Nurbek Tazhimbetov

1. Why did you choose this particular field?

It all started back in school with my interest in math. In 2011, I graduated from a state school that profiled in physics and mathematics. I saw my plans after graduating from university as working in the banking sector. However, I faced the choice right after my first year in university: economics or mathematics? My parents suggested that I became an engineer and in the end, we came to a compromise: I chose math as a cross between economics and engineering. And the further I go, the more I like studying the subject.

2. What was the most difficult part of the selection process?

Nothing scary for me, you know. Well, except the competitors — they are all strong and ambitious individuals that I noticed during the second round. But I don’t consider it as a difficulty because thanks to these people I myself became to be more ambitious and hardworking person. There is nothing wrong in a healthy competition.

3. Any interesting and memorable moments from the US internship?

I lived in California, and I really liked the local people, and, of course, the warm weather. I met students from different countries, including the US itself. And I was once again convinced that in science, there is no countries, no religions, no races, that there are only ideas. We often went to Los Angeles, as Pasadena, where I was doing the internship, is the city’s suburb. There are always so many interesting things you can do in LA after a busy week, like going to a concert, a bar or meet up with new friends from the dorm. I even took up swimming lessons at the university’s pool. Though I did not learn it well back there, upon my return to Astana I signed up for the courses and I can swim pretty well now.

4.  How would you describe the impact of the internship?

In terms of personal development I have learned to live and work abroad, not just traveling and vacationing. I also mastered working in a scientific community, which has its own specifics. Moreover, I worked with one of the best professors in the field of applied mathematics. I had the opportunity to work with other researchers of the California Institute of Technology, too. And this year, thanks to the experience and recommendations of Professor Bruno, I was accepted to several universities: Stanford, Cornell, two universities in California (Santa Barbara and Santa Cruz) and the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University in Japan. I chose Stanford and in September 2016 I will start my doctoral studies in computational and mathematical engineering.