Name:
Troy D. VanAkenReturn to the Project NExT home page
Please email any changes or additions to ben.ford@sonoma.edu
Dora Cardenas Ahmadi -- Morehead State University, Morehead, KY
Janet Andersen (Consultant) -- Hope College
Jerrilyn Andrews (Evaluator)
Stuart Boersma -- Central Washington University, Elensburg, WA
Theresa A. Bright -- Xavier University, Cincinnati, OH
Michael A. Brilleslyper -- U.S. Airforce Academy, Colorado Springs, CO
Clayton Brooks – Marshall University, Huntington, WV
Maureen Carroll -- University of Scranton, Scranton, PA
Kevin E. Charlwood -- St. Leo College, St. Leo, FL
Lee Chasen -- Lebanon Valley College, Annville, PA
George Cobb (Consultant) -- Mount Holyoke College
J. Kevin Colligan -- National Security Agency
Carl C. Cowen (Consultant) -- Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana
Annalisa Crannell (Consultant) -- Franklin and Marshall College, Lancaster, PA
Robin A. Cruz -- The College of Idaho, Caldwell, ID.
Debra Curtis -- Bloomfield College, Bloomfield, NJ
Barbara D'Ambrosia -- John Carroll University, University Heights, OH
Bill Davis (Consultant) -- Ohio State University, Columbus, OH
Steve Deckelman -- University of Wisconsin-Stout, Stout, WI
Scott Dillery -- Albion College, Albion, MI
Sepp Dorfmeister (Consultant) -- University of Kansas
Jenny Dorrington -- Colorado College, Colorado Springs, CO
Lloyd Douglas (Consultant) -- National Science Foundation, Washington, DC
Ed Dubinsky (Consultant) -- Purdue University, West Lafayetter, IN (see last year's bios)
Gerri M. Dunningan -- University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, ND
Rebekah Dupont -- Augsburg College, Minneapolis, MN
Bob Eslinger -- Visiting Mathematician at the MAA
Doug Faires (Consultant) -- Youngstown State University, Youngstown, OH
Della D. Fenster -- University of Richmond, Richmond, VA
Naomi Fisher (Consultant) -- University of Illinois-Chicago
Jackie Ford -- The Sage Colleges, Troy, NY
Ben Ford -- Sonoma State University, Rohnert Park, CA
Mark Foskey -- Jacksonville University, Jacksonville, FL
Lisa R. Galminas -- Northwestern State University of Louisiana, Natchitoches, LA
Sol Garfunkel -- COMAP
Richard Gayle -- Montana State University-Northern, Havre, MT
Larry Gilligan (Consultant) -- University of Cincinnati
Stephen J. Giust -- Nicholls State University, Thibodaux, LA
Danny Goroff (Consultant) -- Mathematical Sciences Education Board
Phil Gustafson -- Mesa State College, Grand Junction, CO
Nancy Hagelgans (Consultant) -- Ursinus College
Deborah Tepper Haimo (Consultant) -- University of California, San Diego
Jacqueline A. Hall -- Longwood College, Farmville, VA
John Harris -- Furman University, Greenville, SC
Nancy L. Hagelgans (Consultant) -- Ursinus College, Collegeville, PA
Aparna Higgins (Consultant) -- University of Dayton
Don Hill (Consultant) -- Florida A&M
Linda Hill -- Idaho State University
John P. Holcomb -- Cleveland State University, Cleveland, OH
Judy A. Holdener -- U.S. Air Force Academy, U.S. Air Force Academy, CO
Philip K. Hotchkiss -- Westfield State College, Westfield, MA
Tamara J. Hummel -- See Tamara J. Lakins
Sara Jones – Santa Rosa Junior College, Santa Rosa, CA
Renée B. Koplon -- The Ramaz Upper School, New York, New York
Tamara J. Lakins -- Allegheny College, Meadville, PA
Bonita Lawrence – Marshall University, Huntington, WV
Jeff Lawson -- Trinity University, San Antonio, TX
Jim Lewis (Consultant) -- University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Aihua Li -- Montclair State University, Montclair, NJ
Fengshan Liu -- Delaware State University, Dover, DE
Sergio Loch -- Grand View University, Des Moines, IA
John Lorch -- Ball State University, Muncie, IN
William W. Ma -- Pennsylvania College of Technology, Williamsport, PA
Bill Marion (Consultant) -- Valparaiso University
Mary K. Marshall -- Illinois College, Jacksonville, IL
Bill Martin -- North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND
Marilyn Mays (Consultant) -- North Lake College, Irving, TX
Christine A. McMillan -- Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA
Bob Megginson (Consultant) -- University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI
J. Lyn Miller -- Western Kentucky University, Bowling Green, KY
Steve Monk -- University of Washington
Lanny Morley (Consultant) -- Northeastern Missouri State University
Larry Morley -- Western Illinois University
Margaret L. Morrow -- SUNY Plattsburgh, Plattsburgh, NY
Carl D. Mueller -- Georgia Southwestern State University, Americus, GA
Leigh Ann Myers -- Northwestern State University of Louisiana, Natchitoches, LA
Jodie D. Novak -- University of Northern Colorado
Zephyrinius C. Okonkwo -- Alabama State University, Montgomery, AL
Robert Park -- Southern University, Baton Rouge, LA
Sharon Persinger – Bronx Community College, Bronx, NY
Kristin Pfabe -- Northern Kentucky University, Highland Heights, KY
Pamela Pierce -- College of Wooster, Wooster, OH
Christopher J. Pladdy -- Nicholls State University, Thibodaux, LA
Eileen Poiani (Consultant) -- St. Peter's College
C. Lanette Poteete-Young -- Judson University, Elgin, IL
Vrunda P. Prabu -- City University of New York, New York, NY
Gail Ratcliff (Consultant) -- University of Missouri-St. Louis
Janet Ray (Consultant) -- Seattle Central Community College
Mary Lynn Reed -- Department of Defense, Tampa, FL
Diane Resek -- San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA
Sr. Barbara E. Reynolds (Consultant)-- Cardinal Stritch College, Milwaukee, WI
Fred Rickey --Bowling Green State University
Stacey Rodman -- Augustana College, Rock Island, IL
Kenneth A. Ross (Consultant) -- University of Oregon (on last year's list)
Elyn Rykken -- Muhlenberg College, Allentown, PA
Daniel Schaal – South Dakota State University, Brookings, SD
David Scott (Consultant) -- University of Puget Sound, Tacoma, WA
Jon Scott (Consultant) -- Visiting Mathematician at the MAA
Martha Siegel (Consultant) -- Towson State University, Towson, MD
Paula Shorter -- Rockhurst College, Kansas City, MO
Richard M. Single -- University of Vermont
David Smith (Consultant) -- Duke University, Durham, NC
Laura B. Smith -- North Carolina Central University, Durham, NC
Anita Solow (Consultant) -- Grinnell College
Kay Somers (Consultant) -- Moravian College, Bethlehem, PA
Jude Thaddeus Socrates -- Pasadena City College, Pasadena, CA
Jimmy Solomon (Consultant) -- Georgia Southern University
Jody M. Sorensen -- Augsburg College, Minneapolis, MN
Barry S. Spieler -- Birmingham - Southern College, Birmingham, AL
Lynn Steen -- St. Olaf College, Northfield, MN
David Stone (Consultant) -- Georgia Southern University
John R. Swallow -- Davidson College, Davidson, NC
Thaddeus Tarpey -- Wright State University, Dayton, OH
Jean E. Taylor (Consultant) -- Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey
John Thurber -- Eastern Oregon University, La Grande, OR
Rebekah Valdivia -- see Rebekah Dupont
Troy D. VanAken -- University of Evansville, Evansville, IN
Vonn Walter -- Southeastern Oklahoma State University, Durant, OK
Fred Weening -- Edinboro University of Pennsylvania, Edinboro, PA
Randy Westhoff -- Bemidji State University, Bemedji, MN
Frederick J. Wicklin -- University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN
Sheryl L. Wills -- University of Wisconsin-Platteville, Platteville, WI
Bob Witte -- Exxon Education Foundation
Haidong Wu -- The University of Mississippi, University, MS
Weiqing Xie -- California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, CA
Yajung Yang -- SUNY-Framingdale, Farmingdale, NY
Maureen Yarnevich -- Towson University, Towson, MD
William Yin -- LaGrange College, LaGrange, GA
Holly Zullo -- Carroll College, Helena, MT
NExT Affiliation: Fellow
Institution: Morehead State University
e-mail: d.ahmadi@morehead-st.edu
Area of Research: Undergraduate Mathematics Education
Most successful pedagogical experience/approach: Teaching calculus using the Ostebee and Zorn textbook and graphical calculators was a very rewarding experience. I particularly enjoyed the discussions generated by students' questions. Students showed a better understanding of calculus concepts than previous calculus students in traditional settings.
Course(s) that you are experienced with and that you are willing to be a resource for: calculus
Non-mathematical stuff (family, hobbies, hometown, etc.): I enjoy reading, jogging, and swimming. I am interested in world issues, nutrition and the environment. I feel fortunate to have landed on the top of a hill in this beautiful land of Kentucky. My three children, my husband and I feel that our house is just a camping place.
NExT Affiliation: Fellow
Institution: Xavier University Cincinnati, Ohio, 45207
e-mail: bright@xavier.xu.edu
Area of Research: partial differential equations
Most successful pedagogical experience/approach: My experiences thus far are somewhat limited. However, this year Xavier is using Maple in it's Calculus sequence for math majors. It's been a real challenge preparing a Maple lab near every week, but the response from the students has been great.
Course(s) that you are experienced with and that you are willing to be a resource for: Calculus for both math majors and non-math majors
My home page is under construction.
NExT Affiliation: Fellow
Institution: Saint Leo College
e-mail: charlwk@snoopy.tblc.lib.fl.us
Area of Research: Ring theory/Quantum groups
Most successful pedagogical experience/approach: The most success I have had in teaching has been at the calculus level. The fact that the subject is rich with fascinating problems and the students tend to be more motivated are two reasons for this. In the past, most of my students in calculus courses were pre-engineers. I enjoyed finding examples to study in class which related directly to the students' major field(s), and I believe they appreciated having that opportunity. In the future, I hope to try some different approaches to teaching the traditional calculus sequence; in the past, it was all lecture/discussion format. Lo and behold, I will be teaching one section of calc. 1 next semester here at Saint Leo. I expect to give some group assignments, and some long-range individualized homework, too. I know I'm looking forward to it!
Course(s) that you are experienced with and that you are willing to be a resource for: Business calculus, Math for Elementary Teachers, College algebra
Non-mathematical stuff (family, hobbies, hometown, etc.): I'm originally from the Milwaukee area in Wisconsin. I spent all my life there, save for two years in grad. school at the U. of Minnesota, and this past year when I was at Bradley U. in Illinois. I still have family back in Wisconsin, and one sister who lives in California. In my spare time (what spare time?!) I like to swim, go biking, and play tennis.
NExT Affiliation: Fellow
Institution: Lebanon Valley College
e-mail: chasen@lvc.edu
Area of Research: Algebra
Course(s) that you are experienced with and that you are willing to be a resource for: Calculus, Mathematics for Liberal Arts Majors, Finite Mathematics (linear systems, linear programming)
Non-mathematical stuff (family, hobbies, hometown, etc.): In addition to my mathematical interests, I am happily married to Amy Lynn Chasen who shares my interest in juggling, rock climbing, walking in the woods, and lying on the beach. I also enjoy whittling, wax art, science fiction, and torturing people with mathematical puzzles.
NExT Affiliation: Consultant and Liaison to NExT for the AMS Committee on Education
Institution: Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana
e-mail: cowen@math.purdue.edu
Area of Research: Operator Theory, Complex Analysis, Matrix Theory, and their interactions
Most successful pedagogical experience/approach:
The most interesting unusual teaching I have done lately involves a
project I have been using in all my linear algebra courses: A Project
on Circles in Space. In this project, which is a based on a problem
from Ford Motor Company, each student is given the coordinates of ten
points in 3-space and asked to decide if they do or do not lie on a
circle. Each student is given a different data set, and students may
work in groups of any size, although a group must provide the answer
for every data set of the group's members (and the grade for each
group member is the average of the grades for all the data sets).
This project requires knowledge of Gram-Schmidt orthogonalization,
knowledge of least squares fitting of curves and surfaces, and the
use of some software package that can do linear algebra.
I
believe one reason the project is successful is that the students get
hooked on the problem before they realize how hard it is! For
example, we don't discuss the problem the day it is assigned and,
invariably, the next class, the first question is "What is a
circle?" Of course, I want that question to be felt by everyone
before we discuss it (which is why we don't talk about anything the
day of the assignment) and most people think they know what a circle
is until they begin to think about it.
More information about
the project, including the Matlab M-files that generate the data (and
answers!), is available on my Web page.
Course(s) that you are experienced with and that you are willing to be a resource for: Linear Algebra, Actuarial Mathematics, Complex Analysis (and graduate analysis courses)
NExT Affiliation: Consultant
Institution: Franklin & Marshall College
e-mail: A_Crannell@ACAD.FandM.edu
Area of Research: Discrete Dynamical Systems
Most successful pedagogical experience/approach: What I'm best known for (and what I really like doing) is getting my students to write well in every level of my mathematics classes. Undergraduates are a frequently creative bunch, if you give them the chance.
Course(s) that you are experienced with and that you are willing to be a resource for: Calculus (single variable and mutivariable), Real Analysis, Fourier Analysis, Complex Analysis.
NExT Affiliation: Fellow
Institution: Bloomfield College, N.J.
e-mail: dvcurtis@pilot.njin.net
Area of Research: Complex Analysis/ Riemann Surface Theory
Course(s) that you are experienced with and that you are willing to be a resource for: Elementary And Intermediate Algebras, Differential And Integral Calculus and Math For Liberal Arts Students.
Non-mathematical stuff (family, hobbies, hometown, etc.):
Hobbies: Singing, Reading, Weight Lifting, Step Areobics
and DJ-ing
Other: I live in Bellevile N.J.. I grew up in
Hollis, Queens. I like all kinds of music and foods. I enjoy teaching
math and trying out new methods to do so. I love traveling to
conferences and traveling in general. Both of my parents have sisters
and/or brothers that live in Bermuda. So I have visited there more
often than any other of the islands. Also, while I do not have
children, I do have six godchildren whom I spend time with as often
as possible (ie. I love children too!)
NExT Affiliation: Fellow
Institution: John Carroll University
e-mail: BDAMBROSIA@JCVAXA.JCU.EDU
Area of Research: Algebra/Ring Theory
Course(s) that you are experienced with and that you are willing to be a resource for: Calculus, Business Calculus
Non-mathematical stuff (family, hobbies, hometown, etc.): I received my PhD from the University of Oregon in 1994, and I've been at John Carroll (in Cleveland) since then.
NExT Affiliation: Fellow
Institution: The University of Wisconsin-Stout
e-mail: deckelmans@UWSTOUT.EDU
Area of Research: Analysis-Several Complex Variables
Most successful pedagogical experience/approach: For the most part my teaching has been the rather traditional lecture approach. This year I'm experimenting teaching Pre-Calculus and College Algebra using a cooperative learning (groups etc.) model.
Course(s) that you are experienced with and that you are willing to be a resource for: Pre-Calc, Differential Equations, Statistics Computer courses
Non-mathematical stuff (family, hobbies, hometown, etc.): We only got access to the Web about 1 month ago. When I get time I plan to set up my own homepage.
NExT Affiliation: Fellow
Institution: The Sage Colleges
e-mail: fordf@sage.edu
Area of Research: Algebra
NExT Affiliation: Fellow
Institution: Sonoma State University
e-mail: ben.ford@sonoma.edu.
Area of Research: Modular representation theory of algebraic groups and of finite symmetric groups
Course(s) that you are experienced with and that you are willing to be a resource for: Abstract algebra, Math for the liberal arts major Math for Elementary Teachers
Non-mathematical stuff (family, hobbies, hometown, etc.):
I'm married (since 1989) to Judith Newton. We have one son, Corey Jasper, who was born February 16, 1994. There is a picture of him on my home page. We have a daughter, Leah, born April 10, 1997.
I'm into woodworking, hiking, backpacking (and haven't done any of them as much as I'd like lately).
We just moved to Santa Rosa, California, where I have just begun a new appointment as an Assistant Professor at Sonoma State University.
I grew up in St. Paul, Minnesota, and would love to move back there someday. It's a great place.
NExT Affiliation: Fellow
Institution: Jacksonville University
e-mail: mfoskey@junix.ju.edu
Area of Research: Algebraic Topology, specifically Dyer-Lashof operations and higher homotopy commutativity in n-fold loop spaces.
Most successful pedagogical experience/approach:
In a college geometry class, I had the students begin the semester by reading and working through the first book of Euclid, with an eye towards learning from what he did right as well as finding the mistakes in his rigor.
For one year I was the calculus half of a combined physics/calculus class that met for six hours a week with both professors. The students really seemed to get a handle on what calculus was about. (Can't say it was my idea, though. The project originated the year before with Chuck Lindsey and Toufic Hakim of Jacksonville University.)
Course(s) that you are experienced with and that you are willing to be a resource for:
Calculus (out of the Harvard book)
College Geometry
Non-mathematical stuff (family, hobbies, hometown, etc.): I'm married, to Kathy Foskey. I grew up in Chapel Hill (go Heels!), went to college at Princeton, and grad school at UC-San Diego.
NExT Affiliation: Fellow
Institution: Montana State University - Northern
e-mail: gayle@nmc1.nmclites.edu
Area of Research: Approximation Theory
Most successful pedagogical experience/approach: I'd like to believe that I've had several successful teaching experiences. The most rewarding experiences which I've had have certainly been those in which individual students who have struggled with math have been successful with my help.
Course(s) that you are experienced with and that you are willing to be a resource for: pre-calculus courses, calculus, "business" calculus
NExT Affiliation: Fellow
Institution: Mesa State College
e-mail: pgustafs@mesastate.edu
Area of Research: Approximation Theory
Most successful pedagogical experience/approach: Maple Computer Laboratory Exercises for Calculus I and II.
Course(s) that you are experienced with and that you are willing to be a resource for: Calculus I and II (used Dick and Patton's text with graphing calculators), Linear Algebra, Math For All Practical Purposes (Liberal Arts Course)
Non-mathematical stuff (family, hobbies, hometown, etc.): My hometown is Oneonta, NY, and graduate school at Washington State University. Outside of mathematics, I enjoy running and hiking.
NExT Affiliation: Consultant
Institution: University of California, San Diego
e-mail: dhaimo@euclid.ucsd.edu
Area of Research: classical harmonic analysis
My home page
NExT Affiliation: Fellow
Institution: Furman University
e-mail: John.Harris@furman.edu
Area of Research: Graph Theory and Combinatorics
Most successful pedagogical experience/approach:
I am currently teaching a precalculus course in which I'm using several nonstandard types of assessment and activities. Along with the standard tests, quizzes, and exam, I am also trying out group projects, weekly journals, and worksheets that are designed to encourage pre-reading the text. The response seems fairly positive so far.
Course(s) that you are experienced with and that you are willing to be a resource for:
Precalculus
Calculus I
Intro Probability and Statistics
Intro Game Theory and Graph Theory
Non-mathematical stuff (family, hobbies, hometown, etc.): I finished up my graduate work this past summer at Emory University in Atlanta (my hometown), and this is my first year at Appalachian State here in Boone, NC. I feel fortunate to be here during an exciting time in our department -- there are six new faculty members this year!
My wife of three years is Priscilla Harris, and she is from Atlanta also.
As far as hobbies go, I enjoy tennis, golf, and magic (especially mathematical magic).
NExT Affiliation: Consultant
Institution: Ursinus College
e-mail: NHagelgans@acad.Ursinus.edu
Most successful pedagogical experience/approach: My most successful pedagogical approach has been the use of cooperative learning. I have used the computer algebra system Derive extensively in the first year of calculus, and I am planning to use Derive in discrete mathematics.
Course(s) that you are experienced with and that you are willing to be a resource for: calculus, discrete mathematics, abstract algebra, topology, theory of computation, principles of programming languages, data structures and algorithms
Non-mathematical stuff (family, hobbies, hometown, etc.): We have four grown children. My main hobby is playing the violin, and I play in the Main Line Symphony.
NExT Affiliation: Fellow
Institution: Cleveland State University
e-mail: j.p.holcomb@csuohio.edu
Area of Research: Statistics
Most successful pedagogical experience/approach: While a graduate student at the University at Albany I was able to teach a two semester statistics sequence to Public Health graduate students. These students were not mathematically inclined, and the book used for this course was a standard elementary statistics text. I had the students work as Consultants on lengthy data analysis projects. Perhaps because these students were older and more mature, the consulting teams worked amazingly well together. The grading was very easy, because I received almost professional reports. To install such a level of committment in undergraduates is now the challenge I face at YSU.
Course(s) that you are experienced with and that you are willing to be a resource for: Elementary Statistics, Mathematical Statistics, Probability and Calculus using Maple
Non-mathematical stuff (family, hobbies, hometown, etc.): My hobbies include volleyball, swimming and the art of conversation. As an educator, I am constantly thrown into situations where I meet new people. I am amazed how unwillingly some people are in making even a token effort to get to know people. I must say that I was very impressed with the Fellows and Consultants of Project Next. Everyone I met seemed genuinely interested in learning of the trials and experiences of others. If only the rest of the academic community was so open.
NExT Affiliation: Fellow
Institution: Westfield State College
e-mail: photchkiss@wsc.ma.edu
Area of Research: Geometric Group Theory
Most successful pedagogical experience/approach: I have used traditional methods in all my classes up until this year. While they have worked well for me, I have decided to use Reading Outlines in my DiffEq class this fall in an attempt to stimulate more discussion and help keep me from teaching this course in a cookbook type fashion. It is too early to tell how succesful this will be, but I have high hopes that it will work.
Course(s) that you are experienced with and that you are willing to be a resource for: I would be willing to share my experiences in my DiffEq course after the semester is over.
Non-mathematical stuff (family, hobbies, hometown, etc.): My hometown is Albany, NY. I did my undergraduate work at Union College in Schenectady, NY and my graduate work at State University of New York at Albany . I then taught for a year at Lafayette College in Easton PA before taking a one-year position here at Rhodes.
My non-mathematical hobbies include baseball (Go Mets!!), singing, golf, and reading.
NExT Affiliation: Fellow
Institution: Santa Rosa Junior College
e-mail: sarajones@prodigy.net
Area of Research: Analysis, Undergraduate mathematics education
NExT Affiliation: Fellow
Institution: The Ramaz Upper School, New York City
e-mail: rkoplon@thebrookhavengroup.com
Area of Research: Systems and control theory
Most successful pedagogical experience/approach: I taught an advanced linear algebra course using a textbook that did not have answers to the exercises. In order to satisfy the students' requests (demands?) for solutions, I used the following approach. I had the students work on homework in teams of two. Each period a different team was responsible to hand in the assignment. After making corrections, if necessary, I made copies and distributed the completed assignment to the rest of the class. This worked out very well. The students took their responsibility to their partner and to the rest of the class very seriously. At first I was concerned that students would not try to work out the problems themselves if it was not their week to hand in the assignment. That turned out not to be a problem because of the delay between assigning the problems and my correcting the "official" paper and copying it. The best sign of success was when I was thanked by several students for forcing them to work together.
Course(s) that you are experienced with and that you are willing to be a resource for: Linear Algebra
NExT Affiliation: Fellow, 1995-6
Institution: Allegheny College
e-mail: tlakins@allegheny.edu
Area of Research: Recursion theory (computability theory).
Most successful pedagogical experience/approach: At Dartmouth College, every course has an "extra" meeting time, which I used in my sophomore/junior level courses (Linear Algebra, undergraduate Set Theory, Introduction to Computability) for group problem solving. I approached the linear algebra and set theory courses as "introduction to proofs" courses, and having the extra time for the students to help each other learn to write proofs, with only minimal assistance from me, seemed to benefit the weaker, as well as the stronger students. I've not yet had the opportunity to try this at Allegheny, where I do not have the benefit of the extra meeting time, but it was such a valuable experience that I will try to compensate for the differences in the timing when I teach such courses here.
Course(s) that you are experienced with and that you are willing to be a resource for: Linear algebra (very traditional course), undergraduate set theory, undergraduate computability theory.
Non-mathematical stuff (family, hobbies, hometown, etc.): After finishing my Ph.D. at University of Illinois in Urbana, we moved to Vermont, and I completed a 2 year post-doc at Dartmouth College in Hanover, New Hampshire.
I sing in a choir whenever possible. I was a member of the Dartmouth College Handel Society, the oldest student-college-community oratorio society in the nation, and had the incredible experience of performing the Beethoven Missa Soemnis. At Allegheny College, I now sing in the Allegheny Chorus.
NExT Affiliation: Fellow, 1995-6
Institution: Trinity University
e-mail: jlawson1@trinity.edu
Area of Research: Mathematical physics, differential geometry
Most successful pedagogical experience/approach: The most effective I felt that I have been is when I have had very small classes and can lead them through the material mostly by discussion and with a minimal amount of lecturing. I have lead both a "first-year" experience class of 17 through calculus 2 and a class of four through a survey calculus course in this fashion. The fact that I have no control over the size of the class means that I am challenged to balance whole classroom discussions with small group discussions to the same end. The resources and advice on group discussion, writing and laboratories available through Project NExT have been very useful.
Course(s) that you are experienced with and that you are willing to be a resource for: Calculus 1-3
Non-mathematical stuff (family, hobbies, hometown, etc.): I like hiking and playing soccer. My wife is also a mathematician.
NExT Affiliation: Fellow
Institution: Pennsylvania College of Technology
e-mail: wma@pct.edu
Area of Research: Complex Analysis
Most successful pedagogical experience/approach: Even though my field is analysis, I like to teach statistics, in which we can use many real world examples.
I try to get my students interested in the subject at the beginning of the course by showing them some video tapes to see where statistics is used.
I also use TI-85 calculators in my statistics classes; I am in the process of writing a student manual for using TI-85 in statistics classes. In the statistics course with computer applications, we use Minitab and Mathcad. In order to have my students focus on statistics instead of the software, I have prepared a Minitab Student Manual. With the manual, my students have a easier time to use the software and I have more time to talk about the statistical results. After several weeks, almost all my students can follow the manual to work on their own in the computer lab and I can spend time to help those with trouble.
I give students in my statistics a research project, which is a semester long process. At the beginning of the semester, the students start to think about the problem they will investigate. Then they collect their own samples and do simple statistics analysis and graphic presentations. After we cover the sophisticated data analysis, they use Minitab to analysize the data and interpret their results. Finally they need to write their final report. I think that such kind of research project definitely helps students to make connection between course material and real problems.
Course(s) that you are experienced with and that you are willing to be a resource fora: Calculus, Statistics, and Statistics with Computer Applications
Non-mathematical stuff (family, hobbies, hometown, etc.): I came from P. R. China in 1987. After receiving my Ph. D. from University of Cincinnati, we moved to Williamsport, in which the home of the Little League Baseball is located. My wife, Aiguo (Iris) Chen and two sons, Cong (Carl) and Daniel are here with me in Williamsport.
NExT Affiliation: Fellow
Institution: Ball State University
e-mail: jdlorch@bsu-cs.bsu.edu
Area of Research: Representations of Lie Groups
Most successful pedagogical experience/approach: As a graduate student, I was given the opportunity to teach linear algebra. I was able to follow this up by creating a series of computerized linear algebra assignments that would be available for use by all instructors at Oklahoma State University.
Course(s) that you are experienced with and that you are willing to be a resource for: Calculus, Linear Algebra
Non-mathematical stuff (family, hobbies, hometown, etc.): My wife, Crystal, is also a mathematician. Besides mathematics, I enjoy golfing and reading about history.
NExT Affiliation: Fellow
Institution: North Dakota State University
e-mail: william.martin@ndsu.nodak.edu
Area of Research: Mathematics Education
Most successful pedagogical experience/approach: In recent years I have focused on mathematical service courses including college algebra, finite mathematics (currently) and calculus. I use technologies (graphing calculators and computer software) whenever possible in my teaching. My interest is in their use as tools to enhance learning rather than as objects of study in their own right. Whenever possible I try to incorporate group work, non-routine problems, and non-competitive grading in the courses I teach.
My research interests are directed at the lasting impact of mathematics instruction. I have studied the impact of the integrated use of graphing technologies in precalculus and spent a number of years assessing the impact of high school and introductory collegiate mathematics and statistics, through differential equations, that is apparent for "emerging juniors" in college. Specifically, to what extent do students have the quantitative skills they need as they begin their specialized studies in their major field? How are these capabilities connected to their academic backgrounds?
Course(s) that you are experienced with and that you are willing to be a resource for:
Precalculus, calculus
Non-mathematical stuff (family, hobbies, hometown, etc.): Before graduate school I taught high school geography and mathematics for 11 years in Australia. My teaching included many courses in grades 7-12. I have spent roughly equal parts of my life living in the US, growing up in South India, teaching (and golfing) in a small farming town in SE Australia, and pursuing graduate work in mathematics and education at Wisconsin with a couple years at Iowa State. I'm enjoying the start of a new role as a faculty member at NDSU in North Dakota and as the grandfather of three granddaughters. My interests include music, photography, golf and travel.
NExT Affiliation: Consultant
Institution: North Lake College, a member of the Dallas Country Community College District
e-mail: memays@dcccd.edu
Area of Research: two-year college mathematics educator
Most successful pedagogical experience/approach: Prefer teaching in an environment where students have the opportunity to experience a variety of instructinal situations, group interaction, presentations, independent study with video and computer aided instruction, and guest lecturers
Course(s) that you are experienced with and that you are willing to be a resource for: Liberal Arts mathematics, the two-year college curriculum
Non-mathematical stuff (family, hobbies, hometown, etc.): I was most recently director of the project to develop standards for the introductory courses taught in college below the level of calculus. I am president of the American Mathematical Association of Two-Year Colleges (soon to be past-president!!) and would be happy to share my experiences teaching at the two-year level.
NExT Affiliation: Fellow
Institution: Western Kentucky University
e-mail: miller@pulsar.cs.wku.edu
Area of Research: computational commutative algebra
Most successful pedagogical experience/approach: After 6 semesters of practice, I feel pretty confident about my ability to teach remedial algebra. I don't use any special innovative techniques, but I have learned how to deal with the attitudes and deficits of students at that level fairly well. I also feel good about my ability to teach the elementary education major sequence, although that depends very much on the make-up of the individual class. If you are interested in experimenting with group work, I recommend trying it with these students, as I have found them to be more willing to work together than the typical service course students. I usually enjoy teaching these students, despite their reputation!
Course(s) that you are experienced with and that you are willing to be a resource for: See above.
Non-mathematical stuff (family, hobbies, hometown, etc.): Now that I am financially able, I have been indulging in a *lot* of travel. Look for me in a city near you soon!
NExT Affiliation: 1995-1996 NExT Fellow (green dot)
Institution: Georgia Southwestern State University
e-mail: cmueller@canes.gsw.edu
Area of Research: Several Complex Variables, Ramsey Theory
Course(s) that you are experienced with and that you are willing to be a resource for: I've taught calculus more times than I can count and have taught my share of upper level classes as well, but I haven't really taught ANY of them in anything but the old fashioned lecture format (though I have done SOME things to try to make the class interesting). I will try to incorporate some new ideas into my Calculus 4 (multivariable stuff) class this fall QUARTER.
Non-mathematical stuff (family, hobbies, hometown, etc.):
My wife (Cathy) and I moved down here to Americus, GA two years
ago when I took the job here at Georgia Southwestern (after finishing
my PhD at the University of Wisconsin-Madison). We're both from the
Chicago suburbs (Northbrook and Hazel Crest) and so experienced a bit
of culture shock upon arriving in a small town in the deep South.
But, apart from the too hot summers, we're doing pretty well. Cathy
works at Habitat for Humanity, International (their international
headquarters are here in Americus) as a Systems Analyst so we're both
keeping pretty busy.
Both of us are collectors. I collect flying discs (I think that the current total is between 5 and 6 hundred Frisbees and other brands of discs) and play Disc Golf when I get the chance ... I'd like to play some Ultimate, but I'm not in the shape I once was. Cathy collects Hallmark ornaments (I have no idea what the current total is).
NExT Affiliation: Fellow
Institution: Northwestern State University of Louisiana
e-mail: myers@alpha.nsula.edu
Area of Research: Algebraic Number Theory
Course(s) that you are experienced with and that you are willing to be a resource for: College Algebra, Linear Algebra, Abstract Algebra
NExT Affiliation: Fellow
Institution: Northern Kentucky University
e-mail: pfabe@nku.edu
Area of Research: Numerical Analysis and Partial Differential Equations
Most successful pedagogical experience/approach: I feel most successful as a teacher when there is quality interaction amongst the students. To realize this atmosphere, I try to present material so as not to "give away the punchline." It's much better for the students to provide the punchline, and they seem to arrive at conclusions more efficiently by communicating with each other. I try to provide ample time for them to work in groups. I'm still searching for the "perfect" way to have students work together.
I am currently and have previously used technology as a teaching tool. This tool has been successful for me. In DE's, I had a lab in which students changed parameters to investigate damping in the spring equation. The immediate visual feedback that the students obtained seemed to facilitate their comprehension of the concepts. In the precalculus and calculus courses that I am teaching now, I am making extensive use of graphing calculators.
Course(s) that you are experienced with and that you are willing to be a resource for: Differential Equations, Math for Elementary Teachers
Name: C. Lanette Poteete-Young
NExT Affiliation: 1995-96 Fellow
Institution: Judson University, Elgin, IL
e-mail: lpoteete-young@judsonu.edu
Area of Research: Applied Mathematics - Fluid Mechanics
Most successful pedagogical experience/approach: One of the best things I have done was with an Abstract Algebra class full of very weak students. I wanted them to learn how to write, read, and understand proofs so I assigned one simple proof each class day due to be turned in the following class day. These proofs were graded on an "OK" or "redo" basis with no penalty given for "redo" as long as they were resubmitted the next class day. Students who were very poorly prepared did learn to do simple proofs and could at least read and follow proofs in the text that had been inaccessible previously.
Course(s) that you are experienced with and that you are willing to be a resource for: Elementary Statistics , all levels of pre-calculus mathematics, liberal arts mathematics
Non-mathematical stuff (family, hobbies, hometown, etc.): I've been married just over two years - my husband, Jim, is an attorney. As yet, we have no children (and no immediate plans for any!) I seem to come from a mathematical family - I have two sisters, one has a Master's Degree in math and teaches at a community college in Kansas City, the other is married to a high school math teacher who also has a Master's Degree!
NExT Affiliation: Fellow
Institution: Department of Defense
e-mail: marylynnreed@yahoo.com
Area of Research: Representation Theory of Algebraic Groups in Positive Characteristic
Course(s) that you are experienced with and that you are willing to be a resource for:
Calculus, Precalculus, Finite Math, Discrete Math, Math for Liberal Arts majors
NExT Affiliation: Consultant
Institution: San Francisco State University
e-mail: resek@math.sfsu.edu
Area of Research: Foundations - Algebraic logic
Most successful pedagogical experience/approach: My most successful pedagogical experience was a three semester sequence of courses for prospective elementary school teachers. The material for the courses was based on material I used when I taught mathematics in elementary schools while in graduate school. In graduate school I was part of Project SEED, a program which at that time used mathematics graduate students to teach mathematics outside the regular curriculum to inner city elementary school students. We adapted existing curriculum and put together our own material. I, in turn, adapted that material for my college students.
The college course featured small group learning, challenging problems, some work on computers (Apple IIs), and approaching abstractions using concrete materials.
Course(s) that you are experienced with and that you are willing to be a resource for: Calculus, Math for Teachers, Abstract Algebra, Set Theory, Proof
NExT Affiliation: Fellow
Institution: Augustana College
e-mail: staceyrodman@Augustana.edu
Area of Research: Commutative Algebra, in particular Arrangements of Hyperplanes
Most successful pedagogical experience/approach: On the first day of any new class, after briefly going over the syllabus, I break the class into small groups to work on a sheet of interesting review problems.
This is helpful in many ways both for me and the students. First of all I don't have to lecture to a sea of unfamiliar faces. Secondly the students get a feel for the level of the class and I get a feel for the level of the students. Also the students get a chance to know other people in the class, and I start to get to know them as I move from group to group answering questions.
I hope that this encourages students to work on homework assignments in groups. I also like that it establishes a pattern of active participation during class rather than straight lecture. I find that rather than having students anxious to leave early they get so involved many stay after class.
Course(s) that you are experienced with and that you are willing to be a resource for: I am familiar with Harvard Calculus and math classes designed for non-math majors. I am also having a lot of fun teaching Abstract Algebra.
NExT Affiliation: Fellow
Institution: Muhlenberg College
e-mail: elrykken@muhlenberg.edu
Area of Research: Dynamical Systems
Most successful pedagogical experience/approach:
I taught linear algebra using Anton's applied book. When we got to vector spaces and the more abstract concepts (nullspace, row space, column space, basis, etc.), I was forced to abandon lecturing in favor of having the students work in small groups (usually three people to a group). They worked through "worksheets" which presented the material and gave examples for them to work through and asked them questions to answer. They then handed in the completed worksheet (individually) at the beginning of the next class and got credit for it as homework. For the last two weeks of class, groups of three presented one of the sections found in the last chapter of the book which gives eighteen or so examples of how linear algebra can be applied.
In general, I find working in groups to be an effective way to address the problem of solving word problems. Often I have the groups present their solution on the blackboard to the rest of the class.
Course(s) that you are experienced with and that you are willing to be a resource for:
Differential calculus
Intro multivariable calculus
Linear algebra
Math for liberal arts (Basic mathematics)
NExT Affiliation: NExT Fellow
Institution: University of Vermont
e-mail: rsingle@uvm.edu
Area of Research: Statistics, Statistical Genetics, Biostatistics
Most successful pedagogical experience/approach: I find that nothing works better than the use of real data to illustrate examples. If this data comes from an area (contextwise or even geographically speaking) that is familiar to the students that is even better. Coming from SUNY Stony Brook in New Yauwk, the Long Island Breast Cancer study provided an excellent means of delving into conditional probabilities, relative risk, and the odds ratio. The ability to identify some of the (oftentimes mysterious) statistics quoted in the newspaper really helps to bring home the point.
Course(s) that you are experienced with and that you are willing to be a resource for: Introductory Statistics, Statistics for the Life Sciences, Linear Models
Non-mathematical stuff (family, hobbies, hometown, etc.): I graduated from SUNY Albany in 1990, an got my Ph.D. from SUNY Stony Brook in 1995. I enjoy hiking, backpacking, baking, and playing the saxophone. I've been a referee with the United States Soccer Federation for the last 10 years (and I notice that Mid-western players are quite a bit more polite than back home).
NExT Affiliation: Consultant
Institution: Moravian College
e-mail: somersK@moravian.edu
Area of Research: Operations Research, Game Theory
Most successful pedagogical experience/approach: I have been involved in a project to develop materials to integrate precalculus review with the first course in calculus. We teach a two-semester integrated Precalculus-Calculus course in which we review the precalculus concepts and topics as they are needed for the study of calculus, using the terminology and notation of calculus.
I have also been involved with incorporating cooperative and group activities in most of the math classes that I teach.
Course(s) that you are experienced with and that you are willing to be a resource for: calculus, statistics, operations research
Non-mathematical stuff (family, hobbies, hometown, etc.): I have two children, ages 10 and 15, and enjoy hiking, bicycling, and cross country skiing, and reading mysteries.
NExT Affiliation: Fellow
Institution: Augsburg College, Minneapolis, MN
e-mail: sorensj1@augsburg.edu
Area of Research: Dynamical Systems
Most successful pedagogical experience/approach: I have been working on employing more collaborative learning into all of my courses. The first step towards this, as I see it, is to ask good questions in class, and to expect and wait for answers. This changes a standard lecture into something more like a discussion.
The next step is to have students work on problems together in groups during class. If possible I have the groups work at the blackboard: this forces them to work as a group, and allows them to compare their work with that of other groups. I have found that 3 is a pretty good size for these groups, but 4 is okay too.
Finally, I use the technique of having the students do "discussion sheets": one hour in class group assignments that develop an idea which is new to the students. Again I use groups of 3 or 4, and I require that they hand in a single write-up for the entire group. One example of this is that my Calc II students have just completed an assignment that involved estimating total distance traveled given velocity data, thereby developing the "big idea" of the FTC for themselves (and rather painlessly, too). In my Abstract Algebra course, we used a discussion sheet on the first day of class to review such topics as gcd's, lcm's, the division algorithm and modular arithmetic.
I enjoy using these collaborative learning techniques because it requires the students to be responsible for their own learning. It also allows me to see where they are having difficulties without embarassment or fear on their side.
Course(s) that you are experienced with and that you are willing to be a resource for: I have experience teaching both semesters of the Harvard Consortium Calculus using graphing calculators. I have also taught Differential Equations, Abstract Algebra and a proof writing course called Introduction to Abstraction.
Non-mathematical stuff: I graduated from St. Olaf College in 1988, and got my Ph.D. from Northwestern in 1994. I enjoy biking, ice skating, cooking, bridge, and traveling.
NExT Affiliation: Fellow
Institution: Birmingham-Southern College
e-mail: bspieler@bsc.edu
Area of Research: Topology, Geometric Group Theory
Most successful pedagogical experience/approach: I taught an introductory Topology course for a group of students who had not yet done many proofs, nor had any abstract algebra. Selectively using L.C. Kinsey's book, Topology of Surfaces, and some fun exercises, I was able to get these students to compute homology groups(!) of some (fairly simple) complexes, and perhaps for the first time, really see deep connections between algebraic and geometric constructs. I was afraid they would find it all too abstract, but in fact, they loved that interplay, and enjoyed the course tremendously. I learned a lot about the importance of hands-on examples in teaching abstract mathematics. I also learned that in our liberal arts environment, it can be useful to sacrifice a certain amount of what we traditionally call "rigor" in favor of the more intellectually satisfying deeper results, most of which are qualitative and well within the reach of our students.
In my calculus I and III classes, I have begun to create and use group writing assignments, much in the style of those used by Project NExT associates A. Crannell, T. Ratliff, and G. LaRose. They have worked extremely well, and I plan to continue them. In Calculus III, I have also begun using an adaptation of a wonderful individualized project originally by L. Riddle, which is detailed in his article, "Individualized computer investigations for multivariable calculus," College Math. Journal 26 (May 1995), 235-37.
I have been experimenting with assorted examination formats, including take-home, in groups, in the computer lab, etc., and various combinations of these. One that has worked very well is the following three-phase examination format:
Phase I: Take home, working alone, write rough draft of solutions.
Phase II: Team meeting. Each team (2-4 members) meets to discuss relative merits and shortcomings of the team members' various solutions; establish consensus if possible.
Phase III: Write up solutions individually.
Note that we have a fairly effective Honor Code policy here; people at some schools were shocked that I even tried to pull this off. Also, I reserve the right to interview students after reading their solutions, and to modify their grades if they cannot adequately explain what they wrote. This seems to be a sufficient guarantee--I haven't had to exercise it yet.
We are currently engaged in a study of our calculus sequence and will probably be adopting the Project CALC materials next year. We have been doing most of our decision making as a committee, consisting of three of us from the math faculty and two students. These two math majors (a junior and a senior) are contributing a tremendous amount of work and perspective to our "reform" plans, and this is proving to be a great Consultanting relationship and working collaboration between students and faculty. I am surprised to find that involving students in curricular reform is unusual, but it is very useful, and I recommend it.
I have also been teaching a transition or "Introduction to Proof" course, aimed at just-post-calculus math majors. I have been using a delightfully short book called Doing Mathematics by Steven Galovich. There are some places where one can get bogged down, but in general, this is a nice, sensible way to encourage young mathematics students to see the need for, and learn the techniques of, proof. I was quite skeptical at first because of the nature of such a methodology course--could I get students interested in a course about mathematical form rather than mathematical content? Fortunately, one of the beautiful things about mathematics is the interdependence of form and content, and the course really gave the students a chance to "do mathematics" in ways they could not have before. The last chapter consists entirely of an especially nice, large collection of random problems, not tied to any particular subspecialties or methods. For my students at the beginning of the course, glancing at those problems was an exercise in humility, while at the end of the course, they considered this list as a source of fun things to think about, conjecture about, and prove. I also used some supplementary activities from Fendel and Resek, Foundations of Higher Mathematics: Exploration and Proof, which I might use as a text if I had (a lot) more time. Each student wrote in the course evaluation that the course had had a strong positive effect on his/her confidence in his/her ability to do mathematics, and on his/her ability to consider, analyze, and resolve complex questions. Let's hear it for teaching critical thinking....
Course(s) that you are experienced with and that you are willing to be a resource for: Calculus, Multivariable Calculus, Transition to Advanced Mathematics, Introductory Real Analysis, Topology
Non-mathematical stuff (family, hobbies, hometown, etc.): A native of Patchogue, Long Island, New York, I moved to Boston to attend Tufts University, where I majored in Mathematics. I took some graduate courses at Brandeis University, where I met my wife, Steffanie Sabbaj. We both did our doctoral work at The Ohio State University in Columbus, I in Topology under Ruth Charney, and she in Immunology. We both had postdoctoral positions for two years at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, and now live in Birmingham, Alabama. Stef and I have a son, who at the age of two recently admitted, "I do mafematics. I like to look at shapes." I keep warning him about the job market..... As for my non-mathematical interests, I love children and I love to cook.
NExT Affiliation: Fellow, 1995-1996
Institution:Davidson College
e-mail:joswallow@davidson.edu
Area of Research: Algebra and Number Theory
Most successful pedagogical experience/approach: Teaching a writing-intensive calculus course in graduate school was arguably my most productive pedagogical experience. Because the class size was capped at fifteen students, I had ample opportunity and incentive to assign several papers with revisions. I have also been pleased with the geometry course I have been teaching using Greenberg's Euclidean and Non-Euclidean Geometries, which provides many great problems for students to explore techniques of proof. With both of these courses, I often wonder how they might be appropriately scaled up to larger class sizes.
Course(s) that you are experienced with and that you are willing to be a resource for: Synthetic Geometry
NExT Affiliation: Fellow
Institution: Wright State University, Dept. of Math & Stats
e-mail: Thaddeus.tarpey@wright.edu
Area of Research: Statistics, Collecting Like Terms
Most successful pedagogical experience/approach: I feel my teaching is most succesful when I get a chance to chat with students informally and get to know them. Learning their names is very helpful. I spent a couple of summers teaching algebra and calculus in a program for first generation college students before they entered college. There were a lot of opportunities to interact with the students (such as having lunch) which I felt was very helpful to students for making the transition to college and learning mathematics.
Course(s) that you are experienced with and that you are willing to be a resource for: Intro stats, regression analysis, calculus, algebra.
Non-mathematical stuff (family, hobbies, hometown, etc.): Family - wife Janice and a four year old daughter Amelia Rose. Hobbies - ultimate frisbee and bicycling. Hometown - born and raised in Lexington, Kentucky.
NExT Affiliation: Consultant
Institution: Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey
e-mail: taylor@math.rutgers.edu
Area of Research: Geometric Analysis; in particular, modeling crystal growth. About half of my work is interdisciplinary work with materials scientists.
Most successful pedagogical experience/approach: I love teaching and hate grading. I taught multivariable calculus Spring 1995 and it was fun because (1) out of our 80-minute class periods, I lectured only 45 minutes or so, and then had the class doing hard problems in groups, and (2) my younger daughter graded the in-class group problems! I think students learn much more from working on hard problems with me as a resource than they do by hearing lectures. And my students did well on the final. Furthermore, my course evaluations were very positive, with a number of students saying I was the best mathematics teacher they'd ever had, and other saying "MATH IS GREAT!"
A second fun teaching experience was at the UN Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing and the associated NGO (non-governmental organizations) Forum in nearby Huairou. I was a representative of AAAS (the American Association for the Advancement of Science), and we did hands-on science stuff. One-on-one discovery-style teaching, with no testing: that is the best possible way to teach. We distributed lots of information on encouraging girls in science in the process.
Course(s) that you are experienced with and that you are willing to be a resource for: I've taught all levels of Calculus, DiffEq, Linear Algebra, and most upper division and graduate level analysis courses.
Non-mathematical stuff (family, hobbies, hometown, etc.): See my www page!
Name:
Troy D. VanAken
NExT Affiliation: Fellow
Mailing address:
Department of Mathematics
University of Evansville
1800
Lincoln Avenue
Evansville, Indiana 47722
Telephone: (812) 479-2958
e-mail: vanaken@evansville.edu
Area of Research: Algebra/Combinatorics
Most successful pedagogical experience/approach:
My
theory is that students are able to learn easier when they can
associate a subject with a pleasant experience. Thus, I try to make
my classroom animated and exciting. Students are encouraged and often
forced to participate in an open and non-confrontational atmosphere.
Course(s) that you are experienced with and that you are willing to be a resource for:
Calculus
Probability and Statistics
Abstract Algebra
Math for Elementary Teachers
Non-mathematical
stuff:
During the summer of 95, I had the opportunity to chair
a committee that was developing the University
of Evansville's WWW site. I am very interested in technology both
as an educator and a member of society. Feel free to take a look at
my home page to meet
my wife, family and learn more about my interests.
NExT Affiliation: Fellow
Institution: Southeastern Oklahoma State University
e-mail: walterv@babbage.sosu.edu
Area of Research: Group Theory
Most successful pedagogical experience/approach: I taught first and second semester Calculus in a Treisman-style workshop while I was a graduate student at the University of Illinois. Because of this experience I'm sold on collaborative learning, but I'm not exactly sure to encorporate it into other math courses. Lower level courses such as College Algebra seem to be difficult using this method... in fact a Pre-Calculus class at Illinois that was taught in a workshop had major problems. In spite of this I think that it could work and I'm interested in learning how others have been able to use collaborative methods in their courses.
Course(s) that you are experienced with and that you are willing to be a resource for: Abstract Algebra
Non-mathematical stuff (family, hobbies, hometown, etc.): My hobby (or maybe obsession is a better way to describe it) is bicycle racing. I also enjoy movies, loud music, cooking, good food, and good beer.
NExT Affiliation: Fellow
Institution: Edinboro Univ. of Pa.
e-mail: fweening@edinboro.edu
Area of Research: Complex Analysis
Most successful pedagogical experience/approach: I've generally taught classes in standard lecture format, but I am now experimenting with other methods. For instance, this semester I'm assigning group discussion problems in one course and planning on using DERIVE in another course. One other major difference of this semester is that instead of marking homework problems as right or wrong and coming up with a homework grade, I have students indicate which problems they had trouble with or questions about and then I write comments on these problems. The choice of which homework problems and how many to do is largely left up to the individual student. Homework affects a student's final grades by raising his/her final percentages (slightly for students close to an A and quite a bit for students close to failing) if he/she has consistantly shown a lot of effort. I like this method so far as it seems that students are really trying to learn something from doing homework instead of copying work from eachother in order to get a good homework grade.
Course(s) that you are experienced with and that you are willing to be a resource for: Calculus, Real Analysis, and Complex Analysis
Non-mathematical stuff (family, hobbies, hometown, etc.): I was born and raised in the suburbs of Philadelphia, then went to Pittsburgh as an undergraduate (at CMU) and to graduate school in San Diego (at UCSD). I've also spent some time further up the coast of California near San Luis Obispo and now have returned to Pennsylvania, but this time in the snow belt about 20 miles south of Erie. My interests include bike riding, rock climbing, playing bridge and chess. I'm planning on learning how to cross country ski this winter and thinking about taking up kayaking next spring.
NExT Affiliation: Fellow
Institution: Bemidji State University
e-mail: rwesthoff@bemidjistate.edu
Area of Research: Algebraic Geometry
Most successful pedagogical experience/approach: I teach a wide variety of courses from beginning algebra through the more pure upper division courses. I am particularly interested in geometry, complex analysis and statistics. My department requires TI-8X calculators in most of its courses and I am also working to incorporate the Calculator Based Laboritory (CBL) into my calculus and statistics courses. I enjoy working with computer software packages like Cabri Geometry II, Fields&Operators and Minitab.
Course(s) that you are experienced with and that you are willing to be a resource for: Precalculus, Calculus, Foundations Course (Intro to proofs course), Complex Analysis, Undergraduate Geometry, Applied Statistics
NExT Affiliation: Fellow
Institution: The University of Minnesota School of Mathematics and the Geometry Center
e-mail: fjw@geom.umn.edu
Area of Research: Dynamical Systems, the Development of Numerical Mathematical Software, and the Computation of Geometric Structures.
Most successful pedagogical experience/approach:
I have been developing a laboratory-based approach to calculus and differential equations that incorporates hypertext, symbolic algebra (Maple), and numerical software into a single environment. A few of the differential equations labs are on-line.
Course(s) that you are experienced with and that you are willing to be a resource for:
Single and multivariable calculus, differential equations, dynamical systems.
Non-mathematical stuff (family, hobbies, hometown, etc.): I love camping and mountain climbing and so have already made plans for the 1996 joint meeting in Seattle!
NExT Affiliation: Fellow
Institution: University of Wisconsin - Platteville
e-mail: wills@uwplatt.edu
Area of Research: Partial Differential Equations, Fluid Mechanics
Course(s) that you are experienced with and that you are willing to be a resource for: Precalculus, Calculus, Differential Equations
NExT Affiliation: Fellow
Institution: Department of Mathematics and Statistics College of Science California State Polytechnic University, Pomona
e-mail: WXIE@csupomona.edu
Area of Research: Applied Mathematics and Differential Equations
NExT Affiliation: Fellow
Institution: LaGrange College, LaGrange, Georgia
e-mail: wyin@Consultant.lgc.peachnet.edu
Area of Research: Differential Equations
Most successful pedagogical experience/approach: I adopted a teaching method from my advisor. I give short quizzes every two days in just about all the classes I teach. The quizzes are given in the first 10 minutes of the class period. They are taken directly from the home work assignments given since the last quiz. They have to figure it out before they come to class. They can see me before the class period begins or they will discuss among themselves in the dorm, on the phone, etc. I found that helpful for me to keep up with the students' progress. I kind of know each student from the quizzes. This way I can help them better on an individual basis. That sure is a lot of quizzes to grade, but I have learned to grade quizzes fast, too. From the comments on the teaching evaluations that I have received, I have found that the students like having the frequent quizzes. They have indicated that these help them to keep up with the class better.
Course(s) that you are experienced with and that you are willing to be a resource for: Calculus, Pre-calculus
Non-mathematical stuff (family, hobbies, hometown, etc.): I am from Taipei, Taiwan. My wife's name is Carol Moore Yin. I like to do karate and exercise and eat.
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