Kevin Gerstle is an assistant professor of mathematics. This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
Do you have any obscure talents?
One hobby I have that I like to think I’m pretty good at is speed running video games, but I also do an impersonation of Gollum from “Lord of the Rings.”
What are some of the coolest things you have ever done?
Traveling to China. It was an extremely interesting trip that really exposed me to different cultures, and I got to do things like walking on the Great Wall.
If you could cast the lead role in a movie about your life, who would you want it to be?
Johnny Depp because I think he would do a hilariously quirky job of it.
Do you have any favorite memories from school?
One of my favorite times in college was when we started up a club that watched “Mystery Science Theater 3000” every week which is this little show from the 90s that’s based around watching and making fun of old cheesy movies. Some of my best times in college were just doing that each Friday—watching old films and making fun of them incessantly.
What are some terms you would generally use to describe yourself?
Quirky, definitely. I’d say I strive to be humorous as well. I love to make jokes and such in class. And then finally, I’d say light hearted.
Do you play any instruments?
Yes, I’ve played the piano for about 18 years. I’m a little bit out of practice, but I still like to pull out my keyboard every now and again at home, and it’s a good way to destress after a long day.
What was your least favorite subject during school?
Ironically, considering I just said I love taking piano lessons, probably my music classes that I had to take—mainly because those were so general and something that took me a long time to really get into. It wasn’t really until I started taking individual lessons that I started to enjoy it.
Do you prefer to fly or drive on long trips?
I would say fly for anything that’s more than seven hours or so—that’s about my limit for how far I’m willing to drive without getting too antsy about it.
What is a simple thing that brings you happiness?
I would say going for a walk in the middle of the day, just getting outside and stretching my legs.
What are your top 3 favorite books?
“Charm School” by Nelson DeMille, “Children of Time” by Adrian Tchaikovsky, and “Ender’s Game” by Orson Scott Card.
What technological breakthrough are you hoping for in the near future?
Something I know I would personally really like is self-driving cars, which I know is sort of already a thing, but I would love it if it were more universally implemented and something I could actually use in my daily life as opposed to just hearing about all the tests that they’re doing.
Do you speak any foreign languages?
I’ve learned Chinese and French. I would say I’m fairly rusty at both of those, but I can still say a few things.
What is your favorite class to teach?
Abstract algebra because it’s the area of math that I’ve done research in in the past. I did my dissertation in it, and I think that it’s a really fun subject for exploring patterns. It combines some properties of geometry with algebra, and so it’s a lot of fun piecing together proofs and puzzles.
When did you know that you wanted to teach?
I was a TA in Chinese when I was in undergrad, and I really enjoyed getting to do that. I think by my junior or senior year of undergrad, I suspected I wanted to become a math professor.
What is something that motivates you?
Ice cream in general. If I had to pick a favorite flavor, though, I’d probably say cookies n’ cream or mint chocolate chip.
What is some of the best advice you have ever received?
Don’t be afraid to say no to things, because something that I’ve always struggled with is trying to maintain a proper balance of not stretching myself too thin like most Hillsdale students. There comes a time when you’re already overbooked, and you’ve already got too much going on, and I would say don’t be shy about saying no.
