‘I want to be an inspiration’, says IMPA Tech student

01/10/2024

In #Al alémDasEquações, we’re going to tell you about 21-year-old Isabelli Christini. Born in São José (SC), the Innovation Technology Mathematics bachelor’s student is the first generation of her family to take up a place in higher education. Now she wants to show the younger generation that everyone can achieve their goals through study.

As a child, the student always wanted to take the OBMEP (Brazilian Mathematical Olympiad for Public Schools) exam. “I was very nerdy. I liked a bit of everything, but my passion was always mathematics,” she said. At the time, the Olimpíada Mirim, a scientific competition aimed at students in the 2nd to 5th year of elementary school, didn’t exist yet. It was in the 6th grade that Isabelli took part in the OBMEP for the first time and already got an honorable mention.

After the mention, the goal was to win medals. “I started to enjoy it and began to study more. At my school, I did tutoring and had fun with math,” she said. And her dedication paid off. In all, the student has 4 OBMEP medals: 1 gold, 2 silver and 1 bronze.

Solving mathematical challenges has never been a problem for Isabelli, but rather a way to relax and distract herself, as if she were really solving a problem. “I’m a big fan of Agatha Christie, mystery books, and for me, an equation was almost a mystery. You have to find the x, which is almost always the culprit in a crime,” he joked.

The student then saw her studies as a chance to have a better future. “My parents didn’t have the chance to study, but they always showed me that the way to change my life was through studying. I put that in my head and grabbed opportunities like OBMEP.”

In 2019, he went to Salvador to receive the gold medal at the OBMEP National Ceremony. “It was one of the best days of my life. It was the first time I’d had a trip of this level,” he said.

In elementary school, studying mathematics wasn’t an option, but throughout high school the possibilities increased. “At the federal institute, I had a research project subject and I fell in love with it. I decided I wanted to be a researcher in mathematics. Then I did theater and realized that I liked communicating. I thought I could also be a teacher,” she said.

When she heard about IMPA Tech, Isabelli was excited to study mathematics, especially because of the interdisciplinary curriculum. “It fit in well with what I wanted for a degree: a more open course, with room for interdisciplinarity. I saw that I could do mathematics, but with linguistics subjects as well, for example.”

When the student was approved, the party was guaranteed. “I told everyone. I was very happy because I was going to do what I love and with financial support to stabilize myself.” The hard part was leaving her family at home. “We had a farewell celebration, but I didn’t want to think about it so I wouldn’t cry. Without my mother’s encouragement, I wouldn’t be here,” she said.

The move to Rio de Janeiro was full of expectations, but Isabelli kept her focus on her degree. “I wanted to see everything, but I realized that I should focus on my studies before living like a tourist. Being here is very hectic, but it’s worth it, especially for the opportunities I have. For this new semester, I’m focusing on subjects in the area of data science, which is the emphasis I plan to follow.”

Now she wants to show the younger generations in her family that it’s worth studying. “I want to give my nephew the opportunities I didn’t have. Everything in my life I’ve had to struggle for, breaking down doors and killing myself studying. Every time I feel homesick, I think of him and remember why I’m here. I want to be an inspiration,” he concluded.

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