PhD Student Begins Work On Dissertation Entitled "No Seriously, Math Is Cool"

LOS ANGELES, CA — After months of quizzical looks and blank stares when revealing his choice of study, Victor Hartwell, a PhD candidate at UCLA, has officially kicked off his dissertation titled "No Seriously, Math Is Cool."

"As a mathematician, I often hear things like, ‘Oh, so you're really good at math,' or ‘I'm an English major,' followed by ‘You're crazy,'" Hartwell shared with a mix of enthusiasm and resignation. "But now I aim to show the world why I spend endless hours solving math problems — because it’s not just about numbers; it’s about cool stuff, too!" He then added, "And maybe I'll include a few snazzy graphics; who wouldn’t want a steganographic image of a square root in their life?"

Hartwell humorously noted that his second advisor joked the dissertation might have to be "pretty long" to accommodate all the graphics that showcase how math influences everything. This prompted a ripple of laughter from his fellow graduate students gathered in the seminar room.

"If anyone wants to submit visuals demonstrating how math enhances our understanding of the world, please do!" Hartwell concluded. "The thesis is expected to be around 140 pages, so there'll be plenty of room for everyone's favorites. Just think about nature, the number ‘e,’ optical illusions, and the world of algorithms. Let’s prove once and for all that math can be fun!" He then retreated to his glass-walled seminar room, dry-erase marker in hand, ready to embark on an afternoon of problem sets.

At publishing time, Hartwell had successfully blocked a class of curious middle schoolers from entering his seminar room after a question from the lead teacher about "dongles" led him to declare that the word "no" has far too many meanings when left undefined.