Kevin Hastings

Professor of Mathematics; Registrar

Contact 309-341-7438 khasting@knox.edu

General Interests
"My mathematical interests focus on applications to real world problems that are affected by random inputs or disturbances. If you think about it, very little in this world can be predicted with complete certainty.

Here is one example of the types of problems that I have worked on with students recently: 'How can you develop a mathematical model for the transmission of AIDS, or any disease, that will enable prediction of the course of the epidemic and its demand for resources in the future?' This is the sort of problem that has always excited me, and that I have found lends itself well to advanced undergraduate research.

In addition to my research interests in financial mathematics, I have been occupied recently with the use of technology in the teaching and learning of probability, statistics, and other applied areas of mathematics."

Years at Knox: 1986 to present

Education
Ph.D., Mathematics, 1981, Northwestern University.
M.S., Mathematics, 1977, Northwestern University.
B.A., magna cum laude, 1976, Knox College.

Teaching Interests
Mathematical statistics, operations research, financial mathematics, honors and independent research.

Selected Professional Accomplishments

Honors/Grants
Knox Faculty Development Award, 1998.

Publications
Introduction to Probability with Mathematica, 2nd ed., Chapman & Hall/CRC Press, 2009.

Introduction to the Mathematics of Operations Research with Mathematica, 2nd edition, Taylor & Francis/Marcel Dekker, 2006.

Introduction to Probability with Mathematica. CRC Press/Chapman & Hall, November, 2000. Also issued electronically.

"Building a Baseball Simulation Game." Chance Magazine, 1999.

"Mathematica for Mathematical Statistics." Presented at the Worldwide Mathematica Conference, 1998.

Presentations
"Missions and Majors: Assessing Liberal Education Goals through Academic Majors." Panel presenter at the Higher Learning Commission Annual Meeting, Chicago, Illinois, 2009.

"Do the Parts Add Up to the Whole? Lessons from the Missions and Majors Assessment Project." Panel presenter. Association of American Colleges and Universities Annual Meeting, Seattle, Washington, 2009.

"The Many Levels of Assessment." Co-coordinator and Panel Facilitator, Teagle Conference, Ripon College, 2009.

Campus & Community Involvement
Established numerous mathematical and statistical internships: AT&T, Chicago Corporation, CNA Insurance, Equicor, Cigna Corporation, Kemper Corp.
Supervisor, numerous student projects in applied mathematics.
Member, Mathematical Association of America.
Member, American Statistical Association.
Member, Phi Beta Kappa.

What Students Say
"Professor Hastings is exactly what you want in a college teacher. He knows his stuff extremely well; he is involved in campus life, and he cares about students. You'll be surprised by the amount of writing in his classes, but it really helps you to understand and apply the mathematics that you're learning. He is open-minded and always solicits student opinions about his courses."
-Erin Roche, Mathematics Major