Although to many it seems like an abstract obligation, senior Timothy Mathew, throughout his entire life, has seen mathematics as a subject of genuine interest. When asked how his focus on it began, his answer was simple: “Just from playing with numbers when I was really small.”
By third grade, Mathew began to broaden his scope of interest and started to dabble in computer science. Mathew said his journey began with, “making some games, working with some JavaScript and from there I built on that.”
By ninth and tenth grade, Mathew’s understanding of computer science expanded to machine learning and theoretical computer science, thanks in part to his interest in math. He explained that “once I explored more and more math, I realized how there’s a lot of theoretical computer science that can be explained by math.”
He described the unexplored regions of computer science as “the type of stuff that really interests me and something I want to pursue going forward.”
With a passion for computer science and math, there are a plethora of choices for Mathew to pursue. With all the options before him, it’s only natural that, “at this point, I’m a little unsure of what specifically I want to do.”
Mathew’s interest in the unknown side of math and computer science seems to lead him to research work, but Mathew expressed another, more familiar interest as well: “I learned recently that I really enjoy teaching.”
As the president of four clubs and the coach of the Boulan Park Middle School math team, Mathew has had ample opportunities to lead and guide his peers and see the merits of teaching. He says that a job as a professor is not out of the question. “Maybe not immediately after college, but sometime down the line, I might want to pursue being a professor.”
When Mathew isn’t coaching, coding or calculating, he spends time with friends, plays the piano and enjoys various Mario games. Mathew explains that piano is one of his bigger hobbies. “I’ve done a lot of work with both playing and teaching [piano].”
Throughout all of his varied achievements and hobbies, Mathew was always supported. When asked who supported him the most, Mathew replied, “I think definitely my parents.”
Mathew also explained that another person who supported him was “my older brother. He’s just been there for advice if I need it or just to encourage me.”
As Mathew prepares for graduation and to start the next chapter of his life at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology this September, he reflects, “Just looking back on the journey I’ve had so far, it’s definitely something where each day it’s all just the small little things you’re doing.”
Mathew’s final advice is to keep “to the habits of the small things you’re doing each day and at the same time realize that your hard work, even if you don’t see it immediately, eventually will pay off.”
