Faculty and professional interests

Andrew Leahy, chair
   Group representation theory
Mary Vlastnik Armon
   Number theory, analysis
Kevin Hastings (on leave Fall 2008)
   Probability, statistics, operations research, financial mathematics
Junko Murakami (Fall 2008)
   Statistics
Dennis Schneider
   Real and complex analysis, functional analysis
Itai Seggev
   Applied mathematics, mathematical physics
Pedro Teixeira
   Commutative algebra

The Department of Mathematics offers a rigorous core curriculum that challenges students to think abstractly, recognize and generalize patterns, communicate ideas, and define and solve problems. In addition, mathematics students can explore exciting developments in this rapidly changing field through special topics courses in areas such as chaos, fractals and cryptography.

Mathematics students begin with a solid foundation in calculus, linear algebra and mathematical structures before proceeding to a variety of advanced courses and independent work. All students with strong ability and interest in mathematics should consider doing honors work in the department. Recent honors projects have dealt with topics such as fundamental solutions for partial differential equations, factorization algorithms, and options pricing.

Mathematics students are encouraged to participate in faculty research. In recent years, for example, several students have assisted with a curriculum development project using Mathematica, a state-of-the-art computing environment for doing mathematics. Mathematica is used extensively in introductory mathematics courses, and is available in all student labs as well as through the campus network to all student computers. Students working on the Mathematica project have been at the forefront of nationwide efforts to rethink the way mathematics is taught.

The department has recently introduced a second major and minor in the area of Financial Mathematics. This field of study focuses on the properties of investment objects, investor's and firm's attitudes toward risk, and the consequences to individual investor behavior as well as that of the whole market. It is a subject of much current interest, both theoretical and practical, which combines mathematical reasoning with economic insights.

Mathematics majors have completed distinguished graduate programs in mathematics, computer science, statistics, economics, biomathematics, engineering and operations research. Other graduates have become respected teachers, or have been sought out by computer and consulting firms, insurance companies, investment companies, banks and government agencies.

The departmental curriculum contributes to the College's Key Competency Requirements as follows:

• Writing Key Competency - MATH 300, 321, 331, and 341 serve as writing-intensive courses for majors
• Speaking Key Competency - MATH 361, 399, or a completed honors project serve as speaking-intensive courses for majors
• Information Literacy and Informed Use of Technology - Mathematics majors become proficient in the state-of-the-art computer algebra system Mathematica for numerical, symbolic, and graphical problem solving.

Mathematics Course Descriptions