SE CHRONICLE 684

29 ST EDWARD’S CHRONICLE

Victoria Patel

What do you at Teddies? I teach Mathematics and have just joined Teddies this September. What were you doing before? I completed my DPhil in Mathematics at the University of Oxford this summer. My research was on partial differential equations. More specifically, I obtained an equation modelling a certain type of material and showed the existence of a solution. Aside from this, I was a tutor for first- and second year undergraduates at Corpus Christi College and The Queen’s College, and an interviewer for undergraduate admissions at the University. I also rowed for the university lightweight squad. Who or what inspired you into teaching? It was no specific moment but seeing the improvements my students could make throughout the academic year was inspiring and so motivating for me; improvements not only in terms of academic grades but also in their personal development and confidence. What other areas of school life are you involved in? I am Assistant Housemistress in Oakthorpe. I’m so excited to get to know the girls and to dive straight into the heart of the school community. I’ll also be involved with the Boat Club. I have a reputation for rarely setting aside free time so I look forward to getting involved in much more as I settle in. What advice would you give to someone who says that they’ll never be good at Maths? There are two vital things you need to succeed at Maths. First: practice, practice, practice. As a university lecturer told me, Maths is not a spectator sport. The second: confidence is everything. Go into a question thinking you can solve it and that’s most of the hard work done. What do you enjoy about living and working in Oxford? The best thing has to be the cycling options. I spend most of my downtime on my road bike and I love the variety you can get depending on which direction you take out of Oxford. It might not be the Alps, or even the Lake District, but it’s still fantastic! Best advice you’ve ever been given? Just be you and enjoy it. Which book would you take to a desert island? It would have to be Freakonomics by Levitt and Dubner. Non-fiction is not always the most popular choice but this book has a way of making you look at the world from a completely different perspective. It never fails to make me laugh out loud, even on a re-read (see page 19).