Maths prodigy shares knowledge at EMU
A “maths genius” who won a place at Cambridge University at the age of 15 — the first in 200 years to do so — has given his first lecture in the TRNC after taking up a temporary role on the island.
Arran Fernandez, 23, delivered his debut lecture on calculus to students in the Faculty of Arts and Sciences at Gazimagusa’s Eastern Mediterranean University (EMU) on Monday.
Born in Glasgow, Scotland, home-educated Dr Fernandez achieved fame by taking GCSE exams at the age of five. He went on to be accepted at Fitzwilliam College to read maths — the youngest Cambridge student since prime minister-to-be William Pitt the Younger was offered a place as a 14-year-old in 1773.
Cyprus Today exclusively reported his initial visit to Eastern Mediterranean University in April at the invitation of EMU Faculty Dean Professor Dr Mehmet Ali Özarslan. As reported at the time, the then plain Mr Fernandez spoke of “the possibility of working in the TRNC after making some big decisions in my career, about where to go after finishing my PhD at Cambridge on fractional calculus”.
Professor Özarslan described Dr Fernandez then as “a future GH Hardy” — a reference to Godfrey Harold Hardy, a British academic best known for his 1940 essay on the “aesthetics” of mathematics.
Student Benal Cicibaba told Cyprus Today: “We are very excited that Arran is here and that he undertook his first lecture on Monday. It was a fantastic start and there was great feedback from his students.
“Dr Fernandez is a real inspiration. He is a maths genius. He makes mathematics seem so easy with his excellent communication skills when discussing formulae and calculus.”