Learner Math Lover Scholarship

What I love the most about math is that the numbers always add up and they never lie. At times it may seem like they are lying because the solution to the equation looks incorrect, but it inevitably is always user error. I have learned that there are two types of people. One has an apt for the arts, the other for the sciences. I am more science inclined and enjoy the mathematical equation behind how things work. I appreciate math because no matter where you go in the world the language of math is spoken. May be at different levels depending on who you are conversing with, nevertheless, one plus one is always two. Because of this free trade is possible between everybody. If we were to every find life on another planet, we may not be able to communicate through our languages. Math is a universal language and would be our way to connect. I enjoy the precision of math, there are no gray areas. In math there aren’t times that the equation cannot be solved, because with time it can always be worked out. I am currently working in finance; without math this industry doesn’t exist. I’ve been working for hedge funds for several years and am a big fan of machine learning and quantitative trading models. With math, the possibilities are limitless for investors to beat the market and deliver superior returns. I read a book about a hedge fund that is consistently up 50 plus percent every year for 30 years. That is remarkable, it is an astonishing accomplishment compared to the competition. The trading is completely based on mathematical models, the analysts and portfolio managers don’t have a clue about the companies they are trading. Profit and loss statements, revenue, or income, all these factors that most investors rely on does not mean a thing to them. They implement a strategy called high-frequency trading; it is done by computer algorithms based on math equations that seek to time the market. It is called black box portfolio construction because no one outside of the organization is allowed to investigate and see what is done. Mathematicians at the firm aren’t allowed to know what others are working on, for the fear of learning to much and recreating it somewhere else. This fascinates me, I love learning about it, and it is all based on math.

Mathematics – its complex syllables caressing my auditory senses as I indulge in a world filled with nuances, numbers, and perplexing calculations. To be indubitably clear, math is not merely a subject to me. It reminds me of a historical tale: my historical tale. Today, as I solve trigonometric equations or determine the directrix of conic sections, I can’t help but form recollections of the times when I sat in my father’s lap as we reviewed shapes, numbers, and letters – back when times were simple and easygoing with just me, my dad, and the beginning of a satisfying sensation that later turned into a fiery passion for equations, graphs, and theories. In essence, I can’t remember a single math session with my father where he didn’t mention his grandfather. You see, my dad’s grandfather was a mathematician. His inability to solve a math equation was nonexistent. He performed complex calculations in seconds, whereas it would’ve taken others hours to complete. I believe my father’s strive for academic excellence stemmed from the prestigious accomplishments of my great-grandfather. But soon, the pursuit of academic excellence in mathematics was presumed unto me. I no longer considered mathematics my haven; in fact, it became a threatening fortress, one that I hid away from behind a foliage of grass and tree stumps. From the ages of eight to twelve, my father sat me behind our dinner table to go through the Georgia core curriculum of mathematics. My head crammed information regarding linear equations and measures of center before it could fit no more. My tears soaked my crinkled worksheets until my father finally dismissed me. For a long duration of time, I could not understand why my father kept pushing and striving me for success in this subject. Why couldn’t I have focused on the works of Shakespeare, the victories of the late Napoleon, or the discovery of DNA? “Math is more important,” he would repeat sternly. But why? Years later, I soon identified his why. Math surrounds us inexplicably in all we do. Math can be traced through my history – through the connection with my great-grandfather who I never had the privilege of meeting. It reverberates throughout the world in a universal language in which we all can reach the same answer even through different means. Math is my love and our answer to the ever-continuing mystery that is life.

"If God has a language, it would be Math", those are the words my Dad uses to explain the complex logical and interconnected equations that are math. A map of completely logical equations just waiting for us to discover them and their applications in life. In a world where it seems everything is created to deceive, the logical connections found in math are refreshing! Math is not what I would describe as my strong suit in school, but the real-world applications in topics such as Geometry and Statistics intrigued me into exploring math more in-depth. Science may be the answer to our problems, but what is Science without Math? I am an incoming Freshman this fall at Colorado State University as a Wildlife Biology major. My career goals are extensive and they all consist of math in one way or another. The goal of preserving Biodiversity hotspots will require me to create mathematical population models to analyze certain species populations in a region to determine their protection needs and discover whether the protections that I enact are working in the region. Growth or decline rates for species will lead my work by helping determine what level of protection is necessary for a species and measure population changes. Statistics will be my guiding principle for what is known to have worked, what may work and to measure my success. Math is not only God's language, but the language that allows information to be shared with the public in a way that makes sense and can build compassion and caring in the public eye for the habitats I will fight to protect, many of which have never been seen by those in other countries like the US. Presenting people with statistics on what works, what needs to be done, and the proven ways they can help is a great way to involve individuals globally. Science, and its close twin Math, are the answers to our problems. Together, with the knowledge of these topics, change can be enacted and our world can be brought to a sustainable future in which future generations can thrive. Is it a coincidence that Math ("God's language") is the answer to Earth's struggles?