"If you’re stuck in one culture, it’s hard to think outside it", says Brendan Fong. Brendan is studying a joint degree between ANU and the National University of Singapore (NUS). "I like the idea of going places", he says. "This degree is unique in that it allows me to do my degree in two places."

Brendan, who is originally from Adelaide, has recently returned from Singapore, where he spent three semesters broadening his studies, discovering a new culture, and learning about his own heritage. He even managed to fit in some globetrotting; taking trips Cambodia, Canada, and the United States, where he spent four weeks studying psychology and philosophy at Yale University.

Here at ANU Brendan’s passion and focus is maths. "Mathematics as I see it is not a science, I’d put it closer to a visual art like painting or music", he says. "It’s just a fascinating subject, it’s beautiful." Brendan says the PhB has a flexibility and openness that allowed him to direct his own study and pursue his interests in depth, right from the start of the degree.

Brendan especially enjoys the social aspects of maths and his next project is forming the new ANU Mathematics Society. "Maths is really a lot more fun when you do it with other people", he says. "Everyone has their own perspective and when you collaborate you exchange ideas or visions and sometimes it can just be amazing, you see things in a whole new light."

For the time being Brendan says he is happy to be back living amongst all the green space here on campus. "It’s a big change in environment from Singapore", he says. "I like it here, I like this campus, it’s an amazing place to be and to think, when I’m stuck, I go for a walk, and it’s nice."