I get far too much email in general, and certainly more than I can easily handle related to PhD admissions. There’s a reasonable chance that if you write to me, I either (a) will not have time to respond in a timely fashion, or (b) will have no clue how to productively respond (because you ask no question that I know the answer to). Hence, this page of Frequently Asked Questions.

Q: I have already been admitted to Cornell, can I talk to you about research?
A: Of course! The easiest way to pick a time is the scheduler widget on my home page.

Q: Are you admitting PhD students to your group?
A: All the fields that I work with do admissions by committee. I encourage you to send in an application, but I cannot admit you directly.

Q: OK, then are you looking for PhD students?
A: The answer is almost always “maybe.” This depends on many factors, including how many students I currently have (and their planned timelines) and on what proposals are approved. My usual advice for anyone considering a PhD program is to apply to places where there are a few people whose research you find exciting. That way you are not hanging your fate on any one specific prospective advisor (including me!).

Q: I want to work on area X, can I do a PhD with you on that?
A: It depends on X! I have some core competencies (numerical linear algebra, certain areas of optimization, microsystems engineering, maybe stellarator optimization) where I have worked for long enough that this is a reasonable idea. But I collaborate broadly, so in many areas where I have papers, the answer is probably still “no” – I would need a collaborator interested in this to advise a PhD student properly. I also get a lot of questions about whether I could advise a PhD in a hot area where I have no established background (neural networks, blockchain, quantum, etc). While I will (almost) never say “I’ll never do that,” you are best off assuming that I cannot do this for now.

Q: What background do you require from PhD students?
A: My work involves a mix of mathematical analysis, computation, and applications (which are all over). Most students come to me with at least an undergraduate minor in mathematics and some programming ability, but not much application background. Other students have a different mix, but I will usually assume that you know what a proof is and can write some code before you come to my door.

Q: Can you meet with me to talk about my PhD prospects?
A: I am planning to schedule a slot once a month or so for this type of conversation – check back here periodically for this. In general, though, this is a good discussion to have with your academic advisor (or research mentor) at your home institution.

Q: Can you look over my materials and say if I’d be a good fit at Cornell?
A: If you are asking about fit between fields where there is some ambiguity, then yes. I am happy to answer questions about where certain types of “between the lines” research are done at Cornell, including talking about if it makes more sense to apply to math or applied math, if it makes more sense to apply to applied math or CS, or what to do if you really think you want to do plasma physics with me (or something else equally specific). Otherwise, please just apply to our programs!

Q: I am an unconventional student and would love to know more about applying, are there resources for me?
A: Yes! See Cornell’s access and recruitment page for information and events.

Q: Can I write to you about your research?
A: I love talking about research! I also get too much email. Ask me a question that I can easily answer, and you’re much more likely to get a response.