{"522651":{"#nid":"522651","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Get to Know the School of Math Prof: Galyna Livshyts","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWhat is your research about? \u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMy \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/people.math.gatech.edu\/~glivshyts6\/\u0022\u003Eresearch\u003C\/a\u003E is about geometry in two, three, and higher dimensions. A lot of the geometric properties of sets have important applications. For example, one of the questions I\u2019m working on has to do with packing: Suppose we have a million 10-inch-diameter ball-shaped items, and we need to pack them in an optimal way. What shape should we choose for the package?\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWhat has been the most exciting time so far in your research life?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EA few exciting times were when I would arrive at final conclusion when proving a theorem, which led to papers and collaborations.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EHow did you find your way to mathematics research?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EI have always liked math. I attended math circles as well as a math-oriented high school, and I participated math Olympiads.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWhat advice would you give to a college freshman who wants to be a mathematician?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETake graduate courses in mathematics, and always aim for more.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EIf you could not be a mathematician, in what line of work would you be now?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn that case I would like to be a writer, a postman, a marathon runner, a psychology theorist, a dog trainer, a park ranger, or a zoo keeper. All of those I find exciting, but not as exciting as math.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWhat is the most exciting thing about being a part of Georgia Tech? \u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBeing a part of such a nice interdisciplinary community, within which we all have common interests and inspirations, is nice.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWhat are you most surprised about in your encounters with Georgia Tech students?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThey are significantly better at math and more hard working than students in most American universities.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWhat is an unusual skill, talent, or quality you have that is not obvious to your colleagues?\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EI run long distances. My record distance is a marathon (26.3 miles), but I intend to beat it soon.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWhat is your ideal way of relaxing? \u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHiking, walking, playing tennis, swimming outdoors, doing BBQ, camping, watching my birds on my porch while thinking about math. The last happens often, and the rest I do every week or every other week.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWhat three destinations are still in your travel to-do list?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EChina, South America, Australia; I haven\u2019t had a chance to go to those places yet.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EIf you won $10 Million in a lottery, what would you do with it?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EInvest it in a hedge fund and keep doing all the same things I do now. But I don\u2019t play lotteries.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"Part of a Series of Q\u0026A Miniprofiles for Math Awareness Month"}],"field_summary":"","field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Mathematician and long-distance runner Galyna Livshyts explains her research, recalls highlights of her career, and shares personal insights."}],"uid":"30678","created_gmt":"2016-04-07 18:30:56","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:21:17","author":"A. Maureen Rouhi","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2016-04-13T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2016-04-13T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"522661":{"id":"522661","type":"image","title":"Galyna Livshyts","body":null,"created":"1460134800","gmt_created":"2016-04-08 17:00:00","changed":"1475895291","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:54:51","alt":"Galyna Livshyts","file":{"fid":"206073","name":"galyna.livshyts.2.capture.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/galyna.livshyts.2.capture.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/galyna.livshyts.2.capture.png","mime":"image\/png","size":52633,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/galyna.livshyts.2.capture.png?itok=YMEkQv8Q"}}},"media_ids":["522661"],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"}],"categories":[{"id":"134","name":"Student and Faculty"}],"keywords":[{"id":"170088","name":"Galyna Livshyts"},{"id":"4336","name":"geometry"},{"id":"171877","name":"math career advice"},{"id":"168854","name":"School of Mathematics"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39431","name":"Data Engineering and Science"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EA. Maureen Rouhi\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDirector of Communications\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ECollege of Sciences\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["maureen.rouhi@cos.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}