Special Speaker Event, PME and SIAM-Sponsored: Matt Robinson (Rampart Communications)
join us for a conversation about math (and life) in industry
Title: Tactical Mathematics: A Career, In Theory
Abstract: In this talk, I will describe my path from academic mathematical physics to applied mathematics with the US Intelligence Community to tech entrepreneurship. Along the way I'll discuss patterns I've encountered, through both success and failure, when using math to solve messy real-world problems. This work often requires moving across disciplinary boundaries, finding structure where none is obvious, and combining rigor, computation, approximation, and intuition in surprising ways. I'll also discuss the human elements - uncertainty, collaboration, confidence, imposter syndrome, and the superpower of being willing to look stupid. Far from being distractions from the "real" work, these things - along with sharp mathematical reasoning - form a reliable compass for navigating shifting goals, challenges, and unfamiliar territory.
Matthew Robinson, Ph.D., is an applied mathematician, physicist, inventor, and technological entrepreneur whose career offers a striking example of where mathematics can lead outside academia. After earning degrees in math and physics at Auburn and a Ph.D. in math physics at Baylor (where he worked in string theory and particle physics), Matt spent more than a decade as an applied mathematician at the NSA. He worked on signal processing, coding and information theory, cryptography, and quantum information.
He is now the founder, owner, and Chief Scientist of Maryland-based Rampart Communications, developing new technologies for secure wireless communication and physical-layer security. Along the way, he has authored more than 30 technical publications, a graduate-level particle physics textbook, and is listed on more than 60 issued patents. His path, from abstract mathematics and theoretical physics to national-security research, advanced communications technology, and a startup, is especially relevant for students curious about careers in mathematics outside of industry.
The talk will proceed from 12-1pm in MP104, with a reception (and lunch) to follow in MP422.