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Michael McCreesh (Sci '17)

The Mathematics and Engineering program provides a unique combination of mathematical knowledge and technical skills that sets up its’ graduates for success in many areas. The rigorous mathematical background developed in the core second- and third-year courses allow for a deeper understanding of the engineering courses taken outside the department. In addition, the content of the program’s third- and fourth-year courses in areas such as control theory or information theory easily match or exceed equivalent courses at the graduate level at many other universities, providing students with a foundation not usually acquired at the undergraduate level.

"The Apple Math program provided me with opportunities that would not have been available coming from any other program. "
Michael McCreesh (Sci '17)

Following graduation, the Apple Math program provided me with opportunities that would not have been available coming from any other program. Both due to the reputation of the program, and advice from the always helpful faculty, I was afforded opportunities with faculty at other universities that would not have been available otherwise. Further, once continuing my education at the University of California San Diego, the foundational knowledge in mathematics provided me with a significant leg up in preparation for the graduate level courses. I would highly recommend the Mathematics and Engineering program whether you have aspirations in academia or industry, as in either case you will come out incredibly well prepared.

Curtis McDonald (Sci '17)

The applied mathematics and engineering program at Queen’s offers a unique education experience that produces problems solvers with the technical and theoretical knowledge to engage in modern problems in mathematics and engineering. The selection of advanced technical courses and a rigorous approach to problem solving from an engineering perspective allows students to understand not just which tools to use to solve a problem, but also how these tools work on a deeper level. By a student’s third and fourth year they are taking courses equivalent to many first or second year graduate courses at other institutions, providing a great head start and solid foundation for those pursing future studies.

"There is great collaboration with other students on research projects, and a chance to learn and grow together"
Curtis McDonald (Sci '17)

I would also like to note the incredible community and faculty of the department. There is great collaboration with other students on research projects, and a chance to learn and grow together. I have many fond memories working with other students on projects in my time. Additionally, the faculty make great effort to be engaged in student development and make themselves available for student questions and ideas. I am currently in my third year in the Statistics and Data Science PhD program at Yale University. When I first arrived here, the faculty where surprised at the level of knowledge I possessed as a new student, and I attribute this to my time at Queen’s. I rely almost daily on the concepts I learned early on in my studies at Queens, and this solid foundation has allowed me to purse my goals in research. For anyone interested in engaging with the deeper theory behind engineering and applied math problems, I would highly recommend the applied mathematics and engineering program at Queen’s.

Becca Bonham-Carter ( Sci '19 )

The Mathematics and Engineering program gave me the skills and opportunities to pursue interesting careers in both industry and academia, and ignited many new and exciting interests that I never knew existed. The emphasis on mastering engineering fundamentals through developing a strong base of mathematical knowledge imparts unique skills and creates a program which is challenging, but also thoroughly fulfilling. Through my time in the Math & Eng program, I learned how to think rigorously and more deeply understand complex engineering problems by leveraging the power that mathematical abstraction has make connections clear and turn problems into recognizable structures which can be soundly tackled with matching mathematical tools. I found that what I learned from the MTHE courses, the ways of thinking as well as the math itself, allowed me to more easily grasp concepts in my electrical engineering and physics courses, and more easily communicate engineering solutions in my work.

"The emphasis on mastering engineering fundamentals through developing a strong base of mathematical knowledge imparts unique skills and creates a program which is challenging"
Becca Bonham-Carter ( Sci' 19 )

Throughout my time in the program and since graduation, what I learned in the Math & Eng program has given me the opportunity to work in a variety of fields including human brain modeling, R&D for rovers for planetary exploration, machine learning for autonomous vehicles, systems & control theory, and developmental biology. The MTHE professors were amazing teachers and academic supervisors, and my cohort shared a strong sense of community. The engagement and support I received as student in the program encouraged me to seek out further studies in Mathematics and positions in industry involving a high-level of mathematical understanding. My experience in the Math & Eng program went far beyond my expectations from when I entered the program as a (mostly clueless) second-year student.

Philippe Furrer ( Sci '15 )

My experience during the MTHE program was extremely valuable and rewarding. It definitely contributed to my career success, although not necessarily in terms of content knowledge. I currently work as a data scientist focused on healthcare for a multinational management consulting firm. My team builds “products” or tools for consulting teams (eg, models but also data synthesis or complex analytic processing engines), and we also work directly with project teams and clients to structure and run complex analyses. None of what I learned during Apple math directly taught me how to do those things, although there were a lot of related topics (eg, probability theory or stochastic processes). What I found to be most impactful for my career so far were the “softer” skills I picked up, namely acquiring experience and confidence on how to approach very complex and analytically challenging problems and actually be able to break them down and develop an approach for solving them. Basically critical thinking and patter recognition skills, but how to apply those to very (analytically) intimidating problems.

"The cumulative learning from the broad variety of courses in MTHE - all of which push you to be creative with your problem solving approaches, each in their own different and unique ways - is what I found most impactful on my career."
Philippe Furrer ( Sci '15 )

I would add that your classmates in MTHE also do a very good job of pushing you to learn creative approaches to problem solving, as I found them all to be very hardworking and high caliber folks, so you need to push yourself just to keep up with the class

James Zhu ( Sci '22 )

The Mathematics and Engineering program provided me with a unique set of skills that is not typically taught in either traditional engineering disciplines or mathematics. As a Mathematics and Engineering student, I had the opportunity to study a diverse range of topics in both fields. This included engineering subjects such as algorithms, data structures, and database management, courses in pure mathematics such as real and complex analysis, functional analysis, and algebra, and concepts in applied mathematics like probability, information theory, and stochastic processes. A particular highlight of the program was gaining a rigorous, “under the hood” perspective on engineering topics that are often overlooked. For instance, traditional courses in signal and systems and controls typically only explore the practical applications of formulas developed in class and do not study the details of why they work. In contrast, our class proved every step and offered a unique viewpoint on certain subjects that would not be possible without a sufficient background in mathematics. Not only that, but my peers and I found that our courses in mathematics often complemented our engineering courses by providing a mathematical outlook on engineering problems.

Post-graduation, I have had the opportunity to engage with students from both engineering and mathematics backgrounds and can say that none possessed both the intuition and the mathematical maturity as graduates of Mathematics and Engineering. The program successfully combined the rigour and analytical approach of a mathematics major with the intuition and practical experience of an engineering degree.

"As a graduate student, I have greatly benefited from my undergraduate education. My time at Queen’s University has familiarized me with advanced mathematical topics (such as algebra, analysis, and probability) that prepared me for the rigorous nature of graduate-level courses."
James Zhu ( Sci '22 )

I often found myself familiar with mathematical concepts that my peers were only beginning to explore. Furthermore, my experience with my final capstone project gave me a leg up by providing me with an opportunity to apply mathematical concepts taught in class to an engineering application of our choosing.

Liam Cregg ( Sci '22 )

The most unique part of the Mathematics and Engineering program is the opportunity to dive into the theory that forms the foundation of engineering applications. In many engineering programs, the focus is on the "how", in that they are largely concerned with implementation and application of methods. Math and Engineering really focuses on the "why", rigorously studying the mathematical theories that govern engineering systems. That's not to say the program is entirely theoretical, as there are many opportunities through the specialization-specific courses to learn about the more applied side of engineering, but the emphasis is always on critically examining the fundamentals.

To me, the benefit is not that you memorize a bunch of theorems, even though the technical content of the courses will certainly teach you much about different fields of mathematics. Rather, the greatest benefit is the way in which the program teaches you to think: critically, logically, and rigorously. It rewards questioning, and leaves little room for things to be "swept under the rug". As such, it's the ideal program for students who not only enjoy math, but more importantly enjoy solving hard problems. 

The program is particularly well-suited to those who want to work in research, whether that's in academia or industry. You need this kind of critical thinking when you're trying to invent new methods, and not just apply existing ones.

"My studies in the Math and Engineering program, both at the Bachelors and Masters levels, were integral to my success in academia and research so far."
Liam Cregg ( Sci '22 )

I am currently pursuing my PhD at ETH in Zurich, Switzerland at the Automatic Control Laboratory, and the emphasis on mathematical rigor and critical thinking is absolutely necessary for engineering research at this level. Because of this, the Math and Engineering program has a very strong reputation among high-level research centres, including the Automatic Control Lab here at ETH.

Graeme Garner ( Sci '18 )

Choosing the Mathematics and Engineering program at Queen’s University was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. The program’s strong foundation in mathematics not only prepares students for advanced study or careers in applied math, but also deepens their understanding of a wide range of engineering disciplines.

"Most importantly, it cultivates the ability to approach and solve complex problems — a skill that’s valuable in any career path."
Graeme Garnder ( Sci '18 )

I currently work on research and development of navigation systems for autonomous vehicles. These are deeply complex systems that demand a solid grasp of calculus, linear algebra, signal processing, statistics, dynamics, and programming - all of which are covered in the Apple Math program. My colleagues are often surprised to learn that I hold only a Bachelor’s degree, as this type of work is typically done by those with graduate-level training. I see that as a testament to the depth and rigor of the program.

Awni AlTabaa ( Sci '22 )

The Mathematics and Engineering program at Queen's was a formative part of my academic journey. The curriculum’s balance of theoretical depth and practical application gave me a strong foundation in both mathematical analysis and engineering principles. I especially valued the opportunity to engage in research through a summer research assistantship with Prof Serdar Yuksel, which prepared me well for my PhD studies