had an offer from iCME for no support and admission
to the M.S. program. However, iCME's offer came with the promise that if
I passed the qualifying exams, I would likely be admitted to the Ph.D.
program and receive support. This was a very difficult decision for me,
so I polled my undergraduate professors. Three out of four of those I
polled said that I should take the risk and try the program at Stanford
because of its resources and reputation, so I did.
My Background
I completed a B.A. in mathematics with a minor in music from
University of North Texas. Within my math degree, I chose electives
focused on applied math and computation including PDE's, numerical
analysis, and probability.
What Do You Work On
My current research assistantship is with the Center for Turbulence
Research in Mechanical Engineering. I work on uncertainty quantification
in numerical simulations with random inputs.
What's Great About Studying Here
I truly enjoy the collaborative spirit in ICME. We are an
interdisciplinary program with students from a variety of backgrounds.
Each person offers a unique perspective; math, engineering, computer
science, management science, etc. to the problems we tackle. The iCME
courses facilitate an environment where students are encouraged to work
together as opposed to competing with each other. Also, the graduate
students at Stanford compose a thriving community. There is always a
multitude of activities for grad students designed to get them to interact
with one another and share life together.
What Advice Would You Give Prospective Students
Find out which textbooks are being used in your courses. Get them
early and read the introduction and first couple of chapters. This will
get you comfortable using the language. If you need financial support,
be proactive about approaching professors and selling your talents and
abilities. Each professor is different, but you won't know if he or she
has an opening in his or her research group unless you ask.
What I Hope To Do After Graduation
After graduation, I want to be on the forefront of research in my
field. Typically, this involves an academic position, but I'm not
limiting myself to that. I may look at industry as well.