As an emerging modern Renaissance man, David Cates ’26 never has enough time to pursue all his interests. In addition to being on the fast track to earn both his master’s and bachelor’s degrees in mathematics from Texas A&M University’s College of Arts and Sciences over a four-year period, Cates also is dedicated to pursuing his numerous passions, including philosophy, theology, classical music and reading.
With that breadth of interest, it’s not surprising that Cates brings a deep curiosity as well as a strong mathematical foundation to his studies.
That combination of Cates’ deep curiosity along with his deep commitment to embodying the Aggie Core Values sets him apart, making him a promising academician who hopes to influence the future of mathematics.
“I met David the first week of his freshman year at Texas A&M, and was enormously impressed by his mathematical preparation, especially considering that much of his learning was self-directed,” said Dr. Peter Howard, professor and head of the Department of Mathematics. “Since then, his development as a young mathematician has been remarkable, and I'm confident that he's well on his way to a successful career in research mathematics.”
From Legos to Tutoring
Cates began displaying an affinity for math as a toddler. Fortunately, his mother, who was a high school math teacher, noticed his emerging aptitude early.
“She saw that when I was 2 years old, I liked numbers and counting Legos and sorting them by color, something that most children that age didn’t do” Cates said. “She thought, ‘Maybe we should do something with this.’”
When Cates reached school age, his mother decided to teach him at home, which helped him intellectually thrive. For example, his mother would play YouTube videos about new math concepts during lunch, which further sparked his interest.
“Each individual thing may not have been a big deal, but over a period of years, you just get more exposure to different ideas,” he said. “Having a former high school math teacher as my teacher for my entire life definitely pushed along my interest in and knowledge of math.”
Another experience — serving as a tutor while a high school senior — also proved formative.
“I have never felt so completely inadequate, as when I have been trying to explain subtraction to a 7-year-old,” said Cates. “That probably taught me more about teaching than anything else. I might be working with a 6-year-old one minute and a 15-year-old the next, so over time you get used to jumping from fractions to algebra back to subtraction and then to percentages. Every time someone doesn't get it, it breaks your brain a little bit because it makes sense to you, but it's clearly not clicking for the other person. But after you get over the hump, you get into the flow of it, and say, ‘Okay, that didn't work; let me try this.”The math classes are not rote. The (A&M) professors care about what’s going on with the students and are willing to talk about other subjects, such as philosophy.
Finding Community
When it came time to apply to colleges, Cates always had Texas A&M in the mix, although he looked at several private schools as well as out-of-state colleges.
“My mom is a graduate of the University of Texas, but many members of her extended family are Aggies,” he said.
His decision to enroll at Texas A&M ultimately came down to College Station’s proximity to his home of Cedar Park, Texas, as well as Bryan-College Station’s small-town feel and the university’s culture. Cates also credits a robust scholarship package that covered the cost of his education as sealing the deal.
Now three years into his college experience, he remains impressed with Texas A&M. At the top of his list is the mathematics department professors’ accessibility, caring and responsiveness.
“The math classes are not rote,” he said. “The professors care about what’s going on with the students and are willing to talk about other subjects, such as philosophy.”
He’s also enjoyed finding a community of individuals the same age who share similar interests. He’s involved in the Math Club as well as Texas A&M Ratio Christi, which serves “to defend the Christian faith in honest dialogue with both our skeptical and believing friends at Texas A&M.” Cates enjoys watching football and baseball games, and relaxes by playing the piano in the MSC Flag Room.
“No one is just math,” Cates said. “We are all much more complicated than that thing that we study or do for work.”
Cates also has availed himself of the department’s opportunities to explore mathematics through research and book studies. These, in turn, give him a chance to learn more about himself, including what he doesn’t want to pursue. For example, he participated in an online program during his freshman year in which he explored knot theory, which is the study of the crossing of strands that create actual knots.
“It was a nice entry way into math research that resulted in my participation in a panel presentation at the 2024 Joint Mathematics Meetings,” he said. “I also learned that knot theory wasn’t my cup of tea.”
He also took part in an undergraduate research experience at the University of Michigan, where he studied Bessel functions that create curves that describe wave-like patterns that are often seen in problems that have cylindrical symmetry. This research culminated in another presentation at the 2025 Joint Mathematics Meetings, held Jan. 8-11. Through this experience, Cates saw that this area of mathematics is a path that he may wish to pursue further.
Cates is exploring his next steps toward a career as a university faculty member focused on teaching and research. He is considering options for his doctoral studies and plans to enhance his writing skills by creating a Substack to share insights on his diverse interests.
Meanwhile, he savors what remains of his college experience at Texas A&M and appreciates the educational foundation he’s developed.
“I’ve loved my time here so far,” he said. “I’m already getting everything I need and growing as a person toward the career I want.”