Eric Luu
Monash University
I am a fourth-year student at Monash studying a Bachelor of Science and computer science. I am planning on doing an honours year this year in graph theory. My supervisor is David Wood. My honours project will be in structural graph theory, specifically Hadwiger’s conjecture. I was born in Melbourne and have lived here my entire life. I went to school near Dandenong and attended high school at Mazenod College in Mulgrave. I went to Monash in 2020. I have worked mostly in government or government-adjacent jobs, like a non-profit NDIS provider and the AEC. My main interest is research and I plan to pursue it in a public or private organisation after I graduate
1. Can you give me a quick rundown about the type of mathematics you are studying and its potential impacts for the broader community (think how you would explain your work and studies to others who don’t study maths)
My current work is in graph theory, or network mathematics. Graphs are an abstraction of relationships or networks in real life, such as a friend group or a train network. The work into graph theory has been instrumental in designing and building logistics networks, the power grid, the internet, and a host of necessary infrastructure which we rely on. I am investigating graph colourings, which involves finding a way to colour each node in a graph such that no adjacent nodes have the same colour. The algorithms devised for colouring a graph are used in timetabling and scheduling software and optimal timetables correspond with optimal colourings for a graph.
2. How did you get into mathematics/statistics/data science? Was there someone or something that inspired you to this field?
I got into mathematics at a young age, and my father was the one who pushed me to pursue mathematics at a high level during primary and high school.
3. You received a Travel Grant to attend AMSI Summer School 2024. How important was this in terms of your ability to attend, fully participate in the program and meet others studying in similar fields? Do you think it was an advantage to attend the program in-person?
I was very happy to get a travel grant to AMSI summer school. The travel grant was very important for me because I would not have met many people otherwise who were doing similar mathematics to me. I felt like I could have done alright if I did it remotely but I would not have gotten the full experience if I was not there in person.
4. What was the most valuable part of the program for you?
Meeting new people who were in the same subfield of mathematics as me and learning about what they were doing was very important to me because I could get a better understanding of how big mathematics in Australia is, even within a field I was acquainted with.
5. In the long-term, what do you think are the benefits of having attended Summer School?
I believe that in the long-term, the benefits are that you will make lifelong friendships that you will likely work with either in industry or in academia.
6. Summer School included a special Careers Day program which aims to help give students an idea of the kinds of career paths available to maths graduates in industry and private sector research areas. Do you feel better equipped to explore career options in the mathematical sciences after attending AMSI Summer School?
I feel better equipped to explore career options, especially in industry. I am very happy with the experience at career day and the variety of career options available to maths graduate students.
7. What advice would you give to someone who is considering applying for Summer School in 2025? Should they apply and why?
I would say to apply to the summer school. I enjoyed it very much and you will make a lot of friends there, as well as learn things that are not typically offered in your university or some things you missed out on there.
8. What are your current career ambitions in the mathematical sciences sector?
I hope to continue doing research at Monash University and then move onto industry work, either as a career researcher at a public institution or a private researcher.
9. How did connecting with the community at AMSI Summer School support your experience?
I felt like connecting with the community at AMSI summer school helped me feel less alone in my work and that what I was doing was meaningful.