Four years ago, if you had told me what I would be doing today, I would have never believed you. I came from a small town and an even smaller high school. I was never really challenged and consequently never knew of what I was capable. Rensselaer changed that. 

I started research as a freshman and when I was invited into the Accelerated BS/PhD Program, I knew this was a way to advance my education even further. Through the guidance of many people involved in the program, I was able to make the best choices for my education. I did three rotations of research and chose to work on a collaborative project with Professor Donald Drew. We have been working, and will continue to work, on a project titled “Mathematical Modeling of Wildfire Dynamics.” We have presented our work at several conferences gaining good feedback on the project. The National Science Foundation is now funding the work.

I graduated with my Bachelor’s in Mathematics in Spring 2010, only three years after coming to RPI and will continue to work on the project with Dr. Drew during graduate school. I have taken an internship at SRC in Syracuse, NY, to help broaden my experience and to work in a company setting.

The Accelerated BS/PhD program has really helped me find my home here at RPI. It gives the perfect blend of challenge and guidance mixed with my passion for learning and mathematics. It is one of the best opportunities I have been given.