I’ve decided to pursue a second master’s degree—this time in Mathematics and Statistics at SIUE.
People ask: “You already have an MS in Computer Science. Why go back?”
The Honest Answer
Computer science gave me tools. Mathematics gives me foundations.
I kept hitting walls in my research where I needed deeper statistical theory. I could implement algorithms, but I didn’t fully understand the mathematical principles underlying them:
- Why does maximum likelihood estimation work?
- What are the asymptotic properties of bootstrap confidence intervals?
- How do you prove consistency of estimators?
I could use these methods. I couldn’t derive them.
What I’m After
This degree is about:
- Rigorous statistical theory: Measure-theoretic probability, asymptotic theory, decision theory
- Mathematical maturity: Proving theorems, not just computing
- Statistical computing: Building estimators from first principles
- Survival analysis: My specific research focus—reliability theory with censored and masked data
The Deeper Motivation
Mathematics represents a different mode of thought than programming. Code is imperative—you tell the machine what to do. Math is declarative—you describe what must be true.
I want both modes available to me.
Also: I’m increasingly drawn to the aesthetics of mathematical reasoning. The elegance of a good proof. The satisfaction of deriving a result rather than looking it up.
What This Means
For the next few years, I’ll be deep in:
- Probability theory
- Statistical inference
- Linear models
- Survival analysis
- Computational statistics
This will change how I think about problems. That’s exactly what I’m hoping for.
Starting this journey in 2020. Let’s see where it leads.
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