When Sturm was sixteen years old his father died and he changed tack in his academic studies, leaving the humanities and taking up the study of mathematics.
Kapag Sturm ay labing-anim na taong gulang ang kanyang ama at namatay siya ay nagbago tak sa kanyang mga akademikong pag-aaral, umaalis ang makataong sining at taking up ang pag-aaral ng matematika.