Each weekly seminar will feature a different member from the UCI Math community.
The featured guest on 10/12 will be Mike Cranston
- What is your position in the Department?
I’m the department chair.
- How long have you been at UCI? What did you do before joining us?
This is my 18th year at UCI.
- What one thing do you think every new grad student should know?
Life as a grad student can be an emotional roller coaster (at least it was for me!) With perserverance and resilience you should be able to make it through to your degree.
- Are there any (tv series/movies/books/podcasts) that you have particularly enjoyed recently?
I recently watched “Memories of a Murder” directed by Bong Joon-Ho, director of “Parasites.” The story was based on a real-life murder that hadn’t been solved at the time the film was made. There are many reasons to like this movie, but for me it was the transformation undergone by the main character.
- Are there any (tv series/movies/books/podcasts) that you cannot stop yourself from (watching/reading) recently? (i.e., hate-(watch/read/listen))
I enjoyed the series “The Killing” which is the American version of the scandi-noir series “Forbrydelsen.”
- What was the first (CD/album/concert) you ever (bought/attended)?
The first concert I attended was the Rolling Stones. I recall it being very loud and Mick Jaeger was moving all over the stage at high speed.
- What (sports) team(s) are you devoted to? (How long?)
I’m a long suffering Minnesota Vikings fan. Their training camp was held in the town where I grew up so I saw many of their star players around town during the summer.
The featured guest on 10/5 was Kate Lynch.
What is your position in the Department?
Graduate Student Affairs Officer
How long have you been at UCI? What did you do before joining us?
I started at UCI in May of 2020. Before this I was an Academic & Career Advisor at a small university in Portland, OR.
What one thing do you think every new grad student should know?
Your staff and faculty members are all here to support you and get to know you as a person and scholar- don’t be shy about reaching out with any questions or comments!
What is something a lot of people in the department do not know about you?
Last year I wrote about my interest in tattoos- this year I’ll share that I collect novelty enamel pins (come check out part of my collection in my office!). I mostly find them online and there’s also a fair called Patches & Pins that comes to main street in Santa Ana regularly!
Where is your favorite SoCal vacation spot?
San Diego is my favorite local getaway. It has all my favorite things- great Mexican food, breweries, parks, beaches, music venues, hiking, and a more relaxed vibe than OC!
Tell us about your pets?
I’d love to! I have two dogs, Kona and Piper, and one cat, Willa (short for Willamette). Kona is a goofy and spastic german shepherd mix, and Piper is a super sweet and smart aussie/cattle dog mix. Willa is a fluffy, sassy, long-haired black cat. They are a fun bunch and the dogs love to go on adventures. If I could live on a ranch with lots of rescue dogs and cats, I would!