Ivo Miguel Sousa Ferreira - Master’s degree in Mathematics, Statistics And Applications in 2015 - 2016

After completing my masters I was invited by the Mathematics Department of the Faculty of Exact Sciences and Engineering to teach the theoretical-practical lessons of a few curricular units in the area of Statistics and Probabilities.

The second cycle of studies had, in my point of view, a strong Statistics component. Consequently, I discovered that the majority of topics that involve this area awaken my curiosity and I found myself solving problems in a spontaneous/fluid manner, contrary to what used to happen in other scientific fields. This course gave me the necessary independence to overcome the inumerous challenges I face on a daily basis. It became easier to identify the association between Mathematics and other fields of knowledge such as Economics/Management, Engineering, Medicine, Chemistry and others. Besides that, working as a teacher has been an undoubtedly rewarding experience as I recognize that this opportunity to convey knowledge is fundamental for my development as an academic.

I believe that the course syllabus is structured in such a way that students, either who have a background in the area of Mathematics or those who come from cross-sectional areas (such as my case), can add to or deepen previously acquired knowledge. I find it interesting to point out that my academic path began in 2011 when I enrolled for my undergraduate degree in Management at the University of Madeira, which I finished three years later. From very early on I have always liked numbers and the way that these can be used to (de)code the world. Unfortunately, however, there weren't any vacancies for the undergraduate degree in Mathematics in the year that I applied, so I decided to enrol in Management. My ambition to eventually study Mathematics led me to apply for a Masters in Mathematics, following completion of my undergraduate degree in 2014. Following two hard and challenging years, seeing that my foundations were in a slightly different area, I can safely say that it was a time in which I felt truly fufilled.

The manner in which the lectures from the Department of Mathematics teach their subjects, provides students with a set of skills that prepares them not only for the world of business but also for the scientific field. In addition to this, students of the University of Madeira can take advantage of the geographical proximity associated to the fact that we are located on an island which, in my view, offers greater professional availability which may be used for acquiring and broadening one's knowledge. I would like to finish with the following quote: to study Mathematics is to realize that there is an infinite universe of numbers which may be organized in order to justify phenomena which in many cases is not visible to the naked eye.