Author Archives: Edray Goins

About Edray Goins

Edray Herber Goins grew up in South Los Angeles, California. The product of the Los Angeles Unifi ed (LAUSD) public school system, Dr. Goins attended the California Institute of Technology, where he majored in mathematics and physics, and earned his doctorate in mathematics from Stanford University. Dr. Goins is currently an Associate Professor of Mathematics at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana. He works in the eld of number theory, as it pertains to the intersection of representation theory and algebraic geometry.

Harry Potter and the Order of Infallible Idols

Posted on 03/01/2017 by Edray Goins

Much like the bespeckled boy wizard at Hogwarts, I spent my formative days at a school where science and magic were commonplace, the house you were sorted into determined your social circles, and dementors were at the ready to torture … Continue reading →

Posted in General, Graduate School | 1 Comment

What is this “Graduate School thing” again?

Posted on 10/26/2016 by Edray Goins

Recently a former REU student stopped by to tell me of her plans. She will graduate within the next semester and plans to attend graduate school afterwards. But she told me something surprising: she really doesn’t know what one does … Continue reading →

Posted in Going to graduate school, graduation | 2 Comments

The Ubiquity of Pi Day: It’s Not Just for Math Geeks

Posted on 03/15/2014 by Edray Goins

More and more every year, popular culture seems to be fascinated with Pi Day: the one day of the year where the infamous irrational number \( \pi = 3.14 \) is celebrated to eponymous accuracy, that is, on March 14. … Continue reading →

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How Do I Find Money for Graduate School?

Posted on 09/15/2013 by Edray Goins

At many schools across the country, the Fall Semester is underway. (My university’s first day of classes was exactly three weeks ago.) That means many students are beginning their final year of college and wondering what the future holds. Well, … Continue reading →

Posted in General, Going to graduate school, graduation | 2 Comments

How do I find research projects for my students?

Posted on 02/19/2013 by Edray Goins

I work at a Research I university where students hear about faculty conducting research all the time. Some students actually know what this means, while others have worked with faculty on their own research projects. (I’m not claiming these two … Continue reading →

Posted in General | 1 Comment