New CSEM Student Representatives Share Goals and Discuss Student Life

As the 2024-25 academic year begins, Computational Science and Mathematics (CSEM) students at the Oden Institute for Computational Engineering and Sciences have elected four of their peers to represent their interests and lead activities to enhance student life.

Avid chess player and sports fan, Evan Scope Crafts, will serve as the Ombudsperson for the upcoming year. When not engaged in his research, Evan enjoys catching the latest blockbusters as well as timeless classics at the movie theater. Evan is part of the Optimization, Inversion, Machine Learning, and Uncertainty for Complex Systems (OPTIMUS) center; he is focused on applying mathematical and computational tools to design and optimize medical imaging systems, particularly in Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and Photoacoustic Computed Tomography (PACT).

Recruitment Chair, Xin Tang, loves to swim and read books during her free time. Xin is currently working to optimize power grids under the supervision of Michael Baldea, professor of chemical engineering. As Recruitment Chair, she hopes to connect more CSEM students with each other and improve students’ overall experience in the program.

Tarini Thiagarajan’s goal as Social Chair is to build “a strong sense of community that can help students reach their full potential, improve their quality of life, and give them a sense of purpose.” Tarini enjoys composing music and spending time with her family and friends. She is part of the Center for Computational Oncology and is currently constructing patient-specific mathematical models of glioblastoma progression.

Kenton Wu will also serve as Social Chair for the upcoming year. This is Kenton’s second year as a CSEM Representative. He enjoys watching movies and playing Civilization V in his spare time. He is part of the Computational Hydraulics Group, where he is working to design scalable algorithms to simulate coastal flooding and compound flooding. As Social Chair, he is committed “to make the Oden Institute as socially inclusive as it is intellectually inclusive.”

The CSEM program distinguishes itself from other Ph.D. programs through its interdisciplinary nature, drawing students from a wide range of STEM backgrounds and expertise. “We have a unique student body since our program is so interdisciplinary, sometimes it's harder to get to know other people in the program,” Xin said. 

Evan, Xin, Tarini, and Kenton will work together to unite the diverse interests of the student body and represent them to the CSEM Graduate Studies Committee. They are also tasked with arranging student social events, fostering faculty-student engagement, and assisting with graduate recruitment. 

Evan hopes to utilize his position as Ombudsperson to improve conditions for graduate students and highlight the crucial role they play at the university. “In my time at UT I have seen firsthand the many issues that graduate student workers face. I believe that graduate students form a critical component of the labor power required to make the university run, and if we can band together we have the power to ensure we are all paid better and treated better.” 

Xin hopes to draw her undergraduate school community experience into her role as Recruitment Chair. “I come from a small undergrad school, where you feel like you know everyone and it's like a family. I love this connection and hope to see more of that in our program,” Xin said. 

All four representatives emphasize the importance of community when it comes to achieving success in graduate school. According to Kenton, “My experience with Covid taught me how important a healthy social environment is to a healthy research environment. It is easy to slip into self-doubt when we forget that we are surrounded by people just like us.” 

Tarini shares Kenton’s vision; she states her goal as Social Chair “is to foster community between CSEM students and encourage connections between students and faculty.” 

The CSEM Student Representative program is a key element of the Oden Institute graduate experience, offering valuable leadership opportunities and the chance to strengthen connections with peers and faculty. Interested students can find more information on CSEM student leadership and other opportunities here.