Fan Xu
University of Sydney
Fan Xu is a master student in University of Sydney. He is from China and is in Australia for more than four years. He is doing graduate thesis on complex geometry. What’s more, Fan Xu have been studying algebraic geometry and complex geometry for half a year and written some improvements by him. He studied the Fourier Transform course in ANU. The small thesis he submitted was about distributions and higher dimensional equations. However, at that time, he did not study any course about distributions. So the course on Fourier Transform and Distributions in this summer school was quite interesting for him. Especially, the Fourier Transform on n-torus have a close relationship with Hodge Theory. In addition, He studied in University of Melbourne. Currently he is engaged in publishing some paper . Furthermore, He is interested in traveling, history and language & is busy working towards an interesting future.
Can you give me a quick overview of the type of mathematics you are studying and its potential impacts for the broader community ?
I am studying complex geometry and algebraic geometry. Geometry is an old branch of math. Some basic types of pictures including circles, triangles and straight lines contribute to geometry. Geometry also has a close relationship with topology, analysis and algebra which are some other fields of math.
Some important area such as geography is an origin of geometry. Therefore, geometry also can be used in this kinds of areas such as making maps for the earth.
How did you get into mathematics/statistics/data science? Was there someone or something that inspired you to this field?
I started to study math when I was very young. At that time, I do not know how to compute 1 plus 1. However, after severaI years, I can study the math competition books myself. After that, my math courses are all very good.
Then I entered into a university in China majoring in math. However, my major was not pure math. I also touched some other subjects. Through several years in Australia, I am now a student studying pure math.
You received a scholarship to attend AMSI Summer School 2022. How important was this in terms of your ability to attend, fully participate in the program and meet others studying in similar fields?
It was pleasure receiving the scholarship. The scholarship enhance my ability to attend AMSI Summer School 2022 from some kind of aspect such as spiritually. Also, the scholarship will help me with my life.
The purpose of Summer School is to give students an opportunity to develop their mathematical skills, meet like-minded people and network with potential employers. What was the most valuable part of the program for you? Was it the course content or the people you met? Do you have new ideas for your work/research or see it in a new light?
The most valuable part for me was the career day. Some interesting position was absorbing such as the geography department. The course content was also very useful for me to study differential equations on manifolds. What’s more, I think the Gabor Transform should be a useful method.
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 Were you previously aware of the types of industry opportunities available to mathematical science graduates? Would you consider working with industry? Do you feel better equipped to explore career options in the mathematical sciences after attending AMSI Summer School?
There are many types of industry opportunities available to mathematical science graduates such as computer science and financial engineering. I consider working in some other fields. I also studied some other subjects. However, I think it would be tired to do pure math and industry together. I feel better equipped to explore career options after attending AMSI Summer School especially through the machine learning in financial mathematics course.
AMSI Summer School was held as a virtual event. What was the biggest positive from your point of view holding it in this format and/or the biggest challenge?
Since I am not in Australia, I can not attend the e\lent which is not virtual. Therefore, it is the biggest positive from my point of viewing.
What advice would you give to someone who is considering applying for Summer School in 2023? Should they apply and why?
If you want to apply for summer school in 2022, please apply for the area which is familiar to you. What’s more, if you choose two courses, prepare to work hard. However, if you want to have a good summer with math, apply for the summer school.
Where do you want the mathematical sciences to take you? Where do you see yourself in five, ten years time?
I am interested in math. That is the thing which I always want to do. So I will do math continuously. I will get the PhD degree some years later. What’s most important may be the papers which can give me a position in the universities.
Any other comments you would like to provide?
There were some questions which were not so accurate in the assignments and exam. I think the teacher should give some more information if they mention them even after the event.