Jacob Tsimerman: math is about solving hard problems, not chasing beauty

Canadian mathematician Jacob Tsimerman says that while many people associate mathematics with beauty, what truly drives him is solving hard problems and being the first to do so. "Math is very much a goal-oriented endeavor," he says, pushing back against the romantic notion that truth and beauty are the heart of the discipline. For Tsimerman, beauty is a byproduct, not the destination.