Mohammed Abouzaid: The Sum of a Great Mind and a Great Education

Pursuing Mathematics for a Living

Aly El Attal

Mohammed Abouzaid graduated from Schutz in 1998 and went on to attend the University of Richmond where he received his Bachelor’s degree in 2002. By 2007, he had acquired a Master’s and Doctorate degree in Mathematics from the University of Chicago. He is currently working at Massachusetts Institute of Technology as a mathematician and a research fellow, which is a position given to people who have recently received their doctorates to facilitate their career development.

Schutz has affected Mohammed’s life tremendously; he came to Schutz at the age of fourteen barely speaking a word of English and came out fully prepared to go to college. He says that it would not have been possible were it not for the open, inclusive community of students Schutz had. When asked about his most memorable Schutz memories he recalled the time when Schutz hosted the academic games competition and how his team made it all the way to the finals but lost to CAC in a game held at the auditorium.

In ten years, Mohammed hopes to be doing essentially the same things he is doing now and maybe be settled in a permanent academic position that will involve teaching as well as research. He finds the academic world to be well suited to his temperament. This, however, does not interfere with his personal life; he has been married for a few years now.

He thinks that his path was rather standard among people who pursue mathematics for a living: four years to obtain a bachelor's degree followed by a five-year doctoral program.
When asked if there is any message he would like to give current Schutz students he said to make sure to use the opportunity that you have to be able to understand things from more than one perspective. The world we live in is a truly diverse one, but it is singularly lacking in people whose experiences and world views fully reflect this diversity.