News

CCNY graduate student Haider Riaz's engagement with foundational topics in physics and philosophy led him to recognize the central role of rigorous mathematical structures in these fields. This, in turn, led him to our Master's program where he completed his degree in Spring 2026.

Congratulations, Haider!

Read below, as he reflects on his time in our program and what lies next in his journey!

My motivation to do a graduate degree in mathematics happened, of all places, in a philosophy seminar. The seminar in question was on philosophy of physics, and included topics in the foundations of quantum theory and quantum field theory. As fascinated as I was with the material we were studying, I struggled with the mathematical formalism that accompanied the theories. It dawned on me that to properly pursue my intellectual interests, I needed to strengthen my background in math. After graduating from my MA program and working in the city for a few years, I decided to enroll in the math master's program at CCNY to do just that.

The math program at CCNY is quite flexible and provides students with research, independent study, and funding opportunities. Thanks to the Rich Scholarship, I was able to work on a research project in dynamical systems theory with Prof. Kucherenko. I also completed an independent study with Prof. Chatterjee on stochastic processes. Among the courses that I took, I particularly enjoyed stochastic calculus and modern algebra, both taught by Dr. Amzallag. In addition, I had a great deal of fun doing a presentation on Lie groups and Lie algebras (a topic close to my heart) for Dr. Amarasingham's linear algebra class. Lastly, my time at CCNY was particularly memorable thanks to my classmates, who were always there to help me. As for my future plans, I will be taking a break before pursuing further graduate studies in physics. In the meantime, I plan to continue working with Prof. Kucherenko on my research project and learning new math along the way.

Jonathan Bugbee started taking our undergraduate Advanced Calculus classes for fun after work in 2023. Three years later, he has a Master's in Math and will soon start PhD studies at the CUNY Graduate Center.

Congratulations, Jonathan!

Read about Jonathan's journey below in his own words.

You do not need to know from a young age that you want to go into academia. You are not already “over the hill” mathematically at age 24.

When I was getting my bachelor’s degree, I had no ambitions for graduate school. After working in fin-tech for 4 years, I decided to apply to the master’s program at CCNY because I was bored. I missed learning math, had the free time to do so, and I knew that the best way for me to actually learn would be a classroom setting. CCNY offered classes in the late afternoon and evening, which meant I could keep working while pursuing my hobby.

As I started taking more classes, I met a supportive and dedicated community of both professors and students. Being exposed to graduate level content, I was starting to see the mathematics I had been hoping to master for a long time. I was finally understanding what it means to be a mathematician.

Listing every member of CCNY’s faculty and staff that had a positive impact on me would take too long, but I have to thank Dr. Michael Shub, Dr. Pat Hooper, Dr. Tamara Kucherenko, and Dr. Weilin Li in particular for their openness about what it would take for me to find success as a mathematician and their encouragement to pursue the academic path.

What really sealed the deal for me was participating in the Rich Summer Research Internship under the guidance of Dr. Kucherenko. We studied ergodic theory and topological dynamics of shift spaces. The project showed me how creative and rewarding mathematics research is. I made the final decision at the end of that summer to apply for a PhD. This meant quitting my job and completely changing the trajectory of my life, towards something I would have never considered just 3 years ago.

The support and guidance of CCNY’s faculty was invaluable during the application process, and I am excited to say that I will be attending the Mathematics PhD Program at the CUNY Graduate Center.

The Mathematics Department at The City College of New York is pleased to announce that Siobhán O'Connor, CCNY mathematics instructor and a recent CUNY Graduate Center Ph.D. graduate, has been selected as one of the two recipients of the 2025/26 Best Dissertation Award in Mathematics.

Siobhán O'Connor successfully defended her thesis on Algorithmic Problems in Automorphic Orbits of Free Groups in April 2026. The thesis was completed under the guidance of her advisor, Prof. Vladimir Shpilrain.

Braden Loughnane graduated this Spring with his master's degree in mathematics. Due to his excellent record in our program, he was selected to carry the Division of Science flag during the division's commencement program. Braden will continue his education in pursuit of a PhD at the University of Maryland.

Congratulations, Braden!

Below is more about Braden's experience at CCNY in his own words:

I graduated from the University of Michigan College of Engineering with a major in computer science and a minor in mathematics before working for two years as a software engineer in New York City. Curious about the mathematical foundations of machine learning, I was eager to return to an academic setting and pursue a career in research, but I lacked experience and certainty about my area of interest.

I applied to the program hoping to deepen my mathematical training, gain research experience, narrow my research focus, and prepare a strong application for Ph.D. programs.

Thanks to the master’s program and especially the mentorship of Prof. Chatterjee throughout my research and application process, I was admitted to a Ph.D. program in mathematical statistics at the University of Maryland, where I will begin this fall. My research will focus on statistical inference and deep learning theory.

I am also very grateful for the Rich Scholarship, which has supported me financially during the academic year as well as through two summer research internships. For the past year, I have conducted research on graph neural networks and community detection in sparse attributed graphs with Prof. Chatterjee. This summer, I will be working with Dr. Sánchez-Muñiz on topological data analysis with applications in climate modeling.

I have developed tremendously as a student of mathematics through the master’s courses and have enjoyed meeting and sharing ideas with my peers in the program. Dr. Amzallag’s courses in modern algebra and stochastic calculus were especially insightful. I also enjoyed taking an additional course in ergodic theory at the CUNY Graduate Center this semester.

I cannot overstate how grateful I am for the opportunities the CCNY Department of Mathematics has given me. I look forward to continuing my education and beginning a career in academic research, a path that may not have been possible without the support of the program.

David John earned the 2026 Provost’s Award for Pedagogical and Curricular Innovation. The award recognizes his outstanding contributions to teaching, curriculum development, and student support, especially work that goes beyond content delivery and meaningfully improves student learning and retention.

Through his work in the Department of Mathematics and the Artino Mathematics Tutoring Center, John has played a central role in strengthening student support structures, improving course materials, and creating more engaging learning experiences for students in foundational mathematics courses. His work has focused on helping students build stronger study habits, improve their mathematical confidence, and succeed in courses that are critical to their academic progress.

The award also recognizes excellence in service as acknowledged by members of the CCNY community, including peers as well as current and former students. John was formally honored on May 12, 2026, at the President’s Faculty & Staff Appreciation event in the Great Hall of Shepard Hall.

Congratulations, David John!