Maths students can deliver

For the fifth year running, students taking mathematics courses run by the Faculty of Science at the University of Malta have been assigned projects that require both the development of theory and applications to scientific and real-life situations.

These budding scientists, who are moulded according to the expertise of the academic staff, are capable of delivering strong results. The valid ideas developed in these projects, set by the mathematics department towards the end of the students' course, prove that the maths graduates will manage to be the driving force that steers the labour market.

The students are given three weeks in which to self-learn a mathematical software language and asked to develop algorithms and programs to solve a proposed idea effectively. Even though the performance of our students doing classes and final exams is proof enough of their ability, what they deliver in these projects leaves no doubt as to their worth as designers, thinkers and above all performers, reliable and responsible in a work environment. They can meet any challenge where creativity and design are required.

The enthusiasm shown by the students, who are ready to invest effort and long hours in our mathematics computer laboratories to meet the set deadlines and produce an effective product, is encouraging. The teaching staff in the department of mathematics are committed to produce a future generation of mathematicians capable of designing higher levels of theory and to empower their students with the ability to think critically, analyse logically and reason scientifically.

Emphasis is laid on establishing attitudes that enable the students to increase their self-confidence in the subject to such an extent that they will be able to conceive new theories or develop existing ones further without fear. Expectations are high and the students rise up to the occasion with astounding capability. The extent by which degrees in mathematics are transferable to the most prestigious universities worldwide, as the basis for higher degrees, is proof of the high standard reached in mathematics at the UoM.

When studying maths, students bathe in a luxury of precision where they can focus on a set of non-conflicting rules at a time. This contrasts with what often happens in the real world of physics, chemistry, biology and medicine, where external factors often mask the principal result. Above all mathematicians acquire the habit of observing all details and sifting from a whole mass of data the bare essentials sufficient to reach their aim. They are trained to solve problems effectively and efficiently. The country benefits from utilising such intellectual power in all strata of policy making.

Students are encouraged to question established theorems, to produce new proofs to existing results and to create new theories. To this end, the mathematics department organises a series of workshops. Initially intended as a pedagogical exercise, the "Collection" workshops and seminars have developed into a more meaningful exercise. Results have surpassed even the best expectations. The exercise has evolved into a tool that identifies the gold dust of talent and aptitude in maths among our young. Students and staff meet to exchange new ideas, pose new problems and arouse exciting yearning for more exposure to maths.

Such interaction does wonders in building the self-confidence that students so desperately need to persevere in the challenging subjects that may initially prove difficult to understand. It motivates them to prove themselves among their peers and mentors. For some students the outcome is an eloquent example of how a lost cause is turned into a win. These seminars have proved to be the breeding ground for students who fell in love with mathematical creativity and decided to continue with postgraduate studies.

Participants of the "Collection" workshops strongly acknowledge the role of such activities in fostering personal development and encouraging independent thinking and initiative. In his book To be a Pilgrim, Basle Hume writes: "The love of God dawns slowly". The same can be said of the intense interaction with mathematics.

Besides mathematics, our students often study another subject, usually physics, statistics or computer science, which complements the former. Will a person who has gone through the mill of listening, making one's own, understanding and overstepping the threshold from accepting and copying to taking the initiative to make innovative endeavours leave society, the place of work or the family the same?

Equipped with an understanding of a wide scope of knowledge, our graduates can provide the nation with the brain power for innovation and sustainability. It is up to the nation to ensure that it avails itself of this preparation and turns it into a bundle of opportunities by avoiding their under employment.

Ms Sciriha Aquilina is a lecturer with the Department of Mathematics at the University of Malta.