Joshua Pfeffer’s big finish

Intel finalist

By Sammy Steiner

Issue of February 5, 2010/ 21 Shvat 5770

Last summer, Joshua Pfeffer tried every night to explain the first line of his mathematical research paper to his mom and dad. It’s not exactly clear if he succeeded, but someone else understood the value of what Joshua was up to: The Intel International Science and Engineering Fair recently notified Joshua of his acceptance as a finalist in this year’s competition. Pfeffer, who lives in Plainview, is a senior at North Shore Hebrew Academy High School in Great Neck,

His project, entitled “Super Kähler-Ricci Flow,” focuses on topology, space, and theoretical mathematics to generalize about the place of supermanifolds in string theory (are you following along, so far?). String theory, in case you’d like just a little more information, can be described as a theory about the functionality of the universe (still with us?). Pfeffer pursued this area of mathematics because, “I’ve been drawn to topology and theoretical mathematics because of their elegance and simplicity.”

Pfeffer began his research at SUNY-Stony Brook over the summer. With the aid of a mentor in theoretical mathematics, Professor Martin Rocek, he spent many hours in a math library researching the literature and advancing his project.

“I’ve always dreamed of entering this world where you can develop your own ideas, create something new, and talk about them with other mathematicians,” Joshua said. However, Professor Rocek attended a math conference and was away for about half the summer, leaving Pfeffer alone to tackle much of the work on his own. “It was like working as a PhD. student in a lab,” Pfeffer described.

Pfeffer submitted the Intel contest application by November 15th, he found out that he made it to the semifinals in mid-January, and he was notified about a week ago that he was a finalist.

The competition will be held in Washington from March 11-16, where the forty finalists will gather to present their research to the judges as well as display them for public exhibitions. Joshua is also excited because, “We will also get a chance to meet the President.”

Pfeffer has competed in academic competitions since the beginning of high school; as a ninth grader in 2007 he came in second in the national Chidon Ha’Tanach.

Mathematic has always been his passion. In tenth grade, Pfeffer placed second in the USA Mathematical Olympiad. He is one of a few, if not the only, shomer Shabbat students to attended the USA Mathematical Olympiad Summer program, a 3-4 week intensive program in advanced problem solving, in Nebraska, the following summer. Earlier this year, Pfeffer was a regional finalist in the 2009-2010 Siemens Competition in Math, Science, and Technology with the same project he will exhibit in the Intel Competition. He is currently a National Merit and Presidential Scholar candidate.

“Baruch Hashem, through his own abilities and hard work, our son Joshua has achieved the greatest success in his study of mathematics,” said Joshua’s parents, Daniel and Mindy Pfeffer. “Every night last summer Joshua tried to explain the first sentence of his research paper to us as we were eating dinner; it is a tribute to him that he never gave up. We are deeply indebted to Dr. Daniel Vitow and the teachers at North Shore Hebrew Academy High School for their excellent education and support.”

Sarah Ditchek, Pfeffer’s classmate who also was an Intel semifinalist, said she was “thrilled to hear Josh won.”

“He definitely deserves it. He’s a mathematical genius! Not only that but he puts 1000% effort and attention into everything that he does, and he excels at everything that he does,” she said.

Pfeffer is unsure of his plans for next year, but in the long run, he would like to continue down the path to study theoretical mathematics in college and ultimately go on to a career in mathematical research. “It’s a hard process but you work hard and earn the respect of the professors and it is really satisfying in the end.”

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