{"id":114075,"date":"2019-07-17T16:31:04","date_gmt":"2019-07-17T22:31:04","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/?p=114075"},"modified":"2019-07-21T07:40:12","modified_gmt":"2019-07-21T13:40:12","slug":"alyssa-ortiz-earns-first-doctorate-of-mathematics-from-uccs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/?p=114075","title":{"rendered":"Ortiz returns to Air Force roots as first UCCS Ph.D. graduate of applied science in mathematics"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"In
In Spring 2019, Alyssa Ortiz became the first to graduate from UCCS’ Ph.D. Applied Science in Mathematics program.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Alyssa Ortiz didn\u2019t start her academic career in math, and she didn\u2019t start her professional career in academics. But that didn\u2019t stop her from becoming UCCS\u2019 first student to earn a Ph.D. in Applied Science in Mathematics this spring.<\/p>\n

From physics to math<\/b><\/p>\n

Ortiz \u2013 an Oregon native \u2013\u00a0moved to Colorado at age 18 to enter the U.S. Air Force Academy,\u00a0where she received a bachelor\u2019s degree in physics in 2007. After earning commission as a second lieutenant in the Air Force, Ortiz was stationed at Tinker Air Force Base in Oklahoma City, then deployed to Al-Udeid Air Force Base in Qatar.<\/p>\n

\"\"
Ortiz in her doctoral cap and hood after Spring 2019 Commencement.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

It was in Qatar, working as a communications officer, that Ortiz heard about an opportunity to earn a master\u2019s degree sponsored by the Air Force Academy \u2013 if she was a competitive enough candidate to earn one of two open positions teaching as an active duty officer in the Air Force Academy\u2019s\u00a0department of mathematics.<\/p>\n

Ortiz earned both the position and the sponsorship. In 2010, she began working towards her\u00a0Master of Science in Applied Mathematics at UCCS. After graduating in December 2011, Ortiz began teaching calculus, differential equations and linear algebra\u00a0in January 2012.<\/p>\n

“The whole experience was really fast,\u201d\u00a0Ortiz says.<\/p>\n

She continued,\u00a0\u201cThe\u00a0thing about getting sponsored by Air Force is\u00a0that\u00a0everything is paid for.The downside is they don\u2019t give you much time to get\u00a0a\u00a0degree, because they want to get you back and serving. So,\u00a0I had 18 months to get my master\u2019s. It was challenging because of the timeframe, but what was really challenging was to even bridge the gap from physics to math and still complete a degree in 18 months.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI feel really blessed to say I came out on the other side having successfully completed that.\u201d<\/p>\n

From a master\u2019s to a Ph.D.<\/b><\/p>\n

Ortiz taught at the Academy as an instructor of mathematics for a total of three years. By the end of her tour in 2015, the math department offered her another sponsorship opportunity: this time to earn her Ph.D.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey told me that no one had ever graduated from this program before. But I said, \u2018Well, there\u2019s got to be a first, right?\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

But Ortiz faced a tough decision. In 2015, the Air Force lost several communications officers in Ortiz\u2019s year group. Any assignments outside of that track were not subject to\u00a0approval, and\u00a0earning a doctorate in mathematics was far outside of Ortiz\u2019s career field. To earn her Ph.D. and continue teaching, she would have to leave the Air Force entirely.<\/p>\n

\u201cI had a major choice on my hands,\u201d\u00a0Ortiz says. She had been active duty in the Air Force for eight\u00a0years and\u00a0was nearly halfway to accumulating the 20 years of service that earn\u00a0retired service members a lifelong pension.<\/p>\n

\u201cPotentially giving up a good career and a guaranteed career path was a really hard choice,” she says. \u201cBut at the same time, I really wanted to pursue academics.\u00a0I always suspected I would like teaching, but the initial assignment\u00a0from the Air Force really cemented that. It ruined me for communications!\u201d<\/p>\n

First (and only) in her class<\/b><\/p>\n

\"\"
At the Spring 2019 Commencement ceremony, advisor Barbara Prinari placed Ortiz’s doctoral hood over her cap and gown.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

In 2015, Ortiz made the decision to leave the Air Force and pursue her Doctorate of Applied Science in Mathematics at UCCS. This time,\u00a0she was\u00a0a civilian\u00a0\u2013 and the first and only student in the\u00a0doctoral mathematics program.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was already familiar with the department and had a relationship with the faculty,\u201d\u00a0she says. \u201cIt\u2019s a smaller department, so it\u2019s like a family.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI felt really supported, but at the same time they told me that no one had ever graduated from this program before. But I said, \u2018Well, there\u2019s got to be a first, right?\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

Ortiz asked Professor of Mathematics\u00a0Barbara\u00a0Prinari\u00a0to serve as her advisor. While Ortiz formulated a body of work for her dissertation, the two collaborated on research in\u00a0Prinari\u2019s\u00a0primary area of interest, nonlinear waves. Their joint research was published in\u00a0“Studies in Applied Mathematics” under the name\u00a0\u201cInverse Scattering Transform and Solitons for Square Matrix Nonlinear Schr\u00f6dinger Equation.\u201d<\/p>\n

While the math is complex, the practical applications are real. One conclusion of the research is that using new materials for fiber optic cables could allow transmissions to self-perpetuate, allowing communications to travel over far longer distances without amplification.<\/p>\n

Ortiz says that becoming a published author in math was a highlight of her experience in the doctoral program.<\/p>\n

\u201cTo see my name in print was amazing,\u201d\u00a0she says.\u00a0\u201cIt was surreal. I remember calling my parents and saying, \u2018Guess what? I\u2019m a published author!\u2019<\/p>\n

\u201cMost of the time I just see myself as a mathematician and I just so happen to be a woman, but every now and then the gravity of it all hits me \u2013 the capability I have to inspire.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThey didn’t understand a word of the paper,\u201d\u00a0she continues, laughing. \u201cThey pointed out various words and asked me how they were pronounced. But they were really proud.\u201d<\/p>\n

Mathematician first, female mathematician\u00a0second<\/b><\/p>\n

Ortiz doesn\u2019t highlight the fact, but when she graduated in spring 2019, she wasn\u2019t just the first UCCS student to earn a Ph.D. in mathematics \u2013 she was the first woman to graduate from the program, too.<\/p>\n

When asked about it, Ortiz says,\u00a0\u201cIt\u2019s a really unique, awesome side note.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI know that there are not many female mathematicians at this level. People would point it out to me: \u2018You would not only be the first person to graduate from this program, but you would be the first woman, too.\u2019<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is historical. It makes me feel humbled and honored, because I know accomplishments by women do inspire other women who might be thinking about pursuing science or mathematics at\u00a0a high level.\u00a0And it did inspire me to work with Barbara, because of how brilliant I think she is.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"
Ortiz will return to teach at the Air Force Academy in fall 2019 – this time, as a civilian.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Ortiz says that working with\u00a0Prinari\u00a0opened her eyes to the capacity they both\u00a0have to\u00a0inspire future female mathematicians.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat really got me,\u201d\u00a0Ortiz says, \u201cwas going to conferences with Barbara and just seeing how much she is respected in her area of mathematics. She truly is a\u00a0leader. She\u2019s not just part of that world, she\u2019s a trailblazer in that world.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMost of the time I just see myself as a mathematician and I just so happen to be a woman, but every now and then the gravity\u00a0of it all\u00a0hits me\u00a0\u2013\u00a0the capability I have to inspire. Because I know how I looked at Barbara, and what if someone looked at me that way?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou step outside of yourself for a moment and say, this is pretty cool.\u201d<\/p>\n

Returning to the Air Force<\/b><\/p>\n

Now that she\u2019s earned the highest degree in her field, Ortiz is getting back to her roots: she accepted a civilian assistant professor position at the Air Force Academy right after graduation.<\/p>\n

This fall, she\u2019ll be teaching Calculus I to Air Force cadets. She\u2019ll also be reacquainting herself with the balance of teaching and conducting research.<\/p>\n

“The circle is complete.”<\/p>\n

While she doesn\u2019t expect to teach more advanced mathematics courses for at least a few years, Ortiz doesn\u2019t mind. Her favorite part of teaching is helping students who don\u2019t enjoy math to feel more confident with calculus and differential equations.<\/p>\n

And she expects to continue her mathematical research \u2013 all of which has practical applications in the world of physics.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is the cool thing for me,\u201d\u00a0she says. \u201cMy journey started in physics as an undergraduate,\u00a0and all these years later, I\u2019m back to understanding physics again from a mathematical perspective.\u201d<\/p>\n

So too is Ortiz back to the Air Force Academy, having gone from active duty military to a civilian to an assistant professor.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe circle, she says, \u201cis complete.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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