Ph.D. Mathematics and Certificate in College Teaching, 2018
"Duke has provided me with opportunities that I could not have imagined. First, becoming a graduate student is a big step, let alone going abroad for it, Duke has made this all possible for me. Teaching for the first time is difficult, let alone in a second language, Duke math department has a training program that is tailored for us (first-year PhD students). Learning math and doing math research are quite different, many Duke math faculties gave me advices on this, for which I am very grateful. Traveling worldwide, discussing with mathematicians, meeting with the greatest minds, this is the research career that I am still just embarking on. Duke has a massive influence on this, and I am very proud to be a Duke math graduate."
"I can first speak for PhD program. It is important to set a goal early, and try hard to stick to it, especially for someone who is determined to do research. This means, for example, taking qualifying and preliminary exams as soon as possible. This also means, the goal could be a bit vague at first, but if it’s set early enough, then it’s easy for you to adjust over time. I also recommend the program for the Certificate in College Teaching. It does not take much time, but I learned a lot from the courses and my peers. For example, I took a course named ‘Online College Teaching’, which becomes very useful later when the Covid pandemic hits the world."
