[fblike] Can you describe your experience at the Gatton Academy?
The Gatton Academy provided me with the unique experience of taking college courses while being dually enrolled in high school. The advanced courses allowed me to better understand and pursue my academic interests. I owe my thriving interest in mathematics to my experiences at the Academy and all the mathematicians I met as a result of the Gatton experience.
How have your experiences at the Gatton Academy helped you in your adult life?
Growing up in a small town, the Gatton Academy was my first real introduction to cultural diversity. Being exposed to cultural diversity at a young age has helped me to accept others who have different views than me. Also, the Academy taught me to identify and respect the strengths of everyone around me. Furthermore, it has opened many doors for me both academically and professionally including my work at The Center for Gifted Studies (WKU) and studies skills coordinator at the Academy.
Since the Academy, what have you been up to?
I graduated from the WKU Honors College with a bachelor’s degree in mathematics. During my undergraduate studies, I completed an honors thesis entitled “Counting Locally Convex Topologies on a Totally Ordered Finite Set.” After finishing my undergraduate studies, I decided to stay at WKU to complete a master’s degree in mathematics. During my graduate studies, I became editor-in-chief of the AMS Graduate Student Blog (http://mathgradblog.williams.edu). I graduated from WKU again with my master’s degree in May 2012 completing a thesis entitled “Continued Radicals and Cantor Sets.” I am currently in my first semester of a mathematics doctoral program at The University of Central Florida.
What do you aspire to achieve in the next ten years?
In the next ten years, I hope to have completed my PhD and have taught in Europe for at least one year. Also, I hope to return to WKU to teach in the mathematics department. Finally, I would like to become more involved in the American Mathematical Society (AMS).
What was your favorite memory from your time at the Gatton Academy?
The Academy has given me many fond memories. Nevertheless, I would have to say all of the balancing and juggling acts performed by Tim Gott to “teach” us life lessons would be my favorite.
We would like to thank Tyler for taking time out of his schedule to be interviewed for this article. Next week, we will be spotlighting Sam Crocker, Class of 2009.
Alumni