Page 13 - EUREKA -Fall 2014

Arthur Mehta,
Mathematics Alum,

Wins President’s

Medal

rthur Mehta, one of the newest Student news
Aalumni of the Mathematics and
Statistics department, received the
President’s Medal at convocation this
past spring. Awarded annually to the
student with the highest standing
in a degree program of studies, the
President’s award is one of the highest
academic honours at Carleton.
For 25-year-old Mehta, the
President’s Medal is the “cherry
Support for Science Success on top” of turning his life around
after high school, years he calls his
“academic failure.”
Enrolling at Carleton in 2009,
By Lindsay Brennan initially in the economics program,
was an important change of direction
s it enters its seventh year of tour various science labs on campus. in Mehta’s life and, he says, “I tried to
Ahelping students succeed in the During these tours, professors give keep my grades up, so I would have
sciences, the Science Student Success students a brief overview of the the best shot at winning (the medal).”
Centre (SSSC) is doing better than research they are working on, and “The difficulty of pure mathematics
ever in its new location in herzberg let students know how they can get is an attractive feature,” admits Mehta.
Laboratories. involved. “There’s a lot of beautiful structure
Featuring multiple TV’s and Visanuvimol says feedback from and deep symmetry in mathematics
projectors, a wall entirely made out students on the centre has been that you don’t see anywhere else in
of whiteboard, and the largest team extremely positive. “On average we life. Nothing compares to it – not the
of peer mentors in the history of the see over 200 students a year,” said most beautiful music or art. Some
centre, the SSSC is set to help more Visanuvimol. “These are students of the symmetries and structure in
students than ever this school year. who want to excel in their academic mathematics are just one level above
The mentors, who are high- careers and get a sense of community all of those.”
achieving and often more experienced within the faculty of science.” Mehta believes that if young people
third and fourth year students, offer In addition to helping students learned more about pure mathematics
support and guidance to students as who are struggling to succeed, in high school, there would be a higher
needed. The centre also recruits first- the SSSC also focuses on students interest in it.
year representatives to help promote who are high achievers and want Now that he’s hooked on pure
centre activities and encourage use of to get more out of their university mathematics, Mehta wants to pursue
the science support resources. experience. These students have the the academic route, earn a doctorate
In addition to one-on-one opportunity to add a mentor position degree and become a mathematician.
mentoring sessions, the centre also to their resume and gain valuable “It’s a pretty competitive field,
offers workshops and presentations leadership skills. but it’s definitely something I keep in
on a wide variety of topics: everything “The centre was opened through mind. Every day, I wake up and try to
from how to write a chemistry lab one of the associate professors here, do something to make sure that goal
report, to how to apply to medical Dr. Susan Bertram,” said Visanuvimol. happens.”
school. “her vision for the centre was to give During the summer of 2014,
“We offer workshops on how to students a sense of community within Mehta was active in research with his
get involved in research at Carleton, the Faculty of Science, and to help supervisor, mathematics professor
how to find an honours thesis students who are struggling in their Matthew Kennedy, in preparation for
supervisor, the different scholarships science courses.” his master’s thesis which examines
that are available, and so on,” said Lily The centre is intended to keep quantum function theory.
Visanuvimol, science student success students engaged, to show them
centre administrator. where to get help, and to support The original story about Arthur Mehta
To help students learn about them in achieving their academic appeared in Carleton Now and was written
research, the centre also hosts a “Lab goals. The motto for the upcoming by Susan Hickman.
Tour Week” where students are able to school year? To help students excel!

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