A core goal of the Center for the Advancement of Students and Alumni (CASA) at Georgia State University is to advance the education of any student who walks through its doors at 55 Park Place NE, Suite 320, in Atlanta, GA. From the start of the academic year through any given summer, CASA’s Directors and Project Coordinators plan professional development workshops, offer mentoring support, and recruit qualified students by way of its rigorous application process to participate in its diverse paid research opportunities sponsored by numerous grants. This month, one of CASA’s summer research assistants, Max Budnick, received a great honor, the Barry Goldwater scholarship. The CASA reached out to Budnick to discuss his recent achievement, career challenges in the construction, and the benefits of his summer research assistantship.
Please share why being awarded the Barry Goldwater is so important to you? How do you plan to use the scholarship?
This application was a great deal of work, with the most challenging part being the research essay. Completing this application represented a culmination of the skills I gained throughout my education at GSU. I had my eye on this scholarship from the start of Fall 2022 and was fortunate enough to be accepted into the math path program downtown and Perimeter Colleges REU program over Fall and Spring 2023. These programs provided me with the substance for my application, and receiving this award shows that my persistence paid off. I plan to apply the funds of this scholarship to my education, allowing me to focus more on my education without being as concerned with income.
Can you share any challenges you faced moving from a construction to a research career?
After high school, I had no interest in pursuing higher education, and I was very excited to be as far away from school as possible. I eventually landed a career in construction, where I worked my way up to project manager. This work was demanding and, at points, could be technically complex, with errors costing thousands. I saw my career trajectory and wasn’t feeling excited by it. That’s when I decided to return to education. The experience I gained in the workforce has been highly beneficial to me. I was using Microsoft Project to manage the progress with my research so I could stay on track with my application. A research career is very different from a career working for a private company. While private companies prioritize the bottom line and finding quick solutions, academia values quality and accuracy in discoveries. Overcoming these challenges required adjusting my expectations and adapting my skillset to better align with the research environment. The Goldwater scholarship was just a small steppingstone in starting a research career, and I’m looking forward to adapting to new challenges as my career advances.
After graduating from GSU, what are your next academic or professional steps?
I plan to pursue graduate school and acquire a Ph.D. in mathematics, potentially focusing on computational mathematics. However, I still have a lot of time to explore my interests within the field.
Can you discuss what you worked on during your summer Math Path research assistantship?
Over the summer of 2022, I worked with Dr. Grinsphon on a mathematical game. We used techniques from experimental mathematics to formulate a hypothesis on strategies for optimal play. My work at Math Path helped me build a foundation for the research I continued through funding from Perimeter Colleges REU program. Once at Perimeter College, I worked closely with Professor Muiny and Dr. Walls, continuing to build on the question I was introduced to over the summer.
Can you share how the Center for the Advancement of Students and Alumni supported you during your summer research assistantship?
The CASA program was central to my winning the Goldwater scholarship. The program bootstrapped me with the material and knowledge to continue my summer research into Perimeter Colleges REU program. Dr. Grinsphon, my mentor in the program, introduced me to the project and provided support throughout the summer, enabling me to continue working on the question to apply for this scholarship. Without CASA, I wouldn’t have had the experience required to apply for the Goldwater Scholarship.