Tequania Lake, daughter of Kenda and Clarence Lake, is a recent college graduate of King University (April 28, 2018). She earned a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics and Physics, with Suma Cum Laude honours. Her love for Mathematics grew exponentially as she took a Math course with Mr. Singh, while at the Albena Lake Hodge Comprehensive School, Campus B. She finished her schooling in St. Thomas, at the Charlotte Amalie High School, before moving to Tennessee and attending King University.
At King University, Tequania was privileged to engage in research and presentations at various institutions. In 2016, during her sophomore year, she conducted research in Physics, in the area of Condensed Matter, at Michigan State University. Her research involved using the Scanning Tunneling Microscope to understand the properties of Topological Insulators because scientists are interested in applying these materials to Quantum computers to combat the issue of Quantum Decoherence. That same year, Tequania received the Arthur Memorial King award for most outstanding Physics Major at King.
Later that year, she attended the American Physical Society Conference for Undergraduate Women in Physics. Her poster presentation netted her a prize. In her junior year, Tequania Lake went to Brown University to engage in Mathematics research. At Brown University, she explored the dynamics of the circle and Torus to understand their topological order. Tequania captured the Arthur Memorial King award for Most Outstanding Physics Major for the second time, being the only individual to have won that award consecutively. She also won the William E. Torbert award for Most Outstanding Mathematics Major.
Besides annual mathematics conferences in South Carolina and Georgia, she also found time to compete on King University’s math jeopardy team. She has also participated in a coding/robotics workshop in North Carolina to improve her programming skills. (This is a skill that will be in high demand in the not too distant future.) Tequania’s senior research project entailed research on a famous game known as the Taxman game. The goal of this project was to devise a guaranteed winning strategy for this game and to provide a formal proof of the strategy. She has successfully devised a strategy and is currently working on trying to prove that this strategy is guaranteed to win. In her senior year, Tequania was presented with the award for Most Outstanding graduating senior in Mathematics and the Sciences.
Tequania multi faceted growth was enhanced at King University where she served in different capacities. She was a member of the Math club and Black Student Union, President of the Physics Club and Treasurer of the Women in STEM club. She also served as the Student Government Representative for the College of Arts and Sciences. During her junior year, she served as the Student representative on the hiring committee for a new physics professor, where she was the voice for her other classmates.
As a Math and Physics tutor, Tequania enjoyed helping struggling students overcome their academic obstacles, propelling them to the next level in their journey. Her legacy at King University earned her the privilege of speaking to the freshman class about capitalizing on internship opportunities. She was also given the opportunity of reading the scripture at graduation. Tequania intends on continuing her journey to success as she enters a Math PhD program at the University of Florida. She would like to thank God for giving her the talent to do Mathematics and the strength to overcome every obstacle, her parents for their guidance and support, her siblings, her friends and her teachers and professors who helped along the way.
– Contributed
(Published without editing by The Anguillian newspaper.)
