Testimonials
Curious about what it's like to study the Master's in Mathematics? Read about the experiences of students, teachers and alumni below. What's the atmosphere like, what drives teachers and where will you end up?
Testimonials of students
Because of the small group size in courses, there is a lot of interaction between the students and the lecturer.
- Previous education
- Bachelor's Mathematics and Bachelor's Physics and Astronomy (Radboud University)
- Programme
- Mathematics
- Study start date
- Study end date
Master's student Femke de Wit is studying Mathematics at Radboud University.
What do you like about the programme/specialisation and why? How has the programme/specialisation challenged you (in relation to your previous education)?
I like that the large range of courses allows me to specialise and dive deeper into my area of interest. My track is Applied Mathematics and I am particularly interested in the numerical analysis of partial differential equations. By being able to choose courses on numerics, applied analysis, and partial differential equations, I get to see the same topic from different angles to get a better understanding of it.
What do you think about the atmosphere in class?
I really like the atmosphere in both the lectures and the tutorials. Especially the local courses are usually followed by only 5-15 students. Because of these small groups, there is a lot of interaction between the students and the lecturer. Also, the teaching assistants are often PhD students, and they are very approachable for questions.
What do you find most challenging in your Master’s (specialisation)? Have you encountered any obstacles?
The most challenging part is organising my schedule. Because the Master's consists almost entirely out of electives, courses can have overlapping classes. This means that sometimes I am not able to come to the tutorial or lecture of a course, and sometimes I am not able to take the courses at all.
Are you currently doing an internship? Or what is your thesis about?
I am currently in my first year. Next year, I will do my thesis (most likely in the direction of finite element methods).
Why do you think is it important that there are people out there with this degree? What are your plans once have received your Master's degree?
Because mathematics is based on logic, I think mathematicians are especially good at recognising false arguments and assumptions. That skill is useful in any job, both inside and outside of science. I do not know yet what I want to do after my Master's. I might want to do a PhD.
Once I receive my Master’s degree I am eager to continue in the field of cryptography.
- Previous education
- Bachelor's Mathematics (Radboud University)
- Programme
- Mathematics
- Study start date
- Study end date
Master's student Tjitske Koster is studying Mathematics at Radboud University.
What do you like about the programme/specialisation and why? How has the programme/specialisation challenged you (in relation to your previous education)?
I am doing the Master's with a specialisation in computing science, in particular I am following lots of courses in cryptography. About this programme, I like that I can specialise in my preferred field cryptography and adjust it to my level. I can follow (cryptographic) courses which need a strong mathematical background, but I do not have to follow maths courses that are completely unrelated and uninteresting.
What do you think about the atmosphere in class (for example the relationship between students and with the teachers/researchers)?
The atmosphere in the class is nice, even though during the Master's there is lots of freedom in choosing our courses, you follow Radboud courses with more or less the same students, and we get to know each other. The classes at the Radboud are rather small, so I feel like I know the teachers. I feel free to ask questions to them and the teachers know me by name.
What do you find most challenging in your Master’s (specialisation)? Have you encountered any obstacles?
During a mathematical Master's you can follow courses in the Mastermath programme. For me, it was not worth to travel a whole day for one course and I could not follow two courses at the same day in the same city. I was thus mostly doing self-study, whenever I had a question there is an online forum to post them. However, not having interaction with fellow students or teachers during these courses was a bit hard and lonely sometimes.
Are you currently doing an internship? Or what is your thesis about?
Currently, I am doing a thesis about cryptography. During my thesis, I am investigating a proposed cryptosystem. This system is built on matrix codes and the assumption that finding an isometry between two matrix codes is hard. I am investigating whether this hardness assumption is right under some extra assumptions. If the problem is not hard at all I will write an algorithm on how to break this cryptosystem.
Why do you think is it important that there are people out there with this degree? What are your plans once have received your Master's degree?
Once I receive my Master’s degree I am eager to continue in the field of cryptography. I think it is essential that we develop cryptosystems that are resistant against attacks from quantum computers, and I am very willing to help analyse the hardness of such systems or to develop a secure system myself.
Personally, I find mathematical physics interesting from a scientific perspective to gain a thorough understanding of this world.
- Previous education
- Bachelor Applied Mathematics and Applied Physics (Eindhoven University of Technology)
- Programme
- Mathematics
- Study start date
- Study end date
Master's student Jorn van Voorthuizen is studying Mathematics at Radboud University.
What do you like about the programme/specialisation and why? How has the programme/specialisation challenged you (in relation to your previous education)?
There is a lot of freedom in the programme, allowing to tailor it to your own liking. Your mentor is always willing to help you with selecting some interesting courses. The Mastermath programme offers a lot of foundational courses and some more specialised ones. The local courses in mathematical physics are also more specialised. Together, they give the opportunity to study the mathematical foundations of physics.
What do you think about the atmosphere in class?
With a relatively small number of students, the atmosphere in class is quite informal and relaxed. It also allows for personal contact with the teachers. The teachers are always approachable and very willing to help you with all kind of problems. From questions about the course to advice for your future career.
What do you find most challenging in your Master’s (specialisation)? Have you encountered any obstacles?
In my opinion, the Mastermath programme is indispensable for mathematical physics, but it is sometimes a bit difficult to get a feasible schedule, as these courses are also offered in Amsterdam and Utrecht (and some in Nijmegen). The schedule for the local courses is not always aligned with the Mastermath schedule. Luckily, some of the courses are also recorded.
Are you currently doing an internship? Or what is your thesis about?
Yes, my thesis is taking place on the interface between mathematics and physics. In particular between differential geometry and general relativity. The goal is to provide a mathematically rigorous definition of multipole moments in general relativity and extend them to broader classes of spacetimes.
Why do you think is it important that there are people out there with this degree? What are your plans once have received your Master's degree?
Mathematics is used everywhere, but above all I would say it is a way of thinking, which can be very useful in other areas as well. Sometimes the mathematical theory may also be interesting from a real-world perspective, for example for quantum computing, which potentially has a huge impact on society. Personally, I find mathematical physics interesting from a scientific perspective to gain a thorough understanding of this world. I hope to proceed as a PhD student.
From my experience every professor here is very attentive and approachable, that makes me feel valued
- Programme
- Mathematics
Studying Mathematics as an international student in the Netherlands, what is it like as an international to study in Nijmegen?
Meet Alberto from Spain, who is studying Mathematics (specialisation 'Pure Mathematics' at Radboud University.
Testimonials of teachers and researchers
What I like most about mathematics is when I am really immersed in a problem and can uncover some new mathematical structures, alone or with others.
- Programme
- Mathematics
Annegret Burtscher is an associate professor at Radboud University, with an interest in large-scale geometry and the dynamics of our universe.
Can you introduce yourself?
My name is Annegret Burtscher, and I am an associate professor in the Department of Mathematics. I studied Mathematics and Earth Sciences at the University of Vienna and then did a PhD in Mathematics jointly at the Université Pierre et Marie Curie (Paris VI, now part of the Sorbonne Université) and the University of Vienna in 2014. Before coming to The Netherlands and joining Radboud University in 2018, I held postdoctoral positions in Germany and the United States.
Already during my undergraduate days, I worked as a teaching assistant, and since 2016 I have been designing and teaching my own lecture courses. In Nijmegen, I teach courses in the Bachelor's Mathematics and the Master's Mathematics, with a focus on Differential Geometry, Analysis, and Mathematical Physics. The Master's courses I teach are closely related to my research interests in Mathematical General Relativity and are based in the Mathematical Physics track (and Gravity+ synergy track) but can also be followed in the Pure Mathematics or Applied Mathematics tracks.
Why did you choose to study/work in this field? What makes this field so interesting?
As long as I remember I have had a fable for mathematics, but initially, I had no clue that one could also do mathematics for a living and what one would then do all day long. As a teenager, I read Simon Singh’s “Fermat’s Last Theorem” about the historical journey of mathematicians trying to show that an + bn = cn has no non-trivial integer solutions for n>2. This book was a real eye-opener to me, and I set out to become a research mathematician to learn more about and be able to enjoy other challenging mathematical ideas. And here I am, living my dream. But I did eventually end up in another mathematical subfield: In a differential geometry class in my undergraduate studies, I heard that general relativity is based on a beautiful geometric theory and that the Einstein equations can be analysed with PDE methods. My interests were always very broad, and this combination of fields and techniques suited my mathematical taste perfectly.
What I like most about mathematics is when I am really immersed in a problem and can uncover some new mathematical structures, alone or with others. Not much is needed to do mathematics (pen, paper, blackboard – and perseverance) and this simplicity is very satisfying. Of course, mathematicians still use computers to write and publish their work…
What are you currently doing your own research on?
I am exploring the large-scale geometry of our universe through spacetimes in the context of Einstein’s general theory of relativity. Spacetimes are time-oriented Lorentzian manifolds that ingeniously combine the notion of space and time in one entity. Currently, I am particularly interested in describing rough geometric features of spacetimes with tools adapted from the theory of metric spaces rather than of smooth differential geometry. This is important because many interfaces and regions in the universe are typically non-smooth – think of matter-vacuum boundaries, regions inside black holes, boundaries at infinity etc.
What advice do you have for students making their study choice?
Having to choose schools, universities, and study programmes has always been difficult for me because I have so many diverging interests - so I am quite familiar with the dilemma. Ultimately, I think, it helps to just pick a subject one is truly excited and passionate about and to keep an open mind. Most study programmes are actually quite flexible and allow one to find one's own path along the go. Mathematics, in particular, is very versatile and also indispensable in many other disciplines.
What is the best part of being a lecturer?
For me, teaching is the joy of connecting with others that share my passion, and of seeing students flourish. It also challenges me to keep learning myself.
My research gives me the unique opportunity to be involved in many fascinating challenging problems of modern research.
- Programme
- Mathematics
Riccardo Cristoferi is an assistant professor of Mathematics at Radboud University, specialised in Analysis and in the Calculus of Variations.
Can you introduce yourself?
Hi! My name is Riccardo. I studied Mathematics at the university in Italy. I also got my PhD in SISSA, one of the Italian excellence schools. I first was a Postdoc in the United States for three years, and then in the United Kingdom for another couple of years before coming to Radboud in 2020. I teach both at the Bachelor's Mathematics (analysis courses) and the Master's Mathematics (Calculus of Variations).
Why did you choose to study/work in this field? What makes this field so interesting?
The type of mathematics that I do allows me to interact with researchers from several fields (physics, chemistry, engineering) and carry out investigations both from a theoretical and from a more applied point of view. This gives me the unique opportunity to be involved in many fascinating challenging problems of modern research.
What are you currently doing your own research on?
My current lines of research are in the Mathematics of Materials Science and of Imaging Science. For the former, I developed rigorous innovative analytical methods to understand how microstructures of materials affect their macroscopic properties. This is fundamental to designing materials with desired behaviours. For the latter, I rigorously investigate the properties of algorithms used to perform deblurring and denoising of images. The goal is to provide a sort of 'guide' of what are the features of each method, so that practitioners can choose that that fits best their needs.
What advice do you have for students making their study choice?
I suggest students to be curious and use their time at the university to master mathematical techniques, without having to worry about their relevance for a future job. Indeed, the ability to understand complex abstract notions and the problem-solving mindset acquired in this process will allow them to quickly master any skills required in their future jobs.
The clear, rigorous way of reasoning, and the elegance and power of seemingly abstract results appeal to me.
- Nationality
- Dutch
- Programme
- Mathematics
Peter Hochs is assistant professor of Mathematics at the Radboud University in Nijmegen, with an interest in geometry and analysis related to the study of actions of real groups on manifolds.
Can you introduce yourself?
After completing my PhD in mathematics at Radboud University, I worked outside academia for a while. Subsequently, I worked at universities in Germany and Australia, and in 2020 I became an Assistant Professor in Nijmegen. In my work, geometry, analysis and symmetries come together. You can get a first impression of this interaction in the third-year Bachelor's course Differentiable Manifolds that I teach.
Why did you choose to study/work in this field? What makes this field so interesting?
Two aspects of mathematics that really appeal to me are the clear, rigorous way of reasoning, and the elegance and power of seemingly abstract results. Within mathematics, I am motivated by the interaction between different subfields.
What are you currently doing your own research on?
Together with two PhD candidates, I am developing, calculating and applying new invariants of geometric spaces. These are numbers or other quantities that reveal fundamental properties of such a space. With one PhD candidate, we investigate relationships between such invariants and dynamical systems on a space, and with the other PhD candidate, we study unbounded spaces with finite volume.
What advice do you have for students making their study choice?
Do what makes you happy!
What is the best part of working with students?
Seeing how they develop: in the Master's programme from student to beginning researcher.
It is incredibly intriguing when abstract mathematics has something to say about how the laws of physics work.
- Nationality
- Nederlands
- Programme
- Mathematics
Walter van Suijlekom is Professor of Mathematics at Radboud University in Nijmegen, specialised in noncommutative geometry.
Could you introduce yourself?
After studying physics at the UvA in Amsterdam, I was a PhD candidate in Mathematics in Trieste (Italy) from 2002 to 2005. I worked as a postdoc at the Max Planck Institute in Bonn for one year and since 2007 I have been working at Radboud University Nijmegen. From 2021, I have been a professor in non-commutative geometry, a field in mathematics where functional analysis, (operator) algebra, (partial) differential equations and (Riemannian) geometry come together. In my research, I focus on its applications in physics. I am currently teaching the courses Introduction to Mathematics, Lie Groups (MasterMath, Fall 2024) and Noncommutative Geometry (MasterMath, Spring 2025). I am also a father of three children and I play timpani in the Nijmegen Symphony Orchestra.
Why did you choose to study/work in this field? What makes this field so interesting?
Even during my studies, I found the intersection between mathematics and physics the most exciting. I discovered, for example, that at a small scale in physics, abstract mathematics plays a dictating role in the organisation of the structure of elementary particles.
What are you currently researching?
I still prefer to be at the interface between mathematics and physics. It is incredibly intriguing when abstract mathematics has something to say about how the laws of physics work.
What advice do you have for students making their study choice?
Above all, follow the study programme that you enjoy the most, and don't think too much yet about what you want to do with it afterwards or what you can do with it. That will come, and rest assured that a science degree is a guarantee for a good job, whether in academia, education, in a company or in government.
Testimonials of alumni
While writing my Master's thesis at TenneT, it became clear I would stay in the energy sector.
- Nationality
- German
- Programme
- Mathematics
Leoni Winschermann is a Postdoctoral Researcher at the Technical University of Denmark, Department of Wind and Energy Systems. Leoni studied Mathematics with the specialisation Science, Management and Innovation.
Where do you work now and what does your job entail?
I work as a postdoc at Technical University of Denmark, Department of Wind and Energy Systems. My research focuses on scheduling algorithms to coordinate the charging of electric vehicles. While I personally focus on algorithm design, simulation and (occasionally) theoretical analysis, we also have a living lab where we can test algorithms at real charging stations. Next to my own core research, I am involved in (PhD) student supervision, project management, teaching, applying for research funding and odd tasks like peer reviewing research papers or organising workshops.
Why did you choose to work in this field?
I got interested in energy based on a guest lecture in the Mastermath course Scheduling. It made me choose a mathematics Master's with plenty of energy and climate-related courses, and while writing my Master's thesis at the Dutch transmission grid operator TenneT, it became clear I would stay in the energy sector. Then I saw an open PhD position in the group headed by the Scheduling professor who himself researched energy management from an algorithmic point of view. I applied, got the position and have been hooked ever since. I enjoy the practical relevance of my work, the fact that my colleagues have different study backgrounds than me (I am learning so much from them), and that I have a lot of freedom in deciding what to research next.
What did you learn during your studies that you now use in your work?
These days, I am often the only (theoretically trained) mathematician among engineers and computer scientists. That means what I learned during my studies makes it easier for me to break down certain mathematical concepts for my colleagues to understand. It also means that I regularly have to explain that having studied mathematics, I do not know 'all math'. I have little to no knowledge about differential equations and statistics (which colleagues with electrical engineering backgrounds often default to as 'the math' when they hear about my background). I still actively use graph theory, network flows, and of course scheduling. Clustering methods, KKT conditions and primal/dual formulations of optimisation problems make regular appearances as well.
How did you experience this programme at Radboud University? In your opinion, what made this programme special?
I love the national Mastermath programme. It allowed me to explore specialisations that Radboud did not offer at that moment. In the end, all my favourite courses were taught by the department I ended up doing my PhD at. At the time, Radboud only had a very strong theoretical focus, but I preferred (application-motivated) operations research over algebra and differential equations.
What advice do you have for students choosing a Master's programme?
Electives are your friend. Know your options, talk to Ina (student advisor), think about what motivates you. And you may even be able to take some courses abroad.
This Master's allowed me to go out of the theoretical world into applied fields.
- Previous education
- Mathematics (UNAM, Mexico)
- Programme
- Mathematics
- Study end date
Lorena Yunes Arriaga is a graduate of the Master's programme and wanted to contribute to the energy transition. She now works at energy provider Vandebron.
Where do you work now and what does your job entail?
I work at Vandebron as a portfolio manager in the energy services team. I monitor and balance the commodities portfolio of power and gas for our customers. Also, pricing and analysis of our consumers and (wind and solar) producers portfolio. Furthermore, I look into the development and automatisation of models for analysis of performance and risk materialisation. My daily activities also include working and trading on different energy markets such as day-ahead, intraday, and ex-post.
Why did you choose to work in this field?
I wanted to be part of the energy transition.
What did you learn during your studies that you now use in your work?
During my Master’s I learned a lot about the energy sector in The Netherlands and Europe. Also, I got introduced to programming which made it easier for me to learn new programming languages, such as Python.
How did you experience this programme at Radboud University? In your opinion, what made this programme special?
In this programme, I could expand my career knowledge and learn about energy, policy, economics, management and computer science. So it allowed me to go out of the theoretical world into applied fields.
What would you recommend to future students when they go to choose a study?
Think about what career will lead you towards a job that makes you wake up and look forward to starting your work day since you are doing what you are passionate about