Personal Statement

Austen is a Ph.D. student working to better understand how quantum systems interact with one another. More specifically, he studies how chaos theory can be applied to quantum systems and maybe even be used to make powerful quantum computers. His interest in this field stemmed from his life-long desire to learn and the thrill of solving a good puzzle. On top of conducting cutting-edge research, Austen also teaches physics to undergraduate students with the goal of instilling the love of solving puzzles. While teaching he believes that problem-solving in physics and mathematics is more than knowing equations, it also means being able to break apart the problem to get all the relevant information. This inspires his tutoring style, where he starts each problem by saying “Let’s understand everything this problem is really saying”. Once his students feel comfortable with dissecting the problem, he then helps guide them through the complexities of the many equations used in physics and mathematics. This methodology promotes active learning as the students engage with the equations and concepts in the context of the problem. He has experienced a great deal of success in helping students understand problems as well as strengthening their unique problem-solving mindsets with this tutoring style.

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