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Homeland Security Career May Be in the Cards for Math Major Claire Tomesch To Intern at Pacific Northwest National Labs
Claire Tomesch says she'll be applying her lively approach to problem-solving this summer on projects involving image signal processing and nonlinear wave analysis, methods used to process electronic data and information.
Tomesch, a junior math major in Carnegie Mellon's Science and Humanities Scholars Program from Succasunna, N.J., received a prestigious 2005 Department of Homeland Security scholarship. The federal scholarship and fellowship program established in 2003 aims to tap into today's collegiate brainpower to address homeland security challenges and encourage future scientists and engineers to dedicate their professional lives to securing U.S. borders.
"The challenge of securing our nation across a wide range of threats requires a new generation of scientists and researchers focused on the Homeland Security mission," said Charles E. McQueary, under secretary for science and technology, in an official statement from DHS Press Secretary Donald Tighe. "This exceptional group of scholars reflects our commitment to engaging the intellect and innovation of today's students for the long-term security of America."
Tomesch, one of 130 students to receive a 2005 scholarship or fellowship from an applicant pool of nearly 700, said she heard about the program through the Mathematical Sciences Department. She said the in-depth application, which took her a couple of weeks to complete, included several essays and a personal statement.
"My essays were about how I could use my work in mathematics to contribute to homeland security. I wrote about the advances in quantum cryptography that could come about as a result of its connection with areas of pure mathematics, and new cryptographic schemes based on the braid group.
The DHS couldn't have selected a better student according to Physics Professor Helmut Vogel, who has employed her as a teaching assistant.
"I cannot praise Claire Tomesch highly enough. She combines profound physics insight with mathematical brilliance to an extent I have rarely seen in a student at such an early stage," Vogel said. "While still a freshman she was the undisputed number one among 62 students in the honors course Matter & Interactions II, which I taught in the Spring 2004 semester. I have since hired her twice as an undergraduate TA for the same course, as I taught it again in 2005 and 2006."
In addition to serving as a TA for Vogel, Tomesch has also been a substitute teacher for him.
Assistant Mathematical Sciences Professor James Cummings also offered praise. "Apart from her obvious mathematical talent — she is already taking some of our more advanced graduate classes — I have always been impressed by Claire's ambition, self-discipline and absolute determination to understand things clearly. She will go far," Cummings said.
After completing her internship, Tomesch is on track to earn her bachelor's and master's degrees in math in May 2007. She said she will probably be offered employment by the DHS following graduation but she will opt to pursue a Ph.D.
Bruce Gerson |
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