---

---

The UNT College of Science is pleased to welcome Dr. Hannes Jakob to the UNT Mathematics department this semester as one of their new Visiting Assistant Professors. Dr. Jakob is from Freiburg, Germany, where he recently completed his doctorate in the field of set theory. 

“Inside set theory, I am interested in the study of independence which refers to the investigation of statements which are neither proven nor refuted by the rules of mathematics,” said Dr. Jakob. 

Though he’d never before stepped foot outside the Central European time zone of his hometown, Dr. Jakob was drawn to UNT for its renowned researchers in set theory and made the move to Texas this summer. 

“UNT’s set theory group is one of the largest in the U.S. and best suited towards my research interests, especially the work of Dr. John Krueger, who was a referee for my PhD thesis and Dr. Jing Zhang,” he said. “Despite what some might think, mathematics is a very social endeavor and collaboration is an important aspect of our field.” 

Alongside collaborating on mathematical problems with his peers, Dr. Jakob is excited to start teaching Honors I Calculus classes this upcoming semester too. 

“I enjoy teaching calculus because I consider it to be the first real introduction to mathematics; it is often where students first start to see rigorous proofs,” he said. “As a mathematician who deals in proofs, I am excited to show to my students the elegance and beauty of a rigorous and correct mathematical proof and the certainty that it brings.” 

Mathematical research like Dr. Jakob’s is unique from other fields of study because so much of the work is cerebral, requiring little to no traditional lab work or fieldwork.  

“The main advantage of this is that I can conduct my work anywhere, anytime. The only thing I need is my head, and maybe a pen and some paper,” he said. “The advice I would give to students seeking to study mathematics is to not give up because it gets much easier with time. Frustration is normal and happens to everybody, sometimes one must simply stare at the material long enough for it to make sense.”