BeyondResearch
Designed to help you realise your potential
What is the aim of the programme?
Our aim is to help you develop the skills to be able to participate in theoretical research by the time you become a first year undergraduate at university.
Are we hearing someone saying that this is too early? You are too young? Sure, you can wait; but if you feel ready to embark on this journey – why should you wait? Remember that throughout history many outstanding scientists made their most important discoveries in their early twenties. Why not working towards joining their ranks?
The famous theoretical physicist Max Planck got his PhD at the age of 20. If you feel ready to kick it off, why should you wait? Planck didn’t and neither should you!
- Dr. Filip Bar
Founder and Mentor
How do we achieve our aim
The best researcher's immersion experience
Through an intense two-year comprehensive weekly mentoring programme with a focus on discovering mathematics from a researcher’s point of view, and where the participants are taught in a small group and encouraged to conduct research projects within small teams.
BeyondResearch adopts a comprehensive approach to empower you as a researcher. Our focus goes beyond mere acquisition of high-specialist knowledge, prioritising the development of essential skills and deep understanding. Build a solid foundation that enables you to excel in research, harnessing the power of holistic growth and unlocking your true potential.
Research requires Knowledge
The knowledge can be broken down into knowledge of the basics and the specialist knowledge depending on the research project you do.
Research requires Understanding
Understanding emerges by fusing acquisition of knowledge with thinking skills through the active linking of your prior knowledge with newly acquired knowledge.
Research requires Skills
The skills can broken down into thinking skills, technical plus subject specific skills as well the soft skills required for research.
Science is a way of thinking much more than it is a body of knowledge.
- Carl Sagan
Astronomer, scientist
Mathematics from a Researcher's Point of View
By pursuing mathematics from a researcher’s point of view, while also building the necessary soft skills, BeyondResearch takes a comprehensive approach to help you build your foundation as a researcher effectively and holistically. The main focus lies hereby on the skills and how to develop understanding rather than the sole acquisition of detailed high-specialist knowledge. Note that the emphasis is on ‘sole’ and ‘high-specialist’; you will acquire quite a bit of knowledge about maths that is typically not covered in first- or second-year undergraduate maths courses, like many-sorted first-order logic and category theory!
Science is not only a disciple of reason but also one of romance and passion.
- Stephen Hawking
Theoretical physicist
Abstract analytical thinking vs modelling intuition mathematically
Two maths courses that alternate on a weekly basis
Despite having a different focus both courses are interrelated and complementary. From time to time we also use the live session to focus on discussing soft skills and introduce tools and techniques that help us to build them.
Live sessions (AA)
Abstract Analysis
We focus on developing abstract analytical thinking, structural thinking, conceptual thinking as well as the mathematics of concepts and mathematical structures, and abstract mathematical modelling. Some fields we touch are:
- Abstract Algebra
- Category Theory
- Foundation of Mathematics
- Functional Analysis
- Logic
- Topology
Live sessions (DG)
Differential Geometry
We focus more on creativity and building intuition vs concrete mathematical modelling of ideas. Some fields we touch are:
- Basic Differential Geometry
- Multivariable Calculus
- Real Analysis
- Infinitesimal Algebra
What are the prerequisites?
Like in PhysicsBeyond the most important prerequisite for a BeyondResearch Scholar is love and passion for maths as well as a growth mindset. In addition, due to the nature and length of the programme an aspiring Scholar has to show:
- An extraordinary passion for mathematics
- A strong drive and determination
- A strong commitment to the programme
- Resilience and grit with a growth mindset
- Be naturally curious
You have not participated in other co-curricular programmes, competitions or olympiads so far? No worries! This is not a prerequisite for a successful application for the BeyondResearch programme. However, as an aspiring Scholar you should be familiar with some maths beyond the typical school syllabus. As a bare minimum you should know about Linear Algebra and Calculus to the extent as it is covered in 3Blue1Brown videos ‘Essence of Calculus‘ and ‘Essence of Linear Algebra‘. You should also be familiar with the basic concepts of functions and sets to some extent as covered here.
Note that future iterations of BeyondResearch will recruit Scholars from the BeyondAlgebra programme. If you are interested in BeyondResearch please apply to our BeyondAlgebra programme first. (Planned for Summer 2025)
As a scholar
Information for Participation
What will I require to be able to participate in the live sessions?
You will have to earn a ticket to participate in a session each week. To get a ticket you have to complete the required minimum amount of work as set by your mentor. You will need access to a stable internet connection and a computer with microphone.
When will the live online sessions take place?
The live sessions will be taking place on either Saturday or Sunday. The time will be decided based on the time zones of all participants. As a small group and personalised program, flexibility is taken into account for both the participants and the mentor.
What if I miss or cannot make a live session?
Although sessions run weekly and you have decided to commit, we are also flexible. You need to let your mentor know in advance. If you miss a session you will always be able to watch the recording. However, participating live should be the rule and catching up by watching the recording the exception.
Pure mathematics is, in its way, the poetry of logical ideas.
- Albert Einstein
Theoretical physicist
What should you know about BeyondResearch?
When contemplating your application for the programme, it’s crucial to bear in mind the following key aspects that make our academic opportunity exceptional.
If you have questions about the programme we could not answer then please get in touch.
The BeyondResearch programme is a very intense and demanding programme. You will have one weekly live session of 3-4h. The review and summary should take you another 2-3h, and the independent reading 2h. You should expect to work 6h on the practice problems to consolidate your understanding, prepare for the next session and develop your team working skills. Plan in one hour per week for a structured revision and up to one hour per week on community work. This gives a total of 13h per week. The monthly mentor meeting will be about one hour long.
This is a big commitment and you need to think through carefully whether and how you could make it. Your top priority should still be your studies at school; so you have to have a plan in place how you manage to be on top of your school work, while managing the BeyondResearch programme. We will advise you on scheduling of work as well as on effective study and learning techniques to help you with managing the workload more efficiently.
Note that many of our current Scholars spend even more time than this on BeyondResearch. Indeed, the more time and effort you put in, the more you will get out of this unique opportunity. However, it is also important to watch your wellbeing, make time for effective rest and to not overdo it! It’s a marathon not a race!
The programme is designed with students in mind who enter the last two years of high-school, which is typically either at age 15 or 16. However, if you are in your final year and are going to do a gap year, then that is fine, too. What matters is your ability to be able to commit for the two years of the course as well as bringing the necessary prerequisites.
If you happen to fall out of the given age range, but you feel very strongly that you would benefit from the BeyondResearch programme then please get in touch, so we can discuss your case in person. We care about people more than we do about procedures!
When trying to learn about theoretical physics or computer science you might have encountered the first biggest hurdle: before you can deep dive into the ideas and concepts, you first have to understand the maths. Moreover, this maths can be quite abstract. Indeed, the abstract maths is necessary to model and to discuss the ideas objectively. As maths is the common denominator and the biggest hurdle on your path to become a researcher, we focus on maths and how to understand abstract maths in particular. However, based on interest we will organise short deep-dives into applications of the maths we re-discover on our journey in theoretical physics and you will have also access to the course Physics from a Researcher’s Point of View run in PhysicsBeyond. In the live sessions you will learn about many links to physics and computer science as we like to emphasise the importance of interdisciplinarity and the power of different points of view.
We try to provide as many resources as we can free of charge; but yes, you will need a book that we cannot provide you with, unfortunately: Amann & Escher ‘Analysis I’. This book has become quite expensive over the years, so you might want to see if you can borrow it from your local university library.