Fiaz Ur Rehman
Monash University
Fiaz Ur Rehman ia from Pakistan. He received his M. Phil degree in Applied Mathematics from Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad. His area of research was Computational Fluid Dynamics. In his M. Phil thesis, he worked on “Theoretical Study of Exponentially Stretching Problem”. Fiaz Ur Rehman published three research articles in international journals. Currently, He was working as Assistant Professor of Mathematics in Higher Education Department, KPK, Pakistan. In order to pursue his research goals, He joined Monash University in the PhD program where his primary focus will be to investigate geological flows.
Can you give me a quick overview of the type of mathematics you are studying and its potential impacts for the broader community ?
My previous research work was focused on Computational Fluid Dynamics. But now I am studying geological flows which have applications in oil extraction and climate change. Study of lava flows and underground storage of carbon dioxide are some of the topics which interest me a lot. Both have impact on the climate change in this world. I hope soon we will have good finding which will benefit the humanity.
How did you get into mathematics/statistics/data science? Was there someone or something that inspired you to this field?
From my early academic career, I was good in Mathematics. I always loved to solve mathematical problems. When I was a student in Masters of Mathematics, I had a chance to study from best teachers of Mathematics in Pakistan like Dr. Tasawar Hayat, Dr. Sohail Nadeem and Dr. Asif Ali. Their way of teaching inspired me a lot and I made my mind to involve myself in research activities.
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?
I am prospective PhD student of Monash University. Currently, I am in Pakistan. Hopefully, I shall join my university this year. It was not easy to take course while living outside of Australia. It was a challenging event. But, after taking classes, I learnt a lot from lecturers and had solid concepts related to the course. The course I studied in AMSI is the base for my PhD research. Therefore, after taking the classes I am happy about my decision to take this course for credit.
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?
Due to hybrid nature of program and my stay outside Australia, it was not possible for me to interact with others. But, the content of the course was excellent. We had through discussion on tutorials and after lectures. The instructors explained topics clearly and enlightened us with the current research related to the material.
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. 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?
In our country many people have a misconception that one who chooses Mathematics has only one career option available which is teaching. The reason behind this thinking is that our educational system is not connected with the industry. People don’t even know that how maths relates with real world problems. I was not aware of the opportunities available to mathematical science graduates in the industry before. After attending AMSI Summer School 2022, I feel better equipped with solution techniques related to currently relevant problems.
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?
The AMSI Summer School was an excellent experience for me. I had some challenges in attending this event. Like we are having winter here in Pakistan. Also, there is a 6 hours’ time difference between both countries. Therefore, it was hard to manage time with job. Secondly, internet connectivity sometimes created trouble in streaming the lecture and made it difficult to answer some flux questions.
What advice would you give to someone who is considering applying for Summer School in 2023? Should they apply and why?
AMSI Summer School 2022 is the best experience in my academic career as I learnt a lot from the instructors. I highly recommend others to take advantage of the extensive courses offered by AMSI. My sincere advice is to spare some extra time for your course and have solid base for the course so that you can manage the workload and perform well without stress.
Where do you want the mathematical sciences to take you? Where do you see yourself in five, ten years time?
My next target is to complete my PhD with sound experience in research. Then I shall try to engage myself in industry related projects to work on real world problems.
Any other comments you would like to provide ?
I am thankful to the AMSI Summer School administration for providing me this opportunity together with a scholarship which enabled me to enhance my knowledge and gave me insight into the applications and current research problems in my course. Also, I am thankful to the instructors for making this course very informative and well-planned.