3. Postdoctoral Program - MSRI

Final report: mentoring Sikimeti Ma’u
Our most significant interactions took place in the Fall. I first tried to make sure
that Sikimeti was progressing in her research, and then in her job search. Initially
this search was very frustrating, and I think our contact was useful in helping
her keep a positive attitude. Upon my advice, she rewrote her research statement
several times, both to make it more readable and to explain her own contributions
to the subjects more clearly.
She visited Barnard and Columbia several times in the Fall; I discussed teaching
and research issues with her then. Her teaching with its careful explanations was
much appreciated. I also arranged for her to give a talk in the Columbia seminar.
She used these trips very sensibly, also scheduling visits to her collaborators in
Rutgers and at MIT.
I encouraged her to talk to Auroux in Berkeley, since his research interests are
much closer to hers than mine are. By the Spring she had developed a very good
interaction with him. Specially after she had obtained a job in Berkeley with him
as mentor, there was not such a pressing need for us to be in contact. However,
we did remain in touch, and I recently met her in person at the Simons Center in
Stony Brook. We talked about her progress with writing papers and her research
plans.
This has been a very fruitful year for Sikimeti. She has developed very nicely
and has excellent prospects for the future.
Dusa McDuff
Kimmel Professor of Mathematics at Barnard.
June 14, 2011
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