The Big Conference

Last week my University hosted an analysis conference. In the months leading up to it a friend kept prodding me to give a talk. I relented, cobbled together an abstract, and submitted it. I didn't give it much through until the weekend before last when my advisor pointed out that my talk was on the first day, shortly after the morning's invited talks conclude. My advisor then pointed out that I should immediately start writing my talk. I got paranoid and spent the weekend not writing the talk, instead reviewing my results and making sure that there weren't any errors. Monday I wrote the talk. Tuesday I gave a practice talk to my advisor and some folks generous enough with their time to listen. My advisor, in his characteristic charitable way, was like, "It's good. Although the end is weak, and the beginning should be reformulated, and maybe redo the middle as well." Another draft and the talk was getting better, but I'm getting nervous. As much as my research seems underwhelming to me, there's a lot of material and only a half hour to present it.

The talk goes alright, I feel like I convey the gist of what my research is about. Famous mathematician (fm) sitting in the front row asks a question. At first I think that the question indicates that he didn't understand what I'm trying to do. I reiterate what I'm trying to do and how my approach has worked well so far. That night I'm at a bar with one of fm's former students. The student points out that fm didn't misunderstood, his question was aimed at something deeper. The next day I screw up my courage, walk up to fm and ask him to clarify the question. Fm points out some questions to think about, and it's like a light turning on. I nod and try to hide the fact that I'm thinking, "My God! That is a remarkable question." In essence he pointed out some fascinating notions of dimension. As he suggested them, I saw that there was this world of questions I was missing. Fm tells me I gave a good talk. I thank him.

The next day I'm talking to my advisor in his office, hashing out a few details I'd like to pin down before publishing. In walks fm, who gives an impromptu presentation on the work he's doing. What's so exciting is that he suggests a range of tools that I would never have considered and seem supremely cool. The next day fm gives his invited talk and explicitly references my talk. I've since started reading one of fm's books on the material in question. It was a phenomenal conference.

Today I get a letter indicating that I've won a summer research award. My advisor would have funded me even if I hadn't, but it's nice to be able to fill out the meager "awards and honors" section of my CV. Someone who was part of the selection committee tells me that my proposal was tops not just in the math department but across the University.

Today was a good math day.