News Archives
2014
RUME Conference
The School of Mathematical Sciences served as the host institution of the Conference
on Research in Undergraduate Mathematics held in Denver in February 2014. Dr. Gulden
Karakok, Assistant Professor, served as the local organizer.
Professor wins Research Award
Dr. Anton Dzhamay received the 2013-14 College of Natural and Health Sciences Excellence
in Scholarship Award.
Professor wins Leadership Award
Dr. Jodie Novak received the 2013-14 College of Natural and Health Sciences Excellence
in Leadership Award.
Grant Writing Fellowship
Dr. Gulden Karakok received the Sponsored Research Fellowship through the Office
of Sponsored Programs. This fellowship provides an excellent opportunity for increasing
knowledge and skills in grantsmanship, reassigned time for grant development, and
a stipend during Summer 2014. Dr. Karakok will be working to expand research on Transfer
of Learning.
2013
Book Publication
Dr. Anton Dzhamay was coeditor of the book of proceedings Algebraic and Geometric Aspects of Integrable Systems and Random Matrices published by the American Mathematical Society in 2013.
Gathering for Gardner
On October 21, 2013, the School of Mathematical Sciences marked Martin Gardner's 99th
birthday with the 4th annual Gathering for Gardner Celebration of Mind party. Over
150 members of the university community enjoyed an evening of math puzzles, games
and magic.
NSF Tues Grant
Dr. Michael Oehrtman received funding from the National Science Foundation to develop
and evaluate an instructor support system for his calculus materials, CLEAR Calculus.
The project develops the concepts in calculus around a small number of fundamental
and powerful ideas in a way that is both conceptually accessible to students and mathematically
rigorous.
Professor wins Teaching Awards
Dr. Robert Heiny received the 2012-13 University Teaching Excellence in Undergraduate
Education Award as well as the College of Natural and Health Sciences Excellence in
Teaching Award.
2012
Dr. Steven Leth was recently awarded a grant from the American Institute of Mathematics. Dr. Leth is working with a team of researchers on non-standard analytic approaches to problems in combinatorial number theory.
The Northern Colorado Math Teachers' Circle is planning to offer a residential summer immersion institute from June 25-29, 2012. The institute is being organized by Gulden Karakok, Cathleen Craviotto, and three northern Colorado teachers, Bonnie Funk, Delia Haefeli, and Julie Samsel.
Dr. Michael Oehrtman a has been elected the Coordinator of the Special Interest Group of the Mathematical Association of America on Research in Undergraduate Mathematics (SIGMAA-RUME).
An undergraduate UNC math major, Jeremy Garcia, is attending “Math in Moscow,” a 15-week program at the Independent University of Moscow, a small, prestigious Russian university for future research mathematicians.
2011
Lee Roberson, doctoral candidate in the Educational Mathematics program, was the 2011 recipient of the School of Mathematical Sciences Award for Excellence in Teaching by a Graduate Student.
Dr. Robert Heiny received the 2011-12 College of Natural and Health Sciences Excellence in Advising Award.
An undergraduate UNC math major, Ethan Twisdale, attended “Math in Moscow,” a 15-week program at the Independent University of Moscow, a small, prestigious Russian university for future research mathematicians.
Dr. Hortensia Soto-Johnson was named to the Editorial Board for Mathematics Teacher. The Mathematics Teacher, is devoted to improving mathematics instruction and supporting teacher education programs.
Kristin Noblet, doctoral candidate in the Educational Mathematics program, was the 2010 recipient of the School of Mathematical Sciences Award for Excellence in Teaching by a Graduate Student.
UNC recently received a $1.2 million, five-year grant from the National Science Foundation to support and prepare math and science teachers. Dr. Cathleen Craviotto is a co-PI of the project.
2010
Bob Heiny and Mike Petrie were both named “Favorite Professors” by the UNC Mortar Board for the 2010 academic year. These two deserving mathematics instructors were recognized at a reception on Sunday, April 18th, 2010 at 2pm.
On January 30, 2010 approximately 250 high school and middle school students from all over Colorado met at UNC for the second round of the 18th Annual University of Northern Colorado Mathematics Contest. For 3 hours these remarkably talented students struggled with 10 problems from such diverse branches of mathematics such as number theory to counting and probability. Dr. Richard Grassl has been leading this contest since arriving at UNC 18 years ago.
Dr. Nathaniel Miller and Dr. Hortensia Soto-Johnson were awarded separate faculty awards from the College of Natural and Health Sciences at UNC. Dr. Miller earned the 2009-2010 Excellence in Teaching Award, and Dr. Soto-Johnson earned the 2009-2010 Excellence in Service Award. Faculty from the School of Mathematical Sciences have been awarded the Excellence in Teaching Award in 3 of the 4 years since NHS established the award.
2009
Undergraduate mathematics major Brian Shourd was accepted and plans to attend the highly selective "Math In Moscow" program in Spring 2009. This program, organized by the Independent University of Moscow, gives the opportunity for bright students from all over the world to study mathematics in the traditions of the famous Russian Mathematical School. Typically the program admits fewer than 10 students per semester. Brian was also awarded a $7,500 American Mathematical Society Scholarship.
Frieda Parker, doctoral candidate in the Educational Mathematics program, was the 2009 recipient of the School of Mathematical Sciences Award for Excellence in Teaching by a Graduate Student. This year's nominees included Kristin Noblet and Nissa Yestness. The 2008 recipient was Joe Champion.
Dr. Richard Grassl has been named the recipient of the 2009 Burton Jones Distinguished Teaching Award. The annual award from the Rocky Mountain Section of the Mathematical Association of America recognizes extraordinarily successful teachers of mathematics at the post-secondary level for the entire Rocky Mountain area. Grassl was also the section nominee for the national Deborah & Franklin Haimo Awards for Distinguished College or University Teaching of Mathematics. Grassl has taught at UNC since 1991.
Dr. Hortensia Soto-Johnson was named to the Editorial Board for Mathematics Teacher. The Mathematics Teacher, an official journal of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, is devoted to improving mathematics instruction from grade 8-14 and supporting teacher education programs.
Dr. Ricardo Diaz participated as a panel judge at a National Science Foundation meeting to decide the presidential awardees for the Excellence in Science and Mathematics Teaching Award.
Dr. Cathleen Craviotto and Dr. Hortensia Soto-Johnsonreceived $11,000 in grant funding to help support the Las Chicas de las Matematicas summer camp for girls; the Women’s Fund of Colorado donated $5,000 and the Mathematical Association of America donated $6,000.
2008
Dr. Jodie Novak has been awarded a $5 million grant from the National Science Foundation for the Math Teacher Leadership Center (TLC), a center for mathematics teaching and mathematics teacher professional development. The Math TLC works to create a collaborative master’s degree program with the University of Wyoming that provides financial support for current secondary math teachers to work towards an advanced degree in Mathematics with an emphasis in teaching. It also creates a Teacher Leadership Program that financially supports upper elementary, middle and high school teachers to develop expertise in teaching teachers.
Dr. Robert Powers was named the 2008-2009 Scholar in Residence by UNC’s Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning. He will take advantage of this opportunity to develop the notion of Lesson Experiments as a tool to mentor UNC graduate teaching assistants in teaching and professional development.
Dr. Anton Dzhamay attended two international conferences in 2008: the Mathematisches Forschungsinstitut Oberwolfach in Germany, and Symmetries and Integrability of Difference Equations‖ (SIDE 8) in Canada. Results of Dr. Dzhamay's research on the Lagrangian Structure of Discrete Isomonodromic Transformations and Discrete Painlevé Equations, reported at SIDE 8, were recently published in the International Mathematical Research Notices.
2007
- Dr. Powers accepts 2007 NHS College Award for Excellence in Teaching
- Dr. Grassl accepts 2007 NHS College Award for Excellence in Academic Leadership
- Dr. Scott, Halloween 2007
- Fall Hike 2007, Mount Meeker
2006
- Research Day 2006
- Fall Hike 2006, Mount Audubon
- Spring Hike 2006, Flagstaff Mountain
- Spring 2006 Talent Show
2005
- Research Day 2005
- Fall Hike 2005, St. Vrain Mountain
A Little Further Down Memory Lane
- Fall Hike 1999, Mount Audubon
