Phanuel Mariano, assistant professor of mathematics, moved to the U.S. from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, when he was nine years old. This is his second year at Union. He spends his weekends and summer/winter breaks in Mansfield Center, Conn., where he lives with his wife, Jenn.

When not on campus, Mariano enjoys exploring diverse cuisines, embarking on adventures around the U.S., and playing and watching sports.

This past summer, he and his wife went on a two-week honeymoon to Hawai’i that was delayed because of the pandemic. They visited the islands of Oahu and Maui, where they enjoyed scenic hiking and plenty of good food.

Mariano holds a Ph.D. from the University of Connecticut. His research focuses on probability theory and stochastic processes, which is the study of random behavior such as the price of a stock, the movement of atomic particles, or the spread of infectious diseases. His recent research on principle eigenvalues has combined his love of playing the drums with his work on stochastic processes. He

FIRST APP YOU LOOK AT IN THE MORNING:

I first look at either Facebook or my emails.

ONE BOOK YOU HAVE READ MULTIPLE TIMES:

I do not believe I have ever read a book more than once.

BEST ADVICE YOU EVER RECEIVED:

My parents have always encouraged me to never give up on my dreams and to always work hard.

FAVORITE SPOT ON CAMPUS:

It’s definitely Jackson’s Garden. It is a very peaceful place that I go to relax, unwind and clear my head. I also like taking walks there with family and friends who are visiting me.

GO-TO BREAKFAST:

I usually start my day with eggs. I make a breakfast sandwich before I’m off to campus. I like to experiment with different types of rolls or bagels. Recently, though, I’ve been getting into breakfast burritos.

NETFLIX OR AMAZON:

Netflix. I like “Stranger Things,” “Ozark” and old favorites such as “Breaking Bad.”

FAVORITE PODCAST:

“Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend.” I’ve been watching Conan’s various shows ever since I was a kid and I really enjoy his style of comedy.

ONE SKILL YOU WISH YOU HAD:

Though I very much enjoy watching and playing soccer and basketball, I wish I were good at playing them. In general, I guess I wish I were more athletic.

ANOTHER SUBJECT YOU WISH YOU COULD TEACH:

I would love to teach history. My favorite type of reading is non-fiction. When traveling, I always try to visit local museums and historical sites. I am fascinated with the past and the progress we can achieve by learning from humanity’s experiences.

MOST CREATIVE EXCUSE YOU HEARD FOR A LATE ASSIGNMENT:

When I was teaching at UConn, both the men’s and women’s basketball teams made the 2014 national championship game. I had various students ask me if they could take a make-up exam because they were going to travel to see the game in person. I suspect Union professors at the time received similar requests when the men’s hockey team made the national championship game.