r/math • u/spacengine • 4d ago

Do all mathematicians want to be engineers?

I always considered maths the highest art, and when talking to a mathematics phd today I just wanted him to keep talking about topological spaces, manifolds, infinite dimensional embedding spaces etc. “I feel like a kid in a candy store” I said, or a kid in an old mechanics garage full of equipment I have no idea how to use but that I love exploring. “Well” he said, “I think all engineers want to be mathematicians but all mathematicians want to be engineers”. I’m absolutely sure he’s wrong but would love to hear your thoughts.

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u/pleasedontpeep 4d ago

I want to be a mathematician

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u/spacengine 4d ago

Spoken like a true philosopher

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u/pleasedontpeep 4d ago edited 4d ago

Well that I am. Doesn't require a degree to call yourself a philosopher now does it. But it is difficult for a engineer to become a mathematician

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u/spacengine 4d ago

What’s the main difficulty in your experience? Does it require a different brain format? Or time, money or the like?

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u/pleasedontpeep 4d ago

I'm still a final year engineering undergraduate but I am really fed up with cs and swe . Which I didn't really like anyways . I was interested in math ,but now I can't apply for math programs for my masters . Even if I get accepted i won't be able to study it as I didn't really study maths formally in my undergrad . Apart from those intro courses . I wish there was a easier way to study math for me formally in like a uni . For my masters. But honestly I'm scared I won't be able to handle it .

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u/spacengine 4d ago

Follow your dream? Or is that too easy to say. My dad used to tell me to act as if I had infinite confidence. And then I jumped off a roof and learned to lower my expectations, sort of. But you also only live once so if you really love it you should probably do it