Bruce Giang is not your typical honours student. With a unique perspective and field interest, his laser focus has taken him halfway around the world with a slew of awards and accolades to back him.
This incredible journey started in Sydney, when he chose to pursue his Honours studies in the field of Operations Research.
Choosing Sydney
Bruce explains that choosing Sydney to pursue his unique perspective in this field was an easy decision.
“The University of Sydney is home to some of the leading researchers and scholars, and I felt that studying here would provide me with access to top-tier resources and opportunities to collaborate with some of the best minds in my discipline.”
“Sydney itself is such a dynamic, multicultural city,” he continues. “It offered me not just a world-class education, but also the chance to live and learn in an inspiring, global city that attracts thinkers and innovators from all over the world.”
Bruce decided on his field of research, sensing an opportunity and potential for broad applications in high-impact areas like machine learning, defence, and workforce optimisation.
“For my honours project, I focused on designing and analysing projection-free algorithms for a class of convex bilevel optimisation problems,” he says of his chosen topic. “The potential to contribute to these dynamic fields through mathematical modelling and algorithm development was a major motivator for my research.”
Thinking back on his time at Sydney, Bruce says the balance of research and coursework was a challenge given his core belief in producing quality work.
“One of the biggest challenges I faced at university was balancing the demands of rigorous coursework with my research projects. At times, it was difficult to manage the intense workload and maintain a high standard across all my responsibilities,” he remembers. “Another challenge was adapting to the complexity of my research area – Operations Research involves solving problems that are often abstract and computationally intensive.”
Milestones on a personal journey
Bruce has won many scholarships, including the Australian Mathematical Science Institute Summer Research Scholarship 2022-2023, University of Sydney Honours Scholarship, and the University Medal, all of which celebrate dedicated students pursuing their honours. Recently, he was a finalist for the INFORMS Undergraduate Operations Research Prize, a testament to his resolve as an early career researcher.
My motivation to apply for academic awards has always been about setting personal goals and striving to push the boundaries of my own potential.
Bruce Giang
University of Sydney Bachelor of Commerce (Honours) graduate and Cornell University PhD student
“My motivation to apply for academic awards has always been about setting personal goals and striving to push the boundaries of my own potential.”Bruce Giang
University of Sydney Bachelor of Commerce (Honours) graduate and Cornell University PhD student
“I was both honoured and humbled, as this recognition is a reflection of the hard work I’ve put into my studies,” says Bruce. “It also felt validating to see my passion for Operations Research be acknowledged by such a prestigious organisation. At the same time, it motivated me to keep pushing myself and continue exploring new challenges in the field.”
Despite being a celebrated honours student, Bruce sees these achievements more as a marker of his personal growth and ability to push himself academically through a long, personal journey.
“My motivation to apply for academic awards has always been about setting personal goals and striving to push the boundaries of my own potential,” he explains. “I see these awards not just as accolades, but as milestones in my academic journey that reflect both my passion for the subject and my commitment to excellence.”
Research opportunities abound
“A deep interest in my field, especially in areas like Operations Research, has kept me focused and driven,” shares Bruce. “I have also been fortunate to have mentors who have provided invaluable guidance and support to explore my research interests.”
