Name

Jacob Turner

School

Pennsylvania State University

Degree Program

Second year PhD student in Mathematics

Previous Degrees

Bachelor of Science in Mathematics from Western Kentucky University, 2010

Research Interests

Complexity theory; algebraic geometry; computer science; quantum computing

Advisor

Jason Morton

Advisor’s Research Focus

Algebraic statistics; applied algebraic geometry; computer science

Hobbies

Playing video games, reading, watching movies

Graduate School – Application Process

How did you select your graduate school and program?

The main reason that I chose Pennsylvania State University is because I was exposed to the mathematics department there as an undergraduate. I spent a semester studying there in a special math program for undergrads who were interested in pursuing math at the graduate level. Those of us who completed that program were told we had a leg up on other graduate school applicants, so it made a lot of sense for me to apply there.

What did you do to prepare yourself for graduate school?

One way that I prepared for graduate school was to practice my research skills. I conducted some mathematics research the summer after my junior year at my undergraduate institution, Western Kentucky University. After that, I was hired to be the undergraduate research mentor the next year. In that role, I continued to develop my research skills through working with that team of undergraduates.

Did your application requirements include standardized test scores?

Yes, I was required to take both the general GRE and the Math Subject GRE. I found it rather difficult to study for the subject-specific GRE because its format changed recently, which meant study materials were not readily available. It was hard not to know what I was going up against on that test. But evidently I did well enough to be accepted into my program.

What kind of information did you include in your personal statement?

In my personal statement, I wrote about the extra-curricular activities I had done as well as the research that I had pursued as an undergraduate. The statement also required me to write about why I was interested in math, but the funny thing is that I am not entirely sure why I am drawn to this discipline. I suppose math is simply one of the few things that I am really good at.

How did you choose faculty to approach for letters of recommendation?

I did not find it difficult to choose faculty to recommend me because I wanted letters from people who knew about my coursework and about my research experience. For those reasons, I asked a professor form Western Kentucky University to discuss my academic performance. I also asked the director of the undergraduate research program to write me a letter talking about how I performed in a research setting.

Do you have any other tips for a student who is considering applying to graduate school in mathematics?

I would advise students who are considering graduate school in mathematics to contact people at the schools they are considering and ask them about their program. They should do this before they even apply because that is the most honest insight you will get about the strengths and downfalls of a program from a student perspective.

Graduate School – The Program

How long is your program and how is the curriculum distributed?

My program is designed to take students 5 years to complete. The first 2 years of our program are focused on coursework. During the first year, students take basic classes to ensure that they have a fundamental grasp of mathematics. At the end of the year, they are tested on those fundamentals. They spend their second year looking for an advisor and taking various classes to determine which area of math will be their specialty.

In the third year, students have to pass their comprehensive exams and define their research topic. That entails presenting their dissertation proposal to a committee. For the final 2 years, students research and write their dissertation.

What is the focus of your dissertation research?

My dissertation research has to do with the potential application of quantum computing to complexity theory, which is the study of how efficient we can make algorithms. In computer science, algorithms show how much time or space it will take for a computer to solve a problem. But some people believe that quantum computing, which is a fundamentally different model of computing than the classical way, could give rise to algorithms that are much more efficient at solving difficult problems than what exists on the classical computer.

What role does your advisor play in your education?

My advisor provides me with academic support and acts as a mentor to me. Not only does he offer support my research, he can relate to the struggles and challenges of grad school since he hasn’t been out of it for too long. I find it very helpful to have somebody who I can talk to honestly about the frustrations of being in a PhD program.

How does a doctoral program differ from graduate study at the masters level?

I went straight from my bachelors program into my PhD program, but I can at least speak to the difference between a doctoral program and an undergraduate course of study. First, instead of surveying many classes like you do as an undergrad, a doctoral program requires you to focus all of your energy in a single area. Also, in an undergraduate program, it seems like people are holding your hand the entire time. But in graduate school, you are let loose to study whatever you want. The program requirements are much more malleable in a doctoral program.

Graduate School – Paying for It

How are you funding your education?

My education is fully funded for 5 years through a fellowship. I didn’t have to teach, but I requested the opportunity to do so because eventually I want to become a professor. It seemed like a good idea to get some teaching experience under my belt while I was in grad school.

Graduate School – Living Life

What are the time commitments for a PhD in mathematics?

My time commitments are incredible inconsistent. It is difficult to dissect work into measureable pieces because all my tasks seem to blend together. For instance, I may only have 1 piece of homework each week, but the homework takes seven nights to solve. Of course, I have to conduct research, work with my advisor and attend a number of seminars each week too. Sometimes I will spend an entire week in crunch mode but then I take the next 4 days off to rest and rejuvenate.

How has graduate school affected your personal life?

Graduate school has affected my personal life in that I have had to rebuild my social group form the ground up. In fact, I remember being told on the first day of the PhD program, “Math is a very lonely subject.” I did not want to hear that at the outset. But it is certainly true that you can become isolated if you lock yourself up in your room to do math all day, every day. I think it is extremely important to make free time for yourself.

Graduate School – After Graduation

Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

In 5 years, I imagine that I will be working in a post-doctoral assignment. I am looking forward to that because I want the chance to spend time at a few different universities before I settle into a tenure track position.

Graduate School - Advice

What insights can you offer a student who is interested in pursuing a PhD in mathematics?

The best insight I can offer is that you need to be sure you want to go through with a PhD program. Even if you are sure, you will need to have a strong resolve during the first year, because the transition to serious scholarship is horrible. You will be faced with a huge work load and very little money. But if you can get through that first year, you can get through the rest of it.