Rooting and Grounding
Meet mathematics major Sajid Bin Mahamud.
Hometown: Dhaka, Bangladesh
Thesis Adviser: Professor Jamie Pommersheim [mathematics]
Thesis: “Spectral Characterization of the Closed Walk Matrix”
What it’s about: Computationally, the most efficient way to store information is in terms of numbers. And it turns out, the most efficient way to store graphs is in terms of matrices. I study the tradeoff between these two approaches: storing information purely in a graphical manner as opposed to storing them in a numerical manner.
What it’s really about: Effectively representing networks.
Outside the classroom: I worked in the admissions office for the international division. It’s a place where you get to present the version of Reed you imagined. In my mind, Reed is a place where people are curious, risk-taking, and incredibly kind. I got to give prospies a version of that image.
Concept that blew my mind: The law of diminishing returns. After a certain point, doing the same thing stops meeting the expected returns . . . so, sometimes it’s fun to style my hair a little differently, watch a “boring” movie, or add broccoli to stew.
Influential book: The short story “The Third and Final Continent” by Jhumpa Lahiri. The main character was born in India, went to the UK for study, and came to the U.S. for work—his third and final continent. There’s a lovely metaphor about this old lady who represented his rooting and final grounding in the U.S. I often think about that: the people, things, and instances at Reed that helped me ground and find my community.
Challenges faced: I come from a military school background, where I had a very strict schedule and a hierarchy to maintain. The challenge here was to navigate how much relaxation I gave myself in terms of social interactions.
Financial aid: Whether I would be able to study in the U.S. was greatly dependent on how much financial aid I received, and Reed has been incredibly kind to me in terms of that. I was able to pursue a purely academic subject without worrying about its financial feasibility.
Help received along the way: My friend Jojo, who I met in the admissions office. A lot of things about social dynamics back home don’t quite translate to life here, and there’s a contradiction I often feel in terms of my past self compared to my present. Jojo has helped me merge these two.
Favorite spot on campus: The rugby field benches. You can see the sunset from there.
What’s next: I am currently choosing between applied math programs at the Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands and Umeå University in Sweden.