Math and Data Science Student Spotlight
Name: Noah Sorensen
Major: Mathematics
Year in School: Senior
Where are you from?
I am from Fremont, Nebraska.
What gets you excited about Math?
I love how every proof is like a puzzle. The intricate weaving of logic, theorems, and corollaries sometimes creates the most beautiful proof. Many times, I have stared at a completed proof and admired it.
Favorite math class or instructor so far? Why?
My favorite course was MATH 417, Group Theory, with Doctor Tefjol Pllaha. This course was extraordinarily difficult with many late nights working on problem sets and studying. What I learned from it was worth it, however. I learned how to write proofs and think like a mathematician properly. The course content was also pretty cool.
My favorite instructor is harder to say. During these past years of college, I have met, learned from, and worked with many professors. I don't have favorites, but I can think of three people who have impacted me the most. Doctor Allan Donsig was my instructor for MATH 310 and is one of my thesis advisors. If it weren't for him, I would have never considered a math major (I was biochem at the time). I remember going to his office hours to talk about what pure math looked like and I would ask questions about what he researches. Three years later, I am working with him on a question posed in Analysis. Doctor Jack Jefferies was my instructor for both MATH 325 and MATH 445. I learned a lot about writing proofs from him. He is also someone who helped me decide to do math as a major through his fun and informative teaching methods. Another person who impacted my math journey is Mikkel Munkholm. Mikkel is a graduate student who mentored me for the directed reading program. He taught me everything I know about Hilbert Spaces and Measure Theory. He is also helping with my thesis. Without him, I would not be in a position to take on a senior thesis.
What are you excited about doing after graduation?
Directly after graduation, I plan to take a year or two to travel and have fun without the stress of school. After that, I will go to law school and, one day, get my PhD in mathematics. I am quite excited about what life will bring me during these years.
What is a goal you have accomplished as a Husker?
My biggest accomplishment is a personal one. Through these last three years as a student at UNL, I have grown as a person, experienced many new things, and I have learned much more than I could have imagined.
What do you wish you would have known when you started as a Math Major that you know now?
I wish I would have known that it is okay to fail and to prioritize myself. Every semester since I started my math major, I have taken on too much. Too many courses, projects, clubs, etcetera. While I learned and accomplished quite a bit doing this, I sacrificed a lot. I failed to prioritize my physical and mental health, and I sacrificed my social life.
What do you hope to cross off your “bucket list” in the next few years?
In five years, I will climb the Nose of El Capitan. It is a rock formation in Yosemite that is nearly 3000 feet tall, takes 3 days to climb, and is unforgiving.
If you would like to see yourself in the spotlight, please contact Doug for more information.