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Collin Kilmer, Class of 2023

Now: Doctoral student in Applied Mathematics at Arizona State University

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When Collin Kilmer arrived at Southern, he wasn't planning to study math. That changed in Calculus I and II. "Both Dr. Heck and Dr. Anderson have outstanding teaching approaches and convey their enthusiasm about mathematics very effectively," Collin says. "My own interest was sparked by the meaningful and profound ways these professors talked about math."

Collin graduated in 2023 with a B.S. in Mathematics. He went on to earn a funded master's degree at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, which is uncommon for a terminal master's program. He is now a Ph.D. student and teaching assistant in Applied Mathematics at Arizona State University, where he researches mathematical biology.

Finding His Calling

Every professor in the department left a mark on Collin. Dr. Anderson's Set Theory and Logic course in particular opened his mind to new ways of thinking about mathematics. His favorite memory, though, came from tutoring calculus students for the first time.

"Helping other students understand concepts that just a year earlier had been difficult for me was extremely rewarding," he says. That experience set him on the path toward a teaching career.

Prepared for What Comes Next

Collin says Southern prepared him very well for graduate school. The program covers both theoretical and applied mathematics, which helped him decide what to focus on. Many of his graduate classmates come from only one of those backgrounds, while he has a strong foundation in both. He also learned LaTeX at Southern, which many of his peers had never used.

Most important, Southern taught him how to learn on his own. "Graduate-level mathematics requires the ability to self-study, especially for research," Collin explains. "My time at Southern gave me the tools I needed to explore and analyze mathematics in research." 

Advice for Future Math Majors

  • Keep an open mind. Research mathematics looks very different from undergraduate coursework. Collin's field, mathematical biology, can seem computational at first, but many research papers contain sophisticated proofs.
  • Tutor or TA if you can. Teaching is rewarding, and it builds a skill that often funds graduate study.
  • Learn deeply, not just for the test. "In math, concepts build on one another, so it's important to have a solid foundation." Collin's one regret is skipping the Partial Differential Equations and Probability and Statistics electives. He's now taking graduate-level versions of both because his research depends on them.

Math Beyond the Classroom

What Collin enjoys most about graduate school is research. "Few activities in life promote as much deep and focused thought as mathematical research." Outside the lab, he sees math everywhere, especially in cycling. He uses the data from every ride, including power, cadence, speed, and endurance, to plan his next challenge.