Prospective Students
Prospective Students
Perspective on Mentorship
My goal as a mentor is to help you develop your creative potential—however you choose to express it. I respect your autonomy; your life decisions are yours.
I aim to build a productive research group that serves as a sanctuary, a place where hard work and creative risk-taking feel safe. Bring respect and cooperation; leave personal conflicts at the door. We will push one another and work hard, always treating every member—and our department colleagues—with kindness, support, and courtesy.
We live in the world we build together, and I want ours to be rich with discovery, compassion, and fun.
PhD Student Expectations under My Supervision
Purpose
I commit to guiding you to a timely, rigorous PhD and launching you as an independent mathematician. The requirements below create the structure that makes that possible.
Pre-research prerequisites
Pass your qualifying exams before we begin work on our first project.
Take one reading course with me and attend the MP:ESF seminar to confirm mutual interest and communication fit.
Master the Principles of Calculus curriculum well enough to teach it at any level.
Agreement with the program is not required; proficiency in analysis and familiarity with my research-teaching philosophy are.
Professional conduct
Receive candid feedback with professional maturity. I will always be direct about the quality of your work.
Maintain a respectful, cooperative attitude toward everyone in the group.
Attend all group meetings unless we agree otherwise in advance.
Research workflow
Meet with me weekly (minimum: one substantive progress meeting per month).
Keep a running log of accomplishments, and share a monthly summary.
Career-development materials
Maintain an up-to-date CV, research statement, and teaching statement.
Reserve one day each quarter to review and revise these documents; opportunities can surface without warning.
Why this matters
These expectations set clear milestones, keep communication transparent, and ensure you leave the program with both strong research results and a competitive professional portfolio.
The Academic Plan
Initial project.
After we discuss your interests, I will outline a first project substantial enough for a full dissertation. We will tackle it together.
Milestone before candidacy.
Advance to candidacy only when the project is near submission quality (draft ready for journal review, though not necessarily submitted).
Conference presentation.
Present this work at a national conference prior to your preliminary oral exam. This step sharpens your communication skills and signals progress to the field.
Path after the prelim.
Once you complete your preliminary oral exam and our first paper is submitted, choose one of two options:
Collaborative track: continue in a direction I propose so we can co-author further papers.
Independent track: pursue your own idea. If you select this route, first prepare (i) an expanded manuscript based on our initial project—ready to serve as your dissertation core—and (ii) a defense-ready talk.
These milestones keep your degree on schedule and ensure proper training while leaving room for your intellectual independence.