Mathematics Alumni Day at the University of Kentucky brings together students, faculty, alumni, and friends of the Department of Mathematics to celebrate the accomplishments of our alumni.

Date and location

Date: Friday, April 7, 2022

Location: CB 208

Time: 2:00 – 5:30 p.m.

Speakers / Presenters

David Cook, Jiyoon Jung, Daphne Skipper

Summary

Three UK Math Department alumni will return to UK to share their journey with current faculty, math graduate students, and undergraduate students.

Name: Jiyoon Jung, Marshall University

Title:  Navigating the Academic Job Search Profess: From Applications to Appointments

Abstract:  As a graduate student in the Math Ph.D. program, you may wonder how to navigate the academic job search process effectively. This talk will provide practical advice on how to search for academic jobs, prepare job application documents, and stand out as a strong applicant.

I will cover the types of job application documents, the differences between research-oriented and teaching-oriented school application preparations, the processes by which search committees select candidates, strong applicants versus weak applicants, the basic tips on how to prepare for Zoom and campus interviews, the processes involved in the campus visit of final candidates, the important points to consider once you receive an offer, and the guidance on your first year of appointment.

Throughout the talk, I will share my and colleagues' personal experiences on academic job searches, including mistakes made and lessons learned, for your academic job search journey.

Name: Daphne Skipper, United States Naval Academy

Title:  Seeking Optimality

Abstract:  Three years post-PhD, surprises in both my personal and professional lives saw me without a job and starting a family. I will share my ensuing quest for an optimal balance between career and family, and recount my eventual climb through the ranks of academia: from teaching night classes at a local two-year technical college to earning tenure at the US Naval Academy. The discussion will visit some of the joys and challenges of teaching at a liberal arts college with a very unique mission, and include a side-trip into my recent work incorporating equity in facility location optimization.

Name: David Cook, Google

Title:  Everything is Problem Solving

Abstract:  Whether in academia or industry, everything is--at its core--problem solving. Mathematics gives us a language to formalize problems along with general purpose tools to solve them. In this talk, I will compare and contrast my experiences in problem solving in academia and industry.