I'm applying as a transfer student to earn a bachelor's in applied mathematics at the university of pittsburgh (and to simultaneously fill the last few credits of my original degree). My first thought is that its too long (about 1.5x the length of a normal admissions essay) but the application asked no specific question or gave any indication of required length.
Any thoughts or suggestions would be very much appreciated. Thanks a lot!
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In high school I was a hopeless computer nerd and I hated math. Algebra and Trigonometry were taught as abstracted subjects with no direct applications, and I was never told of the vital connection between computer science and mathematics. I taught myself how to build computers, program in several languages, and I would often spend all night learning about networking protocols, file systems, and Linux. I had little interest, however, in becoming a software developer as I was more interested in the structure of computer programs -how they worked together and their schema- rather than programming applications. Unfortunately, I did not realize at that time that there were other technical careers aside from Programmer or Support Technician. So I decided I would find a happy medium between my love of computers and my creative side, New Media. And in 2001 I applied and was accepted at the XXXX College of Art in XPLACEX, XSTATEX.
Initially the adjustment to student life at college was difficult. Over the course of my first year I found college to be very different than what I had imagined it would be. I initially rejected an education based on endlessly drawing cardboard boxes and studying the details of classical Greek architecture. However, when I began my studies as a New Media major I was allowed to pursue my own self-directed research in the more technological aspects of design.
I began to teach myself New Media-related programming languages such as Max/MSP and Processing, and I was intent on using these powerful languages to create more and more complicated designs. I worked through several tutorial books on Flash's ActionScript and learned how to use recursive trigonometric techniques to dynamically create interactive environments. It was through building these experiments that I became obsessed with self-organizing systems, and the idea of a process-based creativity fascinated me.
The New Media department was a catchall department of eight students and two instructors that had no set curriculum. During this time I began reading through whatever generative systems literature I could get my hands on- and I experimented with Markov chains, Monte Carlo methods, Brownian motion, multi-layer neural networks, and eventually, Genetic Algorithms. The more influential texts for me were Ilya Prigogine's book Order out of Chaos, John Holland's landmark work Adaption in Natural and Artificial Systems, and D'Arcy Thompson's opus On Growth and Form. Holland especially was influential on me, but I found myself frustrated that I did not have a good enough grasp on the math describing the optimization methods he pioneered. By reading further into the field I also found Adrian Thompson's 1999 paper Explorations in Design Space: Unconventional Electronics Design. In it, Thompson describes an experiment he and his lab ran where he created a hardware-based evolvable circuit controlled via genetic programming. The circuit, after thousands of generations, was able to eventually detect different frequencies in an oscillator in ways humans could have never imagined. The experiment consisted of networks of double- and triple-loops that formed a kind of delay, and created comparison operations using virtually no circuitry at all. This work profoundly affected me and solidified my interest in complexity. While I did not have the time or, I thought, the ability to follow the math involved in these and other papers, because I understood the fundamental concepts I was able to implement the algorithms discussed, and I continued to experiment with versions of my own. I would use these generative techniques to alter existing data sets of audio- and video-feeds, and to recombine or alter them in an environment so they would play infinitely long, ever-changing pieces that would never repeat.
My time in the New Media department was extremely fruitful. The diversity of interests and the small size of the department lent itself to those who were self-motivated. But while I was able to perform my own independent research into Autopoesis, Genetic Programming, and complex dynamical systems, I was struggling with the rest of the BFA curriculum. I received As and Bs in my departmental classes, but I could muster little interest in the more traditional Fine Art courses such as Life Drawing and Art History. Looking back now I realize that perhaps I would have been happier had I transferred to a more conventional program at a University. But I was committed at that time to making a career as a professional artist, and I did not yet have the confidence to pursue formal scientific study.
It was this commitment to become an artist that prompted me to leave the XXXXX College of Art before my last semester and move to New York. After a few months of freelance work, I was hired as a full time assistant at XXXXX, a small gallery in Chelsea. Initially I was hired to answer phones, but I was soon promoted to Gallery Assistant and then to Exhibitions Coordinator. I assumed many responsibilities including building installations, creating and designing marketing material, assembling buying packages for collectors, scheduling meetings with artists and clients, organizing all aspects of trade shows, and offering works to collectors. At XXXX Gallery I learned about the business side of the art world, and I also came into my own as a self-motivated learner. Upon reflection I believe this to be one of my greatest assets, and it was this drive that allowed me to read and understand research in complicated fields such as Artificial Intelligence and Optimization that I had no formal experience in.
In the spring of 2009 my longtime girlfriend was accepted into a doctoral program at Duquesne University and I made the decision to accompany her. My responsibilities at the gallery did not allow me the time or energy to continue making my own work, and I decided that while I was learning many valuable skills such independence, resourcefulness, communication, and problem analysis, I ultimately needed to work towards my own goals.
Moving to Pittsburgh allowed me to gain perspective on my career choices and determine my future interests. Upon reflection of my time in New York, and after seeing how the Art World and Market interact, I've come to the conclusion that I am no longer interested in making work that would be sold as luxury item to a select few. I am interested in having a larger impact on the world than a single painting or installation can, and I also know that the portion of the artistic process that I gained the most pleasure from was the research and design of the generative processes themselves, rather than their implementation as an artwork. I know now that I want to pursue mathematics and computer science as a career.
When I first decided to go back to school I found my mathematical foundation was not as thorough as I would like. Since during art school no formal mathematics was taught, I would have to re-familiarize myself with basic math. In preparation for the Mathematics Transfer program at the Community College of XXXX, I began a regimen of self-study beginning at pre-algebra and extending through college trigonometry. When I tested into the summer Calculus 1 class I found the six-week summer class exhilarating, and despite an exhausting schedule I received excellent grades, earning an A in the course. My schedule required me to pull 16-hour days that meant I would attend class in the morning and work full time in the afternoon and evening. But despite this schedule I felt more engaged than any other class I've had before, and I know that I want to go further than an Associates Degree allows. During Calculus 1 I devoted all of my free time to working on problem sets, and during my lunch hour and breaks at work I would read other calculus textbooks in order to assure I have a solid understanding of the material. Most importantly, I've retained the material in a way that I was never able to during math classes in high school.
Returning to school is a decision that I've contemplated for almost two years. But in order to become the best mathematician I can be, I know I will need a solid foundation upon which to stand. In the University of Pittsburgh's Mathematics department, I have found a University that can help me achieve my goals. I am tremendously confident that I will excel as an Applied Mathematics major. I feel my wide breadth of personal experience combined with my excellent problem-solving skills will help me to become a valuable member of the department. The interdisciplinary nature of the Applied Mathematics program, combined with world-class professors such as Dr. Carson Chow and Dr. David Swigon, provide a unique opportunity that I am excited to have a chance to experience.
If accepted to the University of Pittsburgh I hope to explore the many facets of mathematics and computer science. I understand that this means I will be attending class with undergraduate students five or more years younger. However, I feel that as a twenty-seven year old who has had many different life experiences I am far more focused and committed than I was at the age of eighteen. I feel that living as an artist for the past several years has given me perspective and insight into what my long-term goals are, and I am more than prepared to begin this new chapter in my life. Were I to be accepted as a member of the University of Pittsburgh community, I am certain that I would flourish as a researcher, mathematician, and an individual.
