Undergraduate Alumni

Elizabeth Stephenson

Elizabeth Stephenson graduated from UTA with an honors bachelor of mathematics in 2018 after working in point-set topology with Barbara Shipman and mathematical biology with Hristo Kojouharov. Her undergraduate research at the Institute of Science and Technology Austria (ISTA) and coursework in Budapest under the Budapest Semesters in Mathematics program inspired her to move abroad for graduate studies in mathematics, and she joined the fall 2018 PhD cohort at ISTA, where she worked for several years in computational geometry and topology under Herbert Edelsbrunner. During this time she traveled to conferences and workshops in Australia, Japan, Canada, Germany, and the UK, and was on the committee for the Think&Drink institute talk series as well as in the working group that created the guidelines for the masters’ program at ISTA, which previously only offered PhDs.

After deciding to leave academia, she mastered out of the PhD program and moved to Norway, where she currently works as a researcher and software engineer at the indoor positioning startup Orteliu, doing mostly computational geometry and a bit of machine learning. Elizabeth keeps up correspondence with collaborators from academia and has continued to coauthor and review papers in her free time, and particularly enjoys making nice 3D figures and animations for her research projects.

In her remaining free time, Elizabeth stays busy with weaving, traveling, and wildlife photography. Recently she has enjoyed photographing bears in Alaska, snakes in Costa Rica, and jazz musicians at the Oslo Jazz Festival.

Gavin Sabine

Gavin Sabine graduated summa cum laude from the University of Texas at Arlington in 2019 with a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics and a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering. As an undergraduate, he conducted research in mathematical biology with Hristo Kojouharov and completed an engineering senior capstone focused on topology optimization of 3D-printed thin-walled aircraft structures. Alongside his technical work, he developed a strong interest in mathematics education.

Following graduation, Gavin contributed to several enrichment programs for young mathematicians. He served as a teaching assistant at the LSU Math Circle, where he supported courses in Python, number theory, and combinatorics. In addition, he worked as a counselor at Epsilon Camp in Colorado, a program for mathematically inclined children. He later planned and led daily lectures in number theory as a counselor at the Ross Mathematics Program, an intensive math program for high school students. He began graduate studies at Virginia Tech, where he worked under Megan Wawro on a National Science Foundation grant to develop inquiry-based linear algebra curriculum.

Gavin subsequently transitioned away from academia, towards industry, and has spent the past five years working as an actuary in the property and casualty insurance industry. He has developed expertise in pricing and reserving, and most recently supported the integration of an insurtech startup following its acquisition by Hiscox USA. In 2025, he became an Associate of the Casualty Actuarial Society (ACAS) and continues to pursue Fellowship.

Outside of his professional work, Gavin is an avid triathlete. During his undergraduate studies, he raced at the USA Duathlon National Championships in Bend, Oregon, earning qualification for and competing at the World Championships in Odense, Denmark. He continues to swim, run, and ride his bike around Fort Worth when he is not busy studying for his next actuarial exam.