Alumni

I completed my undergraduate (2014) and master studies (2015) in Applied Mathematics at the Faculty of Mathematics. I am currently working in software development, specializing in the .NET platform.

The courses in applied mathematics, along with the right choice of electives, gave me knowledge of some of the most important tools in the world of computing.

The mathematical way of thinking I developed during my studies enabled me to understand, model, and solve real-world client problems. The architecture of the systems and solutions I work on can be seen as software models of problems, similar to mathematical models.

In addition, I believe that my studies deepened my analytical and abstract thinking skills, attention to detail, and the ability to look at problems from different perspectives—skills that help me tackle challenges in software development.

In the master’s program, we studied algorithms that today form the foundation of machine learning. Understanding these algorithms, as well as statistics, is a major advantage if you want to work with big data, artificial intelligence, and become an expert in these popular fields.

I also have fond memories of my talented classmates.
When times were tough, I found motivation in teamwork, mutual support, and idea sharing. The professors and teaching assistants from the department were dedicated and understanding of our obligations. I remember laughing out loud at the jokes in Professor Dražić’s textbook while studying.

Today, through an interdisciplinary approach, we have the opportunity to show how different skills and knowledge can come together to create innovative solutions to complex challenges. I believe that’s why mathematicians are so valuable in modern teams.

Wishing you the best on your academic journey and future career!

At the Faculty of Mathematics, I completed my undergraduate, master's, and doctoral studies in the subject that was then called Numerical Mathematics and Optimization and is now called Applied Mathematics. I work as an applied mathematician at Incepta, a young Belgrade start-up company developing a platform for ultra-high frequency trading.

I used to work on fluid dynamics, especially simulating flows in a porous medium, while now I am mainly involved in modeling financial flows and valuing financial instruments. I am also a co-founder of a company working on improving metallurgical processes through machine learning. In my work, I use the methods I learned at college, such as numerical solution of partial differential equations, machine learning, mathematical modeling, optimization, etc. The Applied Mathematics program is an ideal opportunity for young people to develop and improve their logical thinking, but also to learn a wide range of mathematical tools and methods used in various fields.

I have completed my undergraduate and graduate studies at the Faculty of Mathematics, majoring in Applied Mathematics. Currently, I work at the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering in Belgrade as an assistant, and before that I worked as an assistant at the Faculty of Electrical Engineering in Belgrade.

In addition, I am also an external collaborator, i.e. a teacher at the Mathematical High School. During my studies I worked at Microsoft for 4.5 months.

I think this degree offers many opportunities to build an academic career or work in industry. I am sure that the examples of other colleagues show how many different careers there are in circulation. The degree program deals with mathematics that is applicable in the real world. I did my master's in bioinformatics, machine learning, and optimization. I think numerical mathematics is an excellent foundation for artificial intelligence (machine learning), so even those who want to study this current topic have the opportunity to do so after the undergraduate degree. The knowledge is very practical, there are many approximations that we use in practice every day. This great course offers a lot of opportunities and in-depth knowledge that any employer would want. I am very proud to have completed it and if I had to do it again I would choose it again, so I recommend it to all new students who love math and its applications.

I studied Numerical Mathematics and Optimization from 2002 to 2006. Mathematics is the science of the future! New developing sciences such as Data Science and Artificial Intelligence are based on mathematical theories, and an understanding of mathematics is necessary to successfully engage in these fields.

My profession is called Applied Scientist and I am involved in designing and implementing machine learning algorithms. My work is mostly a combination of data analysis and programming. The field I work in is still new, and every day there are small scientific advances, and with them the power of machine learning is growing. Nobody knows what results we can expect in this field in 10 or 20 years. My postgraduate scientific work was related to numerical mathematics and image processing. I defended my dissertation at the University of UCLA in 2013. Knowledge in the field of mathematics and programming is an excellent foundation for various jobs now and in the future. No one can know how the range of jobs will evolve in the future, and we all need to be ready to constantly evolve, but I believe that the mathematical basics will definitely be useful. I like to spend my free time in nature or with a good book or movie.

I completed undergraduate and graduate studies in mathematics at the Faculty of Science and Mathematics. In March 1985 I received my PhD from the University of Belgrade in the field of numerical analysis of partial differential equations, and since October 1985 I have been employed at the University of Oxford, where I hold a full professorship. I am engaged in the mathematical analysis of nonlinear partial differential equations and in the construction and analysis of numerical methods for their approximate solution. This is a field of great practical importance with numerous interesting applications, ranging from continuum mechanics, ecology, meteorology, hydrology, climatology, geophysics, astrophysics, electromagnetism, mathematical biology to various problems of financial mathematics and models of collective behaviour based on partial differential equations. I have been a foreign member of SANU since 2009, a member of the European Academy Academia Europaea since 2020, and a member of the British Royal Society since 2021.

I highly recommend undergraduate and graduate study of mathematics because, in addition to a broad mathematical education, it promotes logical thinking, the ability to reason clearly and systematically, and perseverance and persistence in solving complex problems. These are useful skills whether you are going to study mathematics as a researcher or pursue another profession after graduating in mathematics.

I graduated in 2003 with a degree in Numerical Mathematics and Optimization. I believe that the Faculty of Mathematics is a nice and stimulating environment that brings together young people with similar interests. There you can express and live out your own creativity, curiosity, and desire for new knowledge. Applied mathematics is an excellent choice, and I believe that together with the fundamentals of computer science, it is highly valued in various fields of industry and academia both at home and abroad.
It was a pleasure to return to my faculty after several years and defend my PhD thesis in Optimization and Operational Research in 2017 under the excellent supervision of Prof. Dr. Zorica Stanimirović. I teach mathematical subjects at the high schools of the Academy of Technicaland Artistic Professional Studies-Belgrade and the Air Force Academy in Belgrade. I also conduct scientific work in the areas of: optimization, mathematical modeling, metaheuristic methods and operational research. Honestly, I remember the years at the Faculty of Mathematics as the most beautiful and carefree ones!

At the Faculty of Mathematics, I chose to study Applied Mathematics in the Mathematics module in 2017. After four years, in 2021, I successfully completed my undergraduate degree and immediately continued my master's degree in the same field.

Currently, I am employed as a Data Analyst at Raiffeisen Bank. In the credit risk department, I am responsible for the development and validation of credit risk models, among other things. In my work in credit risk modeling and validation, I use mathematical techniques to analyze and predict customer behavior, identify risk factors, and assess the probability of credit default. The mathematics faculty provided me with a broad understanding of mathematical concepts and their application in various fields, including banking.

After graduating from college, I had the opportunity to gain experience in the development of matheuristics during my internship at MISAN. I am currently focusing on completing courses in the field of machine learning, defending my master's thesis and planning to enroll in doctoral studies. I like to spend my free time with friends. The Faculty of Mathematics provided me with a strong foundation in programming and computer science. During my studies, I got acquainted with different programming languages, and I still use some of them in my current position, while they all helped me to quickly learn new languages. In my current workplace, I encounter different programming languages such as SAS, SQL, Python and R, which are key tools for data processing and analytics. At the Faculty of Mathematics, I also developed the ability of critical thinking, abstract reasoning and problem solving. These skills are essential for analytical work as they help me identify patterns and trends in data, draw conclusions and propose optimal solutions.

During my studies I focused especially on subjects like Programming, Mathematical Modeling, Probability and Statistics, Combinatorial Optimization, Numerical Methods and many other subjects that gave me knowledge from different areas. The Mathematical Modeling course gave me an insight into the various applications of mathematics and its importance and applicability in the real world. Subjects such as Operations Research and Combinatorial Optimization provided me with an excellent foundation for understanding the complex graph algorithms that are essential for the development of machine learning.

In addition to various technical skills, I also developed social skills at the Department of Mathematics. I had the opportunity to meet great people, both students and professors. Through the faculty, I acquired work habits and discipline that mean a lot to me today. The faculty covers a variety of topics, but no one course can cover everything because there are different applications of mathematics. Importantly, the faculty provide a good foundation and make it possible to quickly learn new topics and challenges. Continuing education and self-improvement opens up a variety of opportunities. All in all, graduating from the Department of Mathematics and gaining knowledge in applied mathematics opens a wide range of opportunities in various industries. I believe that the future of mathematics faculty is bright and that mathematicians will continue to play a key role in solving complex problems and shaping innovation in modern society.

I did my undergraduate and graduate studies at the Faculty of Mathematics, studying Numerical Mathematics and Optimization at that time. After my PhD studies at the University of Klagenfurt in Austria, I spent some years at the Technical University of Munich. Currently, I am working as an assistant professor at Radboud University in the Netherlands.

In my research work, I deal with nonlinear partial equations. I spend most of my time researching the wave equations that arise in nonlinear acoustics and describe the propagation of ultrasonic waves. Applied mathematics has always fascinated me because it uses seemingly very abstract concepts to improve understanding of concrete real world problems. The most valuable thing I took away from studying mathematics, besides knowledge, is the ability to think critically and solve problems (and not give up!).

My name is Zorica Milovanović Jeknić. At the Faculty of Mathematics, I completed my undergraduate, master's, and doctoral studies in the area of Numerical Mathematics and Optimization. I am working as an assistant professor at the Faculty of Construction Management, Union Nikola Tesla College in Belgrade. The Faculty of Mathematics offers a good choice of subjects, seriousness and dedicated work of the faculty. Numerical mathematics and optimization can be applied in many fields, such as civil engineering, transportation, mechanical engineering, medicine and many others. My research area is numerical methods for solving partial differential equations. At the faculty where I work, I teach master's students and doctoral students in the subjects of finite element methods and optimization methods. This choice of subjects allows me to get an even better insight into the methods and their application in practice, which makes numerical mathematics and optimization even more interesting and enjoyable. In my spare time, I write scientific papers that have been published in prestigious international and national journals. Mathematics has been my great love since elementary school, and that is why I chose to join the Department of Mathematics. I recommend anyone who is interested in mathematics/computer science and has previous knowledge to enroll in the Faculty of Mathematics, because they will gain a great knowledge that they can later apply in practice.

I completed my undergraduate and graduate studies at the Department of Mathematics, majoring in Numerical Mathematics and Optimization. Immediately after graduation, I started my professional career in the banking sector, where I worked on the development of quantitative models for the purposes of risk management and mitigation.

Currently, I work at NLB Komercijalna banka in the Risk Management Department as a Senior Data Scientist and I am responsible for the development of mathematical models in the areas of market, interest rate and liquidity risk, operational risk and projection of macroeconomic indicators.

Studying in the field of Numerical Mathematics and Optimization has primarily allowed me to acquire a broad and healthy base of mathematical fundamentals, a creative approach to solving problems, and familiarity with mathematical tools that have applications in various fields.

The challenges and needs of banks are fertile ground for the application of mathematical models. To successfully solve these tasks, it is necessary to apply a wide class of models from different areas of mathematics: from numerical mathematics, optimization, probability and statistics to indispensable programming, where the knowledge acquired in applied mathematics is certainly very helpful.

Although banks have been in constant need of the help of mathematical apparatuses for more than two decades, the complexity of the system and the frequent and significant changes in the macroeconomic environment mean that there is no end in sight to the solution of all outstanding problems. Therefore, I encourage future students to study Applied Mathematics so that they will be able to use new and innovative models if they want to work in the banking sector to contribute to its solution.

The only thing more beautiful than science is its application! The best compromise you can make between a love of science and its application is enrolling in Applied Mathematics at the Faculty of Mathematics. A heartfelt recommendation!

My name is Jovana Tomić, I am employed at the National Bank of Serbia, and I gained my knowledge through undergraduate and master’s studies in the Applied Mathematics program. The timeline of the undergraduate program lasted four years. The starting point of that journey happened solely out of love for mathematics, but it wasn’t until the end of that path—when my peers and I began receiving job offers—that we realized the decision was excellent. The range of career opportunities is diverse, and the knowledge gained is highly sought after, especially considering the extensive expertise developed in programming mathematical models and solving optimization problems.

The master’s program was even more interesting for me, as I had the opportunity to tailor my learning to my own interests. From mathematical modeling of a skydiver’s jump from a plane, to predicting the presence of diabetes in patients using machine learning methods, to analyzing market competitiveness using heuristic methods—I gained deep knowledge in numerical optimization, machine learning, and mathematical modeling. The quality of the program is reflected in the fact that my master’s thesis, which I worked on thoroughly, received an award from the Mathematical Institute of the Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts for the best master’s thesis in the field of mathematics and mechanics. I also presented the results of that work at the “Mathematics and Applications” Symposiums in 2021 and 2023.

Today, I apply the combination of knowledge in mathematical modeling, statistics, probability, numerical mathematics, optimization, programming, and machine learning—as well as all the benefits of logical thinking—in my work at the National Bank of Serbia. I am employed in the Payment Systems Department as an independent associate for analysis and statistics.

My name is Olivera Stančić. I started my studies at the Faculty of Mathematics in Belgrade in 2006, majoring in Numerical Mathematics and Optimization, and graduated in 2010. Since I was satisfied with the acquired knowledge, experience and general study atmosphere, I decided to continue my education at the same faculty and in the same degree programme. First, I completed my master's degree, then my doctoral studies. In 2018, I defended my dissertation entitled "Hab Maximum Coverage Problems - New Mathematical Models and Solving Methods", earning the degree of Doctor of Science - Mathematical Sciences.

I am working at the Faculty of Economics of the College of Kragujevac and I am currently working on the following scientific topics: Combinatorial optimization, mathematical modeling, metaheuristics, node location problems, etc. Optimization problems are many and varied, and in practice the most frequently encountered problems are those of traffic planning, searching for routes in the telecommunications network, computer network optimization, financial investment and planning, employee allocation, production planning, budget organization, and many others. It is clear that after defining the problem, it is necessary to create a suitable mathematical model that is a good approximation of the real problem. In order to solve the problem effectively, suitable optimization methods are developed, which are then implemented in the software. The optimization methods must be adapted to the specifics of the considered problem in order to improve the quality of the obtained solutions and reduce the speed of their achievement. After the analysis, the obtained solutions can be partially or fully implemented in practice.
It is clear that the application of mathematics in business is extremely important today, and the Applied Mathematics program at the Faculty of Mathematics undoubtedly enables students to acquire knowledge and skills that can be applied in practice.

I completed both my undergraduate and master’s studies at the Faculty of Mathematics. From the very beginning, I chose the Applied Mathematics track (Numerical Mathematics and Optimization). My initial motivation was the fact that this program offers the best balance between mathematics and programming. Now, I can honestly say I never once regretted that decision! That’s precisely why, after taking a one-year break—which I used to find a job and adjust to a new workplace—I decided to pursue doctoral studies, to continue what I had started. More specifically, to further focus on numerical methods for solving partial differential equations, while also exploring new subjects and fields that I could apply in my current job.
I am employed at Euronet Services as a Technical Support Analyst, where, broadly speaking, we deal with transaction processing (and the wide range of issues that may arise along the way). The main client of the team I work in is OMV (along with all its European partners). Although at first glance, my job may not appear to be directly related to my academic background, the way I approach problem-solving—what data to use, how to connect it to reach a conclusion, and how to trace the impact of the issue across different processes—makes the influence of the Faculty of Mathematics invaluable!
We are aware that enrollment trends are changing and that interest in our faculty and study program is unfortunately declining. What I can say from personal experience—from the very first job interviews to actually being employed—is that knowledge never goes out of style. And therefore, neither does the Faculty of Mathematics, since it is still widely respected and known to be far from easy to complete. As a student of this faculty, I felt a special kind of recognition and respect because of that.