Applied Mathematics News

Congratulations to Dr. Ben Wilson and his new wife Sydney on their recent marriage! They got married earlier this month in North Carolina. The department surprised Dr. Wilson with an SU celebration!

Our two physics fulltime faculty members, Dr. Will Hodge and Dr. Neal Miller, are excited to be teaching in the two new physics laboratories! The new labs provide a better opportunity for students to get hands on experience while developing and conducting experiments. Dr. Miller is especially excited for the new computers and equipment in the laboratory, “The computers and interfaces will improve the accuracy of results and allow for easy collection and display of data.” Overall, the laboratory experience will be more conducive for students to develop laboratory skills and expand their knowledge of and understanding of physics. Both Dr. Hodge and Dr. Miller are enjoying teaching in the new labs and facilitating students’ learning.

Building on our success from last year, students and faculty participated in a community service project organized by our Math Honor Society, Kappa Mu Epsilon. Last year, we made flashcards for a local elementary school to help the students learn and review their math facts, and the students loved them! This year, we made tangrams, geometric puzzles consisting of a square cut into seven pieces that can be arranged to make various other shapes. We think the elementary school children will enjoy these a lot! Thanks to all our math freshmen who came to run the table, Dr. Ben Wilson, who organized the event, and all the visitors who were excited to join in our project!

Many of our math majors attended and enjoyed the first weekly Math Tea of the semester! Students had a chance to drink teach, each some snacks and talk to each other and faculty.

The Department hosted a Welcome Back event in our new Math Collaboratory, S150. Our Collaboratory is a place for math students to meet with faculty, to study individually or in groups, and to hang out. Students enjoyed coffee, snacks, and introductions to new faculty and students. The Department will be hosting a Math Tea each week on Thursdays to allow faculty and students to get to know each other outside the classroom environment. Good luck to all our math majors during the new school year!