Stefan Doboszczak '16

Position: ORISE postdoc, Air Force Institute of Technology
Thesis: Existence and weak-strong uniqueness for the Navier-Stokes-Smoluchowski system over moving domains
Advisor: Konstantina Trivisa
Application Area (during AMSC studies): Fluid Mechanics

What is your current position? What do you enjoy about it?
I currently work as a research postdoc at the Air Force Institute of Technology. I've had the pleasure of learning many new techniques in control theory and optimal control and applying them to problems in compressible fluids. My position has no teaching load which provides me with the freedom to focus on research.

What are your favorite memories of your graduate school experience?
Certainly the newly formed friendships generated some of my best memories from graduate school. Having lived in the unofficial "AMSC house" with other math grad students, we were able to help each other "dig through the trenches" of graduate school. It was an exciting time at UMD, and always something to keep oneself busy with. From seminars, to colloquia, to RIT's, to social events, there was always something to learn and someone to learn it from.

What do you think the best parts of AMSC are?
One of the nice things about AMSC is the ability to adjust the program to suit your needs and interests. This is with respect to required courses, qualifying exams, and choice of advisor. AMSC is very interdisciplinary and some students opt for (possibly dual) advisors outside the department.

In addition to the flexibility, the AMSC program is set up nicely to guide students through the grad program. The expectations are reasonable and there is always help from the department and other colleagues along the way.

What advice would you give to current students?
Get to know the faculty, staff, and fellow students in the department. Your experience will be made easier when you know who holds the answers to your questions. And some of these will prove invaluable when it comes time to ask for reference letters!

Be open to exploring a new subject. You may discover unforeseen connections between different ideas and possibly open up a new research direction for yourself. In other words, attend seminars, colloquia, and RIT's.

Keep in mind that eventually you will graduate and apply for jobs. It is never too early to start on your professional portfolio.