The Fall semester of 2017 is about to begin, and so the academic cycle renews
itself. It has been a while since I have updated this web page, so I thought
it might be time for a total refresh. Everything is new, right down to the
bones, and built with jekyll using the minimal mistakes theme. I really like this new look.
I am especially proud of how the photo in the header came out. I took that one myself at Brecon Beacons park in Wales, UK, in the summer of 2014. That summer, I was part of a trio of Americans invited to Cardiff University in Wales to help put on a teaching workshop. (My friends Robert Talbert and Dana Ernst were the others.) I will be forever grateful to the organizers, Paul Harper and Vincent Knight for the opportunity.
This term I am teaching the following courses:
- Math 2500 Linear Algebra for Applications
- Math 3425/5425 Differential Equations
- Math 3600 Euclidean Geometry
Students can find course pages for those by clicking on the teaching link above.
I am deep into rewriting my entire Linear Algebra course from the bottom up. This will be where I pour most of my “original thinking time” into teaching. I am excited for this. It will be a lot of work, but worth it.
I will also have at least one undergraduate research student and one MA graduate student to advise. Those mentoring projects are what will allow me to continue doing research in knot theory (a branch of topology).
My other projects this term are:
- Work for the IBL SIGMAA as Past-Chair,
- Continuing to mentor the participants from the AIBL workshop this summer in San Luis Obispo,
- Picking up duties as the new Senior Editor of Journal of Inquiry Based Learning in Mathematics for modules,
- Chairing an ad-hoc UNI Mathematics Curriculum Revision Committee,
- First-year and transfer advising for math,
- and work on various other committees (Undergraduate Research, Recruitment and Retention, Student Outcomes Assessment, Competitions, etc)