Cristian, the graduate number 300 in Mathematical Engineering at DIM, is happy. His hard work and perseverance not only allowed him to stand out in the university and participate in courses outside Chile, but also opened him the door for a doctorate at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
This student is one of two Outstanding Students 2008, recognition that enabled him to participate in the Summer School on “Perceiving, Measuring and Managing Risk: illiquidity, long-term risk, natural resources” which takes place at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada; according to Figueroa, this experience will give him the possibility to know the worldwide mathematical level.
After becoming the graduate number 300, Cristian describes his years as student at the Department of Mathematical Engineering, DIM, as “an incredible opportunity, I felt pretty comfortable because the group made me part of DIM,” says excited.
But these are not his only accomplishments. In two months he is going to Cambridge to do a PhD in “operations research” at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), which makes him very happy. “It's a Ph.D. that does not require much mathematical foundation but I have more than is required, this will allow me assist in investigations, which matches perfectly with my interests” she adds.
For Cristian this is a big step in his life. This opportunity is for him the way to make contact with the scientific world and also the door to new knowledge. For him is still no clear if after finishing his Ph.D. he will be devoted to research or to applied mathematics, even though this uncertainty Cristian is very happy for everything he has accomplished. “From my experience I want to break the myth that the study of mathematics at the university is for the elite; for the contrary is a undergraduate program that needs effort, perseverance and passion,” he declares.
His effort was demonstrated last June 9 when he presented his thesis, prepared with great dedication with the help of their guide teacher Alejandro Jofré. “I felt safe, although there were questions that made me sweat, I was able to defend my work well,” says with pride.
