The mathematician poet: Strahinja’s path to theoretical mathematics at Paris-Saclay
Strahinja Gvozdić, a violinist, poet, and national champion in physics and math, was accepted to Cambridge and enrolled in Theoretical Mathematics at Paris-Saclay (Orsay). How he decided.
At the International Mathematical Tournament of Towns, Strahinja and a few friends spent ten days on an open conjecture and solved it. They were the only team to do so.
He is also a violinist, an award-winning poet, and a national champion in Physics and Math. He sees no difference between a sonnet and a theorem.
The University of Cambridge accepted him. He chose Theoretical Mathematics at Paris-Saclay (Orsay), one of the world's leading institutions for pure math.
Student snapshot
- Target: Theoretical Mathematics
- Spike: Solved an open conjecture (Tournament of Towns) and poetry awards
- Outcome: Accepted to Cambridge, enrolled at Paris-Saclay (Orsay)
Equedu: You are a violinist and a poet. How do those worlds connect to Theoretical Mathematics?
Strahinja: To me, they are the same thing. I’ve always expressed my creativity through art, but last year, reading about the "Probabilistic Method," I was astonished by the sheer beauty of applying randomness to precise arguments.
I realized that Mathematics requires the same creativity as poetry. It allows for proofs based on a variety of ideas, connecting Graph Theory to Number Theory in ways that seem impossible at first. That "flexibility" is what intrigues me. I realized no other field would suit me more than Pure Mathematics because it is, at its core, an art form.
Equedu: You attended the Mathematical Grammar School and Petnica Science Center. What research made your application stand out?
Strahinja: I didn't just want to compete; I wanted to discover.
My most significant experience was at the International Mathematical Tournament of Towns. Along with a few friends, we spent ten days in exhaustion and commitment trying to solve an open problem: a conjecture with no known proof. And we succeeded. We were the only team to do it. That experience confirmed that I wanted to dedicate my life to research. Later, at Petnica, I wrote papers on "Random Graphs," introducing combinatorial ideas to analytical methods.
"We spent ten days in exhaustion and commitment trying to solve an open problem: a conjecture with no known proof. And we succeeded."
Equedu: Cambridge accepted you, but you study in France. Why?
Strahinja: Cambridge was a dream because of its history. Studying under the same roof as Isaac Newton is an incredible thought. Being accepted was a huge validation of my hard work. However, without a full scholarship, Cambridge wasn't feasible. But that didn't stop me. I directed my ambition toward Theoretical Mathematics at Paris-Saclay (Orsay). It was the top of my list for France. Paris-Saclay is a global powerhouse for mathematics (famous for its Fields Medalists), and it focuses heavily on the application of knowledge, which challenges me.
Equedu: You were competing in 9 different subjects and writing novellas. How did Equedu help you focus that into one application?
Strahinja: When you do everything, it’s hard to show who you really are. I was competing in Biology, Geography, French, Physics, and Math, while also playing the violin and writing poetry. Equedu helped me streamline that chaos. They helped me realize that I didn't need to list every single competition. Instead, we focused on the narrative: The Creative Problem Solver. They helped me craft my Personal Statement to show how my literary side enhances my mathematical research. This guidance was decisive in securing my admission offers, including the one for Theoretical Mathematics at Paris-Saclay.
In Equedu's view, the highest-impact work in the application year is narrative consolidation, not test prep or grade improvement. A profile that looks scattered on the CV reads as scattered to the admissions reader. Someone has to rebuild it around a single thesis.
Equedu: How is the adjustment to France?
Strahinja: It’s a new challenge. I am studying in French, which I had to perfect in my final year of high school. I miss the food back home, though I’m getting used to French cuisine! But academically, I am right where I need to be. The focus on theory in Belgrade combined with the practical application in Paris gives me a complete perspective on mathematics.