Number Theory, YouTube Stats, Winter Break, and a Jar
Letter? I Hardly Know Her! - Newsletter 01/2022
Welcome, WELCOME to Letter? I Hardly Know Her! I’m Apoorva (the her in question), a 16 y/o researcher, artist, writer, keynote speaker, and advocate for youth and gender minorities in STEAM. This newsletter is a means for me to keep track of my personal & professional growth, and to share all the good stuff I’m working on! First-timers: it’s so nice to meet you, I’m so glad you’re here! For my regular hardly-knowers, here’s your promised, extra special greeting: welcome again you genuine and lovable flower–seeing you again is like running down a steep hill: it makes me feel pure joy.
If you too want an extra greeting, you better subscribe:
As a heads up, I publish newsletters on each MONTH/MONTH, i.e. 1/1, 2/2, 3/3, … , 12/12. Is it the most efficient system? Frankly, no. But is it the most funky fresh? Absolutely it is.
Happy, happy new year, Hardly-Knowers!! Alright, I know we had a deal that this newsletter would go out on January 1st (not 11th), but in my DEFENSE, I thought I would have pictures to share from the Joint Mathematics Meeting (Jan 5-8) if I published today instead (spoiler….I do not). On that note, let’s get into the mischief of the month!
As a heads up, the past month has been fairly chill–I used it as a relaxing break to avoid the burnout that I felt looming over me on the horizon. So, this newsletter should be snappy!
2021 YouTube: Year in Review
At the end of December, I got this very nice email with my YouTube stats snapshot. I’m generally not super active about posting videos, so it’s fun that people still occasionally stumble across my Genius Junior days!
Because of these videos, I’ve actually gone viral a couple times in 2021 on Instagram and TikTok, so feel free to tell all your friends and family that you’re besties with an A-list celebrity. <3
Joint Mathematics Meeting (JMM) - Postponed
Like I mentioned a second ago, I was gearing up to attend the 3-day JMM math conference in Seattle last week. As a part of its Undergraduate Poster Session, I was going to talk about number theory research I did with my wonderful group at University of VirginIa’s 2021 REU.
Unfortunately, due to concerns about the fast spread of Omicron, it was postponed and is now going to be a virtual conference. While I’m so glad that they are taking the necessary precautions against this very serious variant, I’m still a little bummed out I won’t be able to see some of my favorite people. But here’s to hoping it happens next year!
Accepted into Acta Arithmetica
Speaking of research, I’m super happy to share that a paper I co-authored has been accepted for publication in the number theory journal Acta Arithmetica:
Small Gaps Between Three Almost Primes and Almost Prime Powers
I worked on this paper with my professors at San Jose State, Dr. Daniel Goldston and Dr. Jordan Schettler, and it’s related to one of our previous papers together. While it’s a little too technical to get into here, here’s a brief rundown:
First, we define a j-almost prime as a positive integer with j prime factors counted with multiplicity (meaning that if 9 divides the number, we count 3 twice since 3*3 = 9) and a j-almost prime power as a positive integer with j distinct prime factors (each prime divides the number at most once, so 3 can be a factor but 9 can’t).
The general idea of our paper is that we want to find small gaps which contain three almost primes or almost prime powers infinitely often.
!! ARTWORK ALERT !!
Look at this majestic prince. Look at him. WHAT A GOOD BOY. This is my friend’s dog, Milo, aka my favorite dog ever in the history of everything.
For his birthday and as a Christmas present, I drew Milo as the royalty he is. This was a little fun project I wanted to do for this beautiful boy, but it made my heart very happy when his family said they loved it and are planning on printing it out to hang up!!
(If you too have a precious pet you want to see as royalty, feel free to email me at apoorvaartgallery@gmail.com! I take commissions as part of my virtual art gallery and all proceeds go towards charity.)
The Fun, the Fresh, & the Funky
Winter break was freakin’ fantastic, I genuinely did nothing but spend time with family I hadn’t seen in years in Texas, eat an obscene amount of sugar, read, and watch movies…and it was glorious.
Dessert highlights:
As for Christmas, we celebrate the gift-giving aspect of it, so my sister and I went shopping for our little cousins. Our first stop? Barnes & Nobles.
From ice-skating to binge-watching the Divergent movies to playing Sequence on New Year, this winter break was definitely one for the books. (Also, Spider-man: No Way Home was so iconic, I saw it in theatre twice and sobbed multiple times.)
As for the new year, when I reflected back on 2021, I had a very hard time trying to construct a timeline of things that happened…let alone good things. Solution?
Start a Good Things™ Jar! Every time a good thing happens, whether it’s a funny quote, a professional victory, or just something that makes me smile, I’ll write it on a slip of paper and put it in the jar.
At the end of the year, I’ll get to relive all of 2022’s best moments!
What does the beginning of 2022 have in store?
Coming up next on Keeping Up With (K)Apoorva...
Davidson Fellows Newsletter Feature
I’ll be writing a quick newsletter about my Davidson Fellows research project, my future plans in STEM, and my advice for students interested in mathematics for the “In the Spotlight” section of Davidson Institute’s bi-monthly eNewsletter (which I’ll of course share with you once it comes out)!
Nikkei Interview
Like I mentioned in my last newsletter, I’m so honored to have been interviewed by Nikkei, the world’s largest financial newspaper, about what I’m working on, some of my thoughts on the future, Gen Z’s potential and impact, and issues with traditional school education, which will be published soon!
International Women’s Day 2022
As is tradition, this International Women’s Day (March 8) I will be auctioning a portrait of a trailblazing woman, and all the proceeds will go to charity! In 2021, I painted a portrait of Ruth Bader Ginsberg, the “Notorious” RBG, to honor her revolutionary work for gender equality. As a feminist icon, she is a perfect example of what IWD is all about: women’s empowerment. With the portrait, I ended up raising $4,000, thanks to the wonderful support of eBay and iTalent Digital! The funds went towards the Child Advocates of Silicon Valley to aid foster youth and support court-appointed volunteer advocacy to protect children who have experienced abuse or neglect.
Gems in STEM: Proving Why You Aren’t Popular
In my next article, I’ll be mathematically proving why you’re not popular…ouch. But it’s okay, stay tuned and we’ll figure out how to get you more friends!
Hackathon
I’m taking part in a hackathon during the first weekend of February!! Details unknown, but it will have something to do with gene editing and/or nanotechnology…intriguing.
A Quarter for Your Quote?
“We don’t see things as they are; we see them as we are.”
Anaïs Nin, Seduction of the Minotaur (1961)
(I’ll leave that for you to think about.)
En fin. So proud of you for making it this far (and just for existing in general)!
If you aren’t already subscribed, get on it! Gently press that button below to get your extra special greeting in the next newsletter! <3
Sincerely,
Her (Apoorva)
Feel free to contact me about speaker events, comments, and anything else at apoorvapanidapu@gmail.com! You can also connect with me on LinkedIn, follow me on Medium, and check out my art gallery, personal website, or Instagram.
Now that you are ready to delete “hardly” from Letter? I Hardly Know Her!, I would greatly appreciate you sharing this so that my publication name doesn’t become irrelevant & obsolete! <3
I might need your autograph now…
I’m shocked but I’m not surprised… as usual