Category Archives: Mathematics Department

UM-Flint Math Students Compete in Year’s First Competition

MathHorzOn Saturday, November 1st, students from the UM-Flint Mathematics Department will gather on campus to compete in the Michigan Autumn Take Home (or M.A.T.H.) Challenge. Over 83 teams from 25-30 undergraduate universities and colleges in numerous states participate in the annual event. The competition, in its 20th year, is organized by Alma College.

According to Mathematics professor Dr. Ricardo Alfaro, “The competition consists of providing solutions to 10 problems. You work in groups of 3 people and have a 3-hour limit to develop and write the solutions. Each team stays at its institution’s campus.” Following are examples from the 2013 competition:

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The competition starts at 9:30 a.m. Once the competition period is up, solutions are sent to outside institutions where faculty members will grade them. The problems are complex, with the winners usually receiving only 50-60 points. UM-Flint is going on 15 years of participation in the event, and generally has more teams than the other institutions. their highest placing was third.

The 2014 participating institutions are: Albion College, Alma College, Anderson University, Aquinas College, Butler University, Calvin College, Central Michigan University, Colgate University, Connecticut College, DePauw University, Diablo Valley College, Ferris State University, Hillsdale College, Hope College, Illinois College, Illinois Wesleyan University, Kalamazoo College, Lawrence Tech, Macomb Community College, Madonna University, Manchester University, McDaniel College, Northern Michigan University, Northwest Missouri, Olivet College, Palm Beach Atlantic University, St. Norbert College, SVSU, Taylor University, UM-Flint, and Wheaton College. Hope College has, by far, the most teams in the competition with 17 teams entered!

The University of Michigan-Flint is looking for one more student to complete the six teams registered for the competition. The six entered teams are as follows:

Team Gauss: Matthew Sutter, Ayana Gosh, Brendt Gerics

Team Euler:  Aingeal Miller, Dallas Woodward, Josh Csapo

Team Galois:  Bayarjavkhlan Batbaatar, Enkhtur Narantungalag, Usukhbayar Enkhjargal

Team Noether: Daniela Goetz, Rebecca Robinson, Michael Berlinger

Team Poincare: Patrick Ross,  Shawil Daoud,

Team Riemann:  Jin Sakuna, Daniel Bloink, Ethan Bush

For more information on the MATH Challenge, visit their website.

GOOD LUCK TO OUR TEAMS!!


November 3, 2014 update: Following are photos from our teams at the 2014 MATh Challenge:

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Family Math Night 2014

FMN-March2013
The Mathematics Department of the University of Michigan-Flint is hosting a Family Math Night on Thursday, November 6th, in the University Center Michigan Rooms at the University of Michigan – Flint.  The fun begins at 6:00 pm and lasts until 8:00 pm.

Family Math Night is an opportunity for children and their parents to have fun together with math. Various activities, such as puzzles and games, will be scattered around the room.  Each activity takes a few minutes and children will have a chance to try quite a few different ones.  The emphasis is not on numerical computation, but rather on such things as estimation, patterns, spatial and geometrical perception, and hands-on activities.  No special knowledge or previous experience is necessary.

The event is open to the public and math resources, door prizes, pizza, and refreshments will provided at no charge.  For refreshment purposes, advance registration is encouraged (if possible), and can be done by leaving a message at 810-762-3244 indicating the number of people planning to attend.

For more information: email Laura McLeman at [email protected] or visit the Math Department website.

Mathematics Student Recognized at 2014 MATHfest

MathHorz

Congratulations to Mathematics student Matthew Allen Sutter for receiving one of 16 Outstanding Presentation Awards by undergraduates at the Mathematical Association of America (MAA) MathFest meeting this August in Portland, Oregon.

According to Mathematics professor Dr. Ricardo Alfaro, “These were selected amongst 98 undergraduate presentations featuring 146 presenters at the annual meeting. His paper, coauthored with John Rahmani of Virginia Tech, is entitled “Mixing times of Markov chains.” Matthew’s presentation is a result of his studies in Markov Chains that started here at UM-Flint in the Winter and continued as one of the selected students to participate in the Undergraduate Research Opportunities at Willamete College in Oregon this past Summer.”

To learn more about MAA and MathFest, visit maa.org.

For information about the Mathematics Department at UM-Flint, please see their department page.

CAS Welcomes Over 30 New Faculty for Fall Semester

The College of Arts and Sciences at UM-Flint started the Fall 2014 semester with over 30 new faculty members teaching in its classrooms. New faces will be seen in many departments including CSEP, English, Chemistry & Biochemistry, Earth & Resource Science, Psychology, Political Science, Anthropology, Theatre & Dance, and Foreign Language!

Throughout the semester, CAS will be featuring different new faculty members on our front page and in our blog so other members of the university can get to know them better! Be sure to welcome them to UM-Flint if you see them around!

Following is a list of our new faculty members and their departments:

• Amal Alhosban – Assistant Professor of Computer Science, CSEP
• Mark Allison – Assistant Professor of Computer Science, CSEP
• Emily Feuerherm – Assistant Professor of Linguistics, ENG
• Matthew Fhaner – Assistant Professor of Analytical Chemistry, CMB
• Seung-Jin Lee – Assistant Professor of Sustainability and Mechanical Engineering (ERS 67%, CSEP 33%)
• Ming Li – Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering, CSEP
• Yu Cheng (Frank) Liu – Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering, CSEP
• Nathaniel Miller – Assistant Professor of Psychology, PSY
• Jeremiah Olson – Assistant Professor of Political Science, POL
• Zahid Syed, CSEP –Assistant Professor of Computer Science, CSEP

• Adam Dill – Adjunct Professor in THE/DAN
• Cindy Liao – Adjunct Professor, PSY
• Dayne Walling – Adjunct Professor, POL

• Russ Cossaboom – Lec III BIO
• Stephanie Gelderloos – Lec III ENG
• Lisa Madden – Lec III PSY
• Jennifer Miller – Lec III BIO
• Roberto Rinaldi – Lec III PSY
• Kristy Watkins – Lec III WGS

• Ishtiague Amin – Lec I CSEP
• Scott Atkinson– Lec I ENG
• Anita Baxter – Lec I BIO
• Jed Digens – Lec I CSEP
• Gisele Farah – Lec I FOR
• Theresa Fedio – Lec I FOR
• Edward Hoort – Lec I MPA
• Nicholas Ginga – Lec I CSEP
• Laurah Klepinger-Mathew – Lec I ANT
• Robin McGuire – Lec I CSEP
• Mary Montie – Adjunct Lec PUB
• Joyce Piert – Lec I MTH
• Laurence Tarini – Lec I CSEP
• Delma Thomas-Jackson – Lec I for CAS

Mathematics Department Awards

Please join us in acknowledging some outstanding achievements by our Mathematics Department faculty:

Dr. Kenneth SchillingReceived the Distinguished Teaching Award by the Michigan Section of the Mathematical Association of America
“Ken is recognized for his clear instruction, for engaging students in problem solving, for providing career preparation for students, for encouraging high school students to become mathematicians, and for his editorial work with Classroom Capsules in the College Math Journal.”
Read a full description of Professor Schilling’s accomplishments and merits for this award.

Dr. Ricardo AlfaroNamed a UM-Flint David M. French Professor
The David M. French Professorship is one of several created by the Board of Regents to “honor faculty who have attained national or international recognition for continuous scholarly achievement, teaching excellence and recognized breadth of interest.”

Dr. Cameron McLemanReceived the UM-Flint Student Involvement and Leadership Dr. Matthew Hilton-Watson Distinguished Professor Award
“The Dr. Matthew Hilton-Watson Distinguished Professor Award is awarded to one outstanding faculty member who has contributed significantly to their students through individual teaching style and attitude towards teaching. The criteria for this award is as follows: good lecturer, must keep the individuals in their class interested, academically active and student friendly, encouraging them to learn, ask questions, discuss and is willing and available to help.”

Dr. Laura McLemanReceived the UM-Flint Dr. Lois Matz Rosen Junior Faculty Excellence in Teaching Award
This award is presented to candidates who posses the following characteristics:
• Consistent level of excellence in teaching diverse groups of students
• Demonstrated commitment to teaching through course development activities, attendance at campus teaching workshops, participation in conferences on pedagogy, publications related to pedagogy, etc.
• Recognizable commitment to UM-Flint students both inside and outside of the classroom (through advising, mentoring, or research/performance activities)”

CONGRATULATIONS!

To learn more about the UM-Flint Mathematics Department and their events, faculty, and course offerings (including the Master’s Degree, General, Teacher Certificate, and Actuarial programs) visit their website.