Devesh Rajpal
Australian National University
I am a pure math Phd student at ANU working in geometric analysis. In my spare time I like to read fiction, cycle around Canberra, and listen to rock music.
Give me a quick overview of the type of mathematics you are studying, and/or the aims of your research and its potential applications/outcomes (how you would explain your work and studies to friends who don’t study maths?)
I study geometric partial differential equations, particularly parabolic curvature flows arising in convex geometry. Roughly speaking, these equations deform a convex shape over time in a way that tends to make its curvature more uniform. A familiar analogy is a soap bubble, whose surface evolves toward an equilibrium shape determined by its curvature.
How did you get into the mathematical sciences? Was there someone or something that inspired you to this field?
I got interested in maths during my high school. The idea of reading the works of giants like Gauss, Euler always enthralled me. Maths Olympiads were also a part of the joyous part of journey.
Winter School is designed to give students a deeper understanding of their area of research and expose them to others working in different fields/industries. Tell me about your Winter School experience. What was the most valuable part of the program for you?
The program was well structured. Two weeks of packed lectures with tutorials made me feel like a student again. Accommodation was also a good choice which allowed me to socialize with fellow participants during breakfast and dinner.
What was your main take away/s from AMSI Winter School? Something you learnt? A connection you made? Do you have new ideas for your work/research or see it in a new light?
The lecture series by Prof. Jiewon Park and Prof. Julie Clutterbuck were quite relevant to my research and sparked new interested in some ideas which I would like to pursue after the winter school.
What surprised you most about Winter School?
What a beautiful city Brisbane is! I loved the ferry. UQ has a pretty campus too (where you wake up to the sound of local birds) and the maths faculty there was very friendly.
What is the importance of in-person communication at an event like Winter School?
It was certainly useful when the organizers were communicating in person along with the slack channel, in case I missed slack updates.
You received a grant to attend AMSI Winter School. How important was this in terms of your ability to attend, fully participate in the program and meet others studying in similar fields?
The grant aided me funding my travel. It was nice that I didn’t have to do much out of pocket expenses for the winter school.
What advice would you give to someone who is considering applying for Winter School? How would you describe the conference to them?
I would highly recommend the AMSI winter school to anyone interested. It’s a great way to learn from the experts in the field and make friends along the way.
Tell us about a moment that changed a preconceived idea about your field?
I learned a great deal on how widely applied the Lojasiewicz-Simon method is in geometric analysis, thanks to Prof. Jiewon Park’s lectures.
Where do you want the mathematical sciences to take you? Where do you see yourself in five, ten years time?
Its very hard to predict but I hope I am still doing maths in some capacity!
Any other feedback/comments you would like to provide on the travel grant or AMSI Winter School?
Nicely organized event, thanks to everyone making this possible!