My Desire To Study Math
Something that never fails to excite me is solving a math problem. When I am working on a tricky question, a pervasive sense of calm washes over me. I feel like the world is how it is meant to be- balanced, with simple truths hidden under complex facades. In computer science, I have found an extension of this, as the process of writing programs is like a math problem itself, trying to catch exceptions, optimize code, etc. But where I have found perhaps the biggest transfer of skills from math is the hammer throw.
From the viewpoint of an outsider looking in, the hammer throw may look like a stochastic system, with random variation leading to the same thrower producing very different results. But to the trained eye, the hammer throw is a deterministic system, but one with a large, yet finite amount of variables. To create a training plan, these variables must be optimized. It must be determined which variables are the most important for performance, but also how they affect each other.
It can be as simple as not doing a heavy lift following a long throwing session and difficult conditioning, but it can also be much more complex, like how changing the low point in the entry can affect the delivery. It’s like solving a really hard math problem - optimizing and manipulating variables and structure to achieve an end goal. One thing that is really important to me is that what I do doesn’t only matter to me, it affects other people. I want to do math that matters. Something I find intriguing is that in history, the outcomes of wars and other major political events are determined by who has the best cryptanalysts and hackers.
For example, in World War II, breaking the Enigma is sometimes considered why the Allied forces won the war. I find it so fascinating that mathematics can have such a huge impact on the lives of people! Princeton is the only university with an ORFE major. I knew for certain that ORFE was what I wanted to study when I sat in on classes. Particularly, when I attended Sequential Decision Analytics and Modeling, the professor explained how doctors could use mathematical models specific to their needs to determine which policy to use when determining what drug is best to treat the patient for Type 2 Diabetes, while minimizing the cumulative suffering.
I found it enthralling that something so complex and important was actually simple enough to mathematically express on the board. I also liked that the professor discussed relevant graduate student work and unsolved questions. I have been wanting to do research for a long time, but most programs are during the summer, when I am overseas. Therefore, I am really excited to do research when I get to college, and Princeton Engineering has a plethora of undergraduate research opportunities. With engaging and dedicated faculty, interesting and challenging classes, as well as many research opportunities, Princeton Engineering, especially ORFE, is unparalleled.
