108 Research Reflection by Muskan Walia

Faculty Mentor: Frederick R. Adler (School of Biological Sciences and Mathematics, University of Utah)

I joined Dr. Adler’s lab in the fall of my freshman year. There, I honed my skills in creating mathematical models and mastering techniques involving differential equations, statistical distributions, and calculus. Because I started research so early in my undergraduate career, my faculty mentor, Dr. Adler, taught me fundamental mathematics before I had taken formal coursework and also guided me through computational techniques, like R programming. This required immense patience from Dr. Adler to build up my skills, but I found myself ahead in my education and able to tackle more complex questions as the years have gone on. The process of identifying a lapse in information and developing answers was gratifying. My year in the ACCESS research program shaped my career ambitions in math by showing me that mathematics, when communicated correctly, could be collaborative, practical, and the impelling force behind informed policy.

In fact, my future goals have completely shifted because of my undergraduate experience. Now, I will pursue a Ph.D. in Applied Mathematics. I will develop mathematical models that investigate dynamics of socio-ecological interactions and complex systems to inform policy and bridge the academic-practitioner divide.