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Being a PhD student can sometimes feel disconnected from reality. “When you’re doing PhD research, you start to question, you know, how useful is this?” said Madison Van Dyk.

But for the second-year PhD student in the Department of Combinatorics and Optimization, the research is fully grounded and relevant. Van Dyk’s research finds practical application for one of the largest companies in the world, Amazon.

Far from the research being abstract or isolated in an ivory tower, Van Dyk says that what she learns in the PhD program is immediately applicable. “The skills are employable, and that’s across the board for ��ݮ��Ƶ Math. A lot of the skills we learn are not only hireable, but if you find the right place, you can apply your research directly.”

Van Dyk researches in the field of discrete optimization, specifically on network design. She studies networks to understand ways to make them function better and with better timing. In her internship with Amazon, she applies research knowledge to test algorithms and improve delivery networks for the consumer goods and shipping giant.

“In combinatorics and optimization,” Van Dyk continued, “we often look at problems and say, okay, I want some approximation algorithm, but we don’t worry about how practical these are to implement. Whereas at Amazon, they really care. They need to implement it now, and they want you to solve a real problem for them. The practical application gives it a little bit more urgency than if it’s in a paper.”

Van Dyk’s supervisor is Jochen Koenemann. Along with being a professor of combinatorics and optimization, Koenemann is an Amazon Scholar and helped her find the internship as part of the PhD program. For Van Dyk, having a supportive supervisor is one of the keys for any successful PhD student.

“Anyone interested in a PhD should look at the research their potential supervisor does and make sure they’re interested in that research. And make sure to communicate with them in advance so that it’s a good match.”

Van Dyk knew her supervisor from her work as an undergraduate research assistant, and so came into the PhD program with a research focus already in mind. But she also thinks it’s important to know that “not everything is set in stone. It’s good to know some background on the program and the department, but also know that your interests can and should evolve somewhat.”

Along with her academic research and internship, Van Dyk also makes time for service to the Faculty of Mathematics. She is active with committees focused on student mental health, something she has done ever since her undergrad at ��ݮ��Ƶ.

“I’ve been fairly involved with the mental health push at ��ݮ��Ƶ. I was a MATES peer counsellor during my undergrad for a couple of terms. And I was also on a supporting panel for the President’s Advisory Committee for Student Mental Health. Now, as a graduate student, I’ve been working on a module to support students called Mathie Wellness, with the Community Health and Wellbeing Committee in the Faculty of Math.”

Being involved in specialist research and practical work, being supported by her supervisor and the department, and giving back through her service to the Faculty of Mathematics – all of this creates an environment in which Van Dyk can thrive.

“If you told me in my first year of undergrad that this is where I’d be right now, I wouldn’t have believed you. I just said yes to the opportunities that came my way.”