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When it comes to winning formulas,
the above equation is one that young
mathematician Richard Gibson lives
by.
Gibson, 21, graduates this month
with an honours BSc, a perfect GPA
of 9.0 and the Governor General’s
Silver Medal as the university’s top
undergraduate in all faculties for
2006.
“I was a little surprised,” says Gibson
of the day last month when the
office of the dean of science phoned
to tell him of his achievement. “I
was definitely trying to win it, but
I knew I was up against some other
good students.”
Gibson’s academic record is replete
with A+’s, including tough third- and
fourth-year courses in combinatorial
mathematics, complex analysis and
mathematical modelling. He seems
slightly embarassed about an A he
received in astronomy and an A- in
English. “Maybe I didn’t put full
effort into those two or something, I
don’t know,” he laughs.
Gibson figures the last time he
got a mark below an A was in Grade
5. It’s no surprise, then, that he
graduated from Victoria’s Spectrum
Community High School at the top
of his class.
Mathematics has been his academic
passion for as long as he can
remember. “Even in elementary
school math was my best subject, so
I thought I’d just keep doing what
I’m best at,” he says.” I think it’s
the problem-solving. I like figuring
things out.”
Not that it always comes easily.
Although he sailed through courses
in his first couple of years at UVic,
upper-level courses took more study
hours—and sweat. “Math takes time
to do, no matter what,” he says.
Along the way, Gibson collected
enough credits for a minor in computer
science and many awards, including
a Fairfax Financial Holdings Inc.
Scholarship, the Marvin Shinbrot
Memorial Scholarship, and a Corporate
Express Scholarship.
Last summer, he worked on a
research project in mathematical biology
with UVic professor Reinhard
Illner. The work resulted in a scientific
paper that has been submitted to a
prestigious journal for publication.
Gibson heads for a master’s degree
in math at Simon Fraser University this
fall. Next on the agenda is a PhD and
hopefully a career in academia or industry.
He’ll miss his UVic intramural
sports buddies—in floor hockey, especially —and he has some parting words
of advice for incoming students.
“Manage your time well and don’t
put work off . I’m not a big fan of letting
things linger. Get to it as fast as
possible. And then have some fun.”
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