SUMMER 2021 DEPARTMENT OF MATHEMATICS MATH TIMES NEWSLETTER U of I partners with other universities to form math and statistics institute National Science Foundation awards $15.5 million for partnership of four Illinois universities The National Science Foundation (NSF) has awarded $15.5 million to four universities in Illinois, including the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, to create an institute to bring powerful mathematical ideas to bear on key contemporary scientific and technological challenges. Researchers at the new Institute for Mathematical and Statistical Innovation (IMSI), to be hosted by the University of Chicago, will People gather to hear the Altgeld Chimes ringers play a special Juneteenth concert titled build a platform that accelerates the “Amplify Their Voices: A Celebration of BIPOC Musicians.” | Fred Zwicky, UI Public Affairs translation of applied mathematical and statistical techniques into “The IMSI project is a powerful investment by the solutions for urgent scientific and societal problems. National Science Foundation in four great universities Many of these problems arise naturally in a range of fields and in the state of Illinois,” said Matt Ando, associate dean already being studied across the four partner institutions, for life and physical sciences at the College of LAS, who including climate change, health care, quantum played a key role in forming the institute. “It puts the state information theory, artificial intelligence, data science, and these universities in a position of national leadership economics, and materials science. in bringing mathematical and statistical research to In addition to the University of Illinois Urbana- bear on pressing societal challenges and in training the Champaign, IMSI will include a collaborative group of next generation of mathematicians and statisticians to mathematicians and statisticians from the University of collaborate with their colleagues across the academy and Chicago, Northwestern University, and the University in business, industry, and government.” of Illinois at Chicago. The $15.5 million grant will be provided by NSF over five years. Continued on page 4

▪. College of Liberal Arts & Sciences ▪. UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS URBANA-CHAMPAIGN ▪. Math Times Dear friends, U OF I PARTNERS WITH Summer 2021 marks the 30th anniversary of the first issue of Math Times, and OTHER UNIVERSITIES the past academic year has certainly been a memorable one. COVID-imposed TO FORM MATH AND restrictions forced us to reimagine and redesign all aspects of our department’s STATISTICS INSTITUTE daily activity. Despite these challenges, we have tremendous accomplishments to 1 celebrate. The theme of this issue of Math Times is “making an impact.” We’re enthusiastic about the recent launch of the Institute for Mathematical and Statistical Innovation. IMSI has the potential to position the state of Illinois as a leading MESSAGE FROM national center for translational and applied research in the mathematical and Jeremy Tyson THE CHAIR statistical sciences, and our department is a key contributor to this new institute. 3 Professor and Chair With several new regional graduate internship programs coming online this year, Department of Mathematics our department continues to be a national pioneer in the training of mathematics PhDs for jobs across a wide range of non-academic sectors. And finally, as this issue goes to press, the first-ever fully online International Congress on Insurance: Mathematics and Economics opens its (virtual) doors. Hosted by a multinational DEPARTMENT NEWS 6 organizing committee spanning three continents, this extraordinary event speaks to the global impact of our department’s highly regarded Actuarial Science Program. Current and former members of our department continue to be recognized at the highest level for their contributions to, and impact on, the mathematics profession. NEW FACES I’m also pleased to recognize in this issue the recipients of the Department of 10 Mathematics 2021 Impact Awards. This one-time award program recognizes individuals or groups of individuals for work which substantially improved the welfare of others since the start of the COVID pandemic. I hope you also enjoy reading compelling stories of the impact made by our alumni in their respective walks of life and in a variety of careers. Please consider 15 THINGS WE LOVE nominating a fellow classmate or a former student for one of our departmental alumni awards. My term as department chair concludes this summer, and next year’s Math Times will feature a new face on this welcome page. I’ve truly enjoyed the opportunity to OLD CHAIR REVEALS HOW share the department’s news and current events over the past several years in this ALTGELD HALL WAS ONCE DEPARTMENT OF MATHEMATICS CHAIR | Professor Jeremy Tyson publication. Best wishes for a safe and relaxing summer, and keep in touch: we’d THE CAMPUS SEAT 18 COMMUNICATION COORDINATOR | Jenell Anderson Hironimus love to hear from you! PROGRAM COORDINATOR | Peggy Currid LAS NEWS | Kimberly Belser, Dave Evensen CONTRIBUTORS | Inmas (Internship Network in the Mathematical Sciences), Sheldon Katz, Anu Murphy, University of Chicago, UIUC Public AWARDS 20 Affairs

Math Times is published annually by the Department of Mathematics at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Current and past issues are available online at math.illinois.edu/mathtimes. 26 ALUMNI NEWS & PROFILES Address updates may be made online at bit.ly/update-my-las-info. Updates may also be submitted by email to [email protected] or by mail at the address below.

REMEMBERING Math Times | Department of Mathematics 28 GRAHAM EVANS 273 Altgeld Hall (MC-382) | 1409 W. Green Street | Urbana, IL 61801 T: 217.333.3350 | F: 217.333.9576 | [email protected] | math.illinois.edu

2 3 U of I partners with other universities to form math and statistics institute Continued from page 1

The current complex environment of science and “IMSI will be a vehicle for sustained engagement between engineering research involves a deep interaction of mathematical scientists and researchers in a wide range multiple disciplines to address scientific problems. These of disciplines on these kinds of questions.” interactions, which are often at very large scales, need IMSI will operate through a partnership among the four sophisticated mathematical and statistical approaches research universities. The University of Illinois at Urbana- that underpin solutions to the scientific problems. While Champaign and the University of Illinois at Chicago both enabling these applied mathematical approaches, IMSI bring unique and deep expertise in a range of math and will benefit from the institutional strengths of each of engineering disciplines and extend the institute’s reach its university partners in the mathematical sciences as to a much broader population of students. The University well as in the particular application areas of science, of Chicago will leverage the world-class academic technology, economics, and policy, drawing from the resources on campus, its affiliations with Argonne deep programmatic expertise of a network of centers and National Laboratory, Fermilab, and the Marine Biological research groups. Laboratory, and its physical proximity to the Toyota Ando said that the effort to bring IMSI to campus Technological Institute. Northwestern’s strengths in both benefitted from support across the campus. Faculty and theoretical and applied sciences will boost the Institute’s staff in LAS, the Grainger College of Engineering, and the intellectual and vocational reach. Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology contributed IMSI will bring together researchers in application valuable ideas. The Office of Proposal Development and areas from across the nation and around the globe. the staff of the Discovery Partners Institute provided Scientific activity will include workshops and long essential on-going support, and the leadership of the programs, typically a quarter (10 weeks) in length. campus provided invaluable advice and support at Research activity will be organized around themes that multiple critical junctures throughout the development of will evolve over time, with an initial focus on data and the proposal. information, climate science, health care, material “The project builds on the leadership of the University science, quantum computing and information, and of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and of the College of uncertainty quantification. Liberal Arts and Sciences,” Ando said. “The university’s There will also be a sustained focus on communication outstanding record of success with interdisciplinary with researchers in other fields, and in educating the institutes, such as the Beckman Institute and the Carl R. public about the broad utility of mathematics and Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, and the innovative statistics to everyday problems and social issues. IMSI will record of the departments of Mathematics and Statistics sponsor outreach and workforce development programs in workforce development, in collaboration with the aimed at K-12 students, teachers, undergraduates, and University of Illinois Research Park, were important graduate students to introduce participants to career strengths of the proposal.” opportunities in mathematics and statistics, especially Doug Simpson, professor of statistics, has been named those from communities traditionally underrepresented associate director of IMSI. Kevin Corlette, professor of in the sciences. mathematics at the University of Chicago and inaugural “The influence of mathematical sciences on our director of IMSI, said that there are many ways in which daily lives is all around us and far-reaching,” said Juan the mathematical sciences can help society come to grips C. Meza, division director of mathematical sciences at Commencement 2021 with the massive growth in the amount of available data the NSF. “This program represents an investment in describing complex systems, as well as with the complex interdisciplinary connections across fields of science, and fter a week-long celebration that included both More than 7,000 graduates from the classes of 2020 uses of computing now used to extract meaning from with impacts across sectors like computing, engineering, individual in-person Stage Crossing experiences and 2021 participated in individual Stage Crossing these data. and health.” . LAS News and the University of Chicago Aand an online celebration featuring a virtual experiences. Additionally, more than 900 graduates from “These include methods for evaluating the quality conferral of degrees, we welcome the newest members of the Departments of Mathematics and Statistics were of data sets, simplification of models to improve their the alumni family. honored during this year’s virtual convocation program. . predictive power and their ability to provide insight into underlying principles, and new approaches to estimating Learn more about the Institute for Mathematical and the uncertainty of results predicted by models,” he said. Statistical Innovation (IMSI) at imsi.institute. View the virtual 2021 Departments of Mathematics and Statistics Convocation ceremony and download a copy of the program at math.illinois.edu/convocation.

4 5 Stepping up Regional Internship Networks in the Key leadership changes will take place this fall Mathematical Sciences launched by University everal department-level leadership changes will go into effect at the start of the Fall 2021 semester. of Illinois and Johns Hopkins University Starting in August 2021, Professor Yuliy S athematical sciences Baryshnikov will serve as the director of graduate studies. As a member of the leadership team for the PI4 workforce departments prepare grant, Baryshnikov is well-positioned to maintain MPhD students our department’s national reputation in employment primarily for careers in outcomes for PhD graduates across a wide range of academia. Due to a substantial academic and non-academic careers. He is also actively growth in PhD programs involved in other international partnerships promoting across the U.S., the number of the interaction of mathematics with industry. He will step PhDs produced (around 2000 into the role following Professor Lee DeVille, who has in 2019) is now much greater served as director for the past four years. than the number of tenure- Also in August, Professor Susan Tolman will serve as eligible jobs available (around the director of the Illinois Geometry Lab (IGL). She brings 750 in 2018). Many students to the position substantial experience in departmental realize belatedly after a few administration, familiarity with the IGL, and a years in postdoctoral positions commitment to innovative approaches to the instruction, that careers in business, training, and mentoring of undergraduate students industry and government This project will also simultaneously strengthen the in mathematics. Tolman served as interim director of (BIG) would offer better opportunities. competitiveness and effectiveness of BIG organizations. Undergraduate Studies in Spring 2020 and was part of the Richard Laugesen, professor of mathematics at Interns will create new research and development organizing committee for the 2019 Graduate Research University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, and Fadil tools that lead to greater efficiency, productivity, and Opportunities for Women conference hosted by the Santosa, head of applied mathematics and statistics profitability. Problems arising from industry can find department. She also previously mentored IGL projects at Johns Hopkins University, recognized this vast their way back into the classroom and initiate new in Spring 2017 and Fall 2018. She will step into the role need to provide training and career experiences to research topics in mathematics and statistics. Students following Professor Philipp Hieronymi, who has served as graduate students that prepare them for mathematically will be impacted not only educationally, but personally director since 2018. meaningful career paths in BIG. At the same time, they as these internships have the potential to change the Additionally, a new chair of the department and a saw the potential impact of mathematics to elevate the direction of many graduate students’ lives. Finally, new dean for the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences capabilities of small-to-medium sized companies. engagement of students from underrepresented groups are expected to be announced this summer. Look for Thus, Inmas – the Internship Network in the increases diversity in BIG and opens doors toward high- more information on these important department and Mathematical Sciences – was conceived. ranking positions for students, where they may also serve college-level announcements in upcoming issues of Math The vision is to create regional networks of as role models. Monthly, the department's monthly alumni and friends mathematical sciences departments that provide training “This program will meet the critical need for training e-newsletter. . and internship experiences to prepare students for BIG the next generation of mathematical scientists and careers. The funding of up to $4 million over five years data analysts in business, industry, and government,” from the National Science Foundation’s (NSF) Division says Dr. Juan C. Meza, director for the NSF Division of Mathematical Sciences will create two networks: of Mathematical Sciences. “In addition, the program one anchored at the University of Illinois and one at also helps small to mid-sized companies by providing Johns Hopkins University. These hubs will connect with them with mathematical expertise to enhance their STAY CONNECTED WITH nodes, which are nearby institutions having sizable PhD competitiveness.” production. The Math Alliance – a nation-wide mentoring Laugesen and Santosa are optimistic that this project UIUC MATHEMATICS! network for underrepresented or underserved students in will bring greater appreciation of the power of the the mathematical sciences – will participate as a virtual mathematical sciences, especially at small-to-medium- Like us on Facebook to get the latest news Join our LinkedIn networking group and make connections with your node. sized organizations. “We hope Inmas will bring about and learn about upcoming events. fellow #ILLINOIS mathematics alums from around the world. The network will organize systematic training a culture change in universities towards stronger and bit.ly/uiucFBmath bit.ly/ILmath programs on technical and professional skills to prepare mutually beneficial engagement with BIG, and we look students for productive internships in BIG. Students will forward to the day when graduate career paths from the Check out our YouTube channel where you’ll Moved recently? New job? Update your contact information and be carefully matched with internship projects, which mathematical sciences to industry and government are find a variety of videos about the department. share your news: are created through the efforts of specialist project visible, valued and viable.” . bit.ly/il-math-yt bit.ly/update-my-las-info developers.

6 7 Thank you for your service UIUC is awarded CAE designation again Three members of the Department of Mathematics retired this year. fter a thorough review, the Society of Actuaries continue to foster Best wishes on your next adventures, Kay, Paula, and Lou! (SOA) has designated the University of Illinois a fruitful synergy Urbana-Champaign a Center of Actuarial between academia for New Student and Winter Convocation and the Math A KAY DALY Excellence (CAE), the highest level of recognition the and the industry Kay Daly retired from the Graduate Student Tutors program, coordinated faculty SOA offers universities, for a second consecutive five- through continuous Department of Mathematics and staff photo sessions, maintained various department year term. In addition to fulfilling the criteria pertaining upgrading of in March 2021 after more contact and distribution lists, and assist with the Faculty to curriculum coverage, faculty composition, graduates’ curricula to equip than 30 years of service Senate election. She received the Exceptional Merit success, research contributions and the program’s its graduates with in the department. Daly Award in Mathematics for Non-Instructional Staff in connection to industry, the CAE evaluation committee needed skills in joined the department in 2018. Following her retirement in June, she is looking highlighted the commendable role the Illinois Risk Lab future actuarial roles. 1990 as a receptionist, and forward to spending leisurely time with family and plays in helping students assimilate theoretical concepts The continuing designation will run through June 30, soon moved to the Office friends, kayaking, enjoying time at the lake, gardening, through hands-on applications. The program will 2026. . of Undergraduate Studies, birdwatching, and traveling. “I will miss working with where she spent 28 years the faculty, staff, and students in the department,” says of her career and retired Luesse. “I have fond memories of working in a friendly as office administrator. and caring department where I enjoyed going to work.” Among her contributions to the department, Daly began managing the department’s homegrown online gradebook LOU VAN DEN DRES in 1992. She also served as convocation coordinator for Lou van den Dries joined Lerman among Illinois students honored with the Departments of Mathematics and Statistics since May the department in 1986. He 2000 and department leader of the Campus Charitable was an invited ICM speaker Fund Drive, an annual charitable giving campaign for in 1990 and 2018, has been Goldwater scholarships UIUC employees, since 2002. While she is looking forward a correspondent of the our the University of Illinois in a select group,” said David to her new adventures in retirement, Daly says she will Royal Dutch Academy of University Schug, the director of the National and International miss everyone she worked with over the years, “especially Sciences since 1993, and of Illinois Scholarships Program at Illinois. “Less than 20 our great undergraduate advising staff and wonderful he has been a professor in F Urbana- institutions in the country garnered such success among directors!” the Center for Advanced Champaign their endorsed candidates. Further, it’s telling that our Study at the University of students, diverse recipients hail from the colleges of Agricultural, PAULA LUESSE Illinois Urbana-Champaign including Consumer and Environmental Sciences; Engineering; and Paula Luesse joined the since 1998. Most recently, Department of Liberal Arts & Sciences.” Department of Mathematics he presented the Tarski Mathematics Lerman, a sophomore from Urbana, began taking in July 2012. As the office Lecture at the University of California at Berkeley in sophomore Ariel upper-level mathematics courses and physics at the support specialist in the Main spring 2017. He received both the Karp Prize and the Lerman, were University of Illinois while in high school. He has since Office, she served as the initial Shoenfield Prize from the Association for Symbolic Logic awarded Barry finished the undergraduate course requirements for contact for those who visit in 2018. He retires this summer after 35 years with UIUC’s M. Goldwater mathematics majors, completed four graduate-level the office. Among her many Department of Mathematics. . scholarships mathematics courses and is currently enrolled in three duties, Luesse also maintained for their potential to contribute to the advancement additional graduate classes this semester. Simultaneously, the inventory of office and of research in the natural sciences, mathematics or Lerman has conducted research with Vadim Zharnitsky, classroom supplies, provided engineering. a professor of mathematics, on the dynamics of billiards, faculty with LaTeX support, The Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in and with Jorge Noronha, an associate professor of nuclear distributed department keys, Education Program was established by Congress in 1986 to physics, on nonrelativistic fluid dynamics. provided adminstrative support honor Goldwater, who served 30 years in the U.S. Senate. Lerman’s work has resulted in multiple presentations, The program encourages the continued development of including an upcoming presentation at the American highly qualified scientists, mathematicians and engineers Physical Society, as well as a submitted first-author by awarding scholarships to college sophomores and publication to a national mathematics journal. At Illinois, juniors from the U.S. who intend to pursue doctorates. Lerman earned the 2020 Elsie Thomas Fraser Award as SAVE THE DATE FOR HOMECOMING 2021: The scholarship provides recipients $7,500 annually the top freshman or sophomore in his department, and toward undergraduate tuition, fees, books or room and the 2021 Salma Wanna Memorial Award for exceptional CLOSE OR APART, WE’RE ILLINI AT HEART | OCT. 4-9, 2021 board. performance in mathematics. Lerman plans to conduct Learn more about this year’s plans, events, and updates on the university’s Homecoming This year’s 410 scholars were selected from among the research in dynamical systems and partial differential 1,256 mathematics, science and engineering students equations, and their applications in physics. . UIUC News website, homecoming.illinois.edu. nominated by colleges and universities nationwide. “All Bureau four of our campus nominees were selected, which places 8 9 STAFF of Undergraduate Studies, where she previously worked New Faces Kaitlin Burgess as an office support specialist from March 2019 to May Academic advisor, Undergraduate Studies 2020. In addition to her administrative role managing Meet the newest members of the Department of Mathematics. These Kaitlin Burgess joined the Department of Mathematics the undergraduate office, Walker also oversees the as an academic advisor for the Office of Undergraduate Departments of Mathematics and Statistics Convocation, new hires reflect those who joined the department from August 2020 Studies in June 2021. Before coming to UIUC, Burgess coordinating all the efforts leading up to and during to June 2021. served as an adjunct instructor at the College of DuPage the ceremony. Walker earned a bachelor’s degree in Waubonsee Community College, and Triton College. journalism/graphic design from Indiana University in May Burgess completed her bachelor’s degree in mathematics 1991 and a master’s degree in organizational leadership TENURE-SYSTEM FACULTY POSTDOCTORAL FACULTY from North Central College in 2014 and her master’s from Lincoln Christian University in 2014. Oanh Nguyen Joey Palmer degree in mathematics from Northern Illinois University Assistant professor J.L. Doob Research Assistant Professor in 2017. Lukas Leisman Oanh Nguyen joined the department in August 2020. She Joey Palmer joined the Department of Mathematics Visiting internship project developer, Inmas earned a PhD in mathematics from Yale University in in August 2020. He earned both a bachelor’s degree in Paul Serafini Luke Leisman joined the department as the new project 2017. Her research areas of interest are in probability and mathematics and bachelor’s degree in physics from Academic program specialist, Actuarial Science Program developer for the Internship Network in the Mathematical combinatorics, and she recently received an NSF grant in Truman State University in 2011. He went on to complete Currently based in Canada, Paul Serafini earned a Sciences (Inmas) in June 2021. As project developer, support of her research. a master’s degree in mathematics from Washington bachelor’s degree in mathematics, majoring in actuarial Leisman works with a wide range of companies and other University in 2013 and earned his PhD in mathematics science, from the University of Waterloo in 1995. He is organizations to create new internship opportunities Zhiyu “Frank” Quan from the University of California San Diego in 2016. a Fellow of both the Society of Actuaries and Canadian for graduate students in the mathematical sciences, Assistant professor, Actuarial Science Program Symplectic geometry, integrable systems, symplectic and Institute of Actuaries and has over 25 years of experience serving as a liaison between industry and academia. Frank Quan joined the Actuarial Science Program Hamiltonian group actions, and Floer theory are among in the financial services industry in various sectors and Leisman comes from Valparaiso University, where he in August 2020. He was previously a research and his research areas of interest. disciplines. Among his duties as academic program was an assistant professor in Physics and Astronomy, development data scientist with one of the leading specialist, he serves as the university liaison for the studying radio waves from extreme galaxies, using a InsurTech firms, Carpe Data. He received his PhD in Avery St. Dizier Actuarial Science Advisory Board. range of mathematical and data analysis techniques. actuarial science from the University of Connecticut in NSF Postdoc Before working at Valpo, he received his BS from Calvin 2019 and his master’s degree in applied mathematics from Avery St. Dizier joined the Department of Mathematics Staci Walker University, and his PhD from Cornell University. When Michigan State University in 2014. Quan also serves as as a NSF postdoc in August 2020. He earned a bachelor’s Office manager, Undergraduate Studies he’s not working on astronomy or math, Luke enjoys faculty advisor for the Illinois Risk Lab. degree in mathematics from Louisana State University in Staci Walker returned to the Department of Mathematics kayaking, reading, playing the violin, and hanging out 2015. He went on to attend Cornell University, where he in March 2021 to serve as the office manger for the Office with friends. Jesse Thorner completed his master’s degree in mathematics in 2018 and Assistant professor his PhD in mathematics in 2020. His research interests Jesse Thorner joined the Department of Mathematics in are in the areas of algebraic combinatorics, Schubert August 2020. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Duke Polynomials, and polytopes. University in 2009 and went on to complete a master’s degree at Wake Forest University in 2013. Thorner Mao Li Coming soon completed his PhD at Emory University in 2016. His J.L. Doob Research Assistant Professor research interests include number theory (L-functions, Mao Li joined the Department of Mathematics as a J.L. We look forward to welcoming these up and comers to the primes, elliptic curves, modular forms, automorphic Doob Research Assistant Professor in January 2021. He Department of Mathematics during the 2021-22 academic year. forms, number fields, arithmetic quantum chaos) and earned his PhD from the University of Wisconsin-Madison analysis (spectral theory, Fourier analysis, complex in 2019. His research areas of interest include algebraic Elizabeth Kelley analysis, approximation theory). geometry, Higgs bundles, D modules, and geometric TENURE FACULTY INSTRUCTORS RTG Postdoc Langlands conjecture. Xiaochen Jing Theresa Dobbs August 2021 Felix Leditzky Assistant professor, Instructor Assistant professor Actuarial Science Program August 2021 INSTRUCTORS Kunjakanan Nath Felix Leditzky joined the Department of Mathematics in August 2021 Claudia Freiji J.L. Doob Research Assistant Professor January 2021. He earned degrees in both mathematics Jenny Srikant Instructor, Actuarial Science Program August 2021 Instructor and physics at the University of Vienna before completing Claudia Freiji joined in August 2020 as an instructor, POSTDOCTORAL FACULTY his PhD from the University of Cambridge in 2017. His Roy Araiza August 2021 actuarial advisor, and coordinator of the Illinois Risk Isabelle Shankar research area of interest include Quantum information J.L. Doob Research Assistant Professor Lab (IRisk Lab). Claudia received her MSc. in Applied J.L. Doob Research Assistant Professor theory, in particular studying quantum channel coding August 2021 Statistics from Ohio State University in 1991, and her January 2022 problems and multipartite entanglement using tools from MS in Financial Economics from the University of group theory, representation theory, and optimization Meng Guo London. Claudia brings over 20 years of experience as a Florian Zeiser theory. When not in the classroom or working on his J.L. Doob Research Assistant Professor lecturer and academic advisor. J.L. Doob Research Assistant Professor research, Leditzky enjoys all things music (including August 2021 January 2022 playing the guitar and listening to all genres of music), reading, traveling, slowly improving his cooking, and watching and playing sports.

10 11 Partnership provides new mentorship opportunity for underrepresented students

n May, the Department of Mathematics and Milliman, “The initiative will greatly help to attract students of a global independent risk management, benefits color and raise awareness and visibility of our program Iand technology firm, launched a new actuarial among prospective students,” said Professor Runhuan mentorship program for students of underrepresented Feng, director of the UIUC Actuarial Science Program. minorities at the University of Illinois. This mentorship “We are very excited about this new partnership with opportunity will allow students to learn about the field Milliman, which has a long tradition and history of from a practicing actuary at Milliman through a series of advancing social causes.” meetings. In addition to learning from a mentor, students Founded in 1947, Milliman is committed to promoting a accepted into the program will be offered financial high degree of diversity and inclusion within the actuarial aid to help cover the costs of their first actuarial exam, field. The program strives to increase the diversity of including both financial support of prep materials and ethnicity and racial backgrounds, which reflects the exam sitting fees. These exams are critical steps along the growing trends in the actuarial profession. . path to becoming an actuary and are often required by employers for both internships and full-time job offers. This program, which will run through May 15, 2022, is currently targeted towards students of color, early in Learn more about the Milliman Mentorship Program at their college career, who may be interested in a career in bit.ly/uiuc-milliman-mentor and on page 12. Milliman Mentorship Program science, technology, engineering, and/or mathematics. Students of Color

Milliman is committed to promoting a high degree of diversity and inclusion within the actuarial field. NEWS FROM THE With that, we are pleased to launch an actuarial mentorship program for students of underrepresented minorities (Black, Latino, Native American) at the University of Illinois. Through a series of meetings with their own mentor—a practicing actuary at Milliman—students will be able to learn about the field and Illinois Journal of Mathematics what it takes to start a job that consistently ranks as one of the top careers in the nation. he first two issues of Volume 65 (April and June, Staffilani, the Abby Rockefeller Mauzé Professor of In addition to learning from a mentor, students will be offered financial aid in order to help cover the 2021) of the Illinois Journal of Mathematics (IJM) Mathematics at MIT, is a mathematical analyst whose have been published and are available online at research focuses on dispersive nonlinear partial costs of studying for and taking their first actuarial exam. T Project Euclid at projecteuclid.org/journals/illinois- differential equations. She is one of 59 new members journal-of-mathematics. The remaining two issues of who are women, the most elected to the NAS in a single This program is currently targeted towards students of color, early in their college career, who may Volume 65 will be published in September and December. year. She is a member of the Massachusetts Academy of be interested in a STEM-oriented career. Interested candidates can apply to become a mentee at With the assistance of its publishing partner, Duke Sciences, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, go.math.illinois.edu/MillimanMentorship. University Press, IJM is now publishing articles online and the National Academy of Sciences. Staffilani received ahead of print. On average, articles are available online a Guggenheim Fellowship and a Simons Fellowship The key benefits are: about two months ahead of the cover dates Advance in Mathematics and is a fellow of the American • Financial support to cover exam sitting fees for your first SOA exam articles are available at projecteuclid.org/info/euclid.ijm. Mathematical Society. Print-plus-online subscriptions to IJM are available • Financial support to pay for study materials or study course to institutions and to individuals. For prices or to NEW EDITORIAL BOARD MEMBER • Pairing with a mentor who is an actuary at Milliman. This person will offer advice about the actuarial subscribe, please contact Duke University Press IJM welcomes Felix Leditzky to its editorial board. He profession and encouragement as you prepare for your exam. ([email protected]). joined the faculty of the Mathematics Department at Illinois in early 2021 and had previously been on the Applications are due August 30, 2021. The Milliman volunteers are looking forward to mentoring you! IJM EDITOR ELECTED TO NAS faculty at the University of Waterloo. Leditzky’s research IJM editorial board member Gigliola Staffilani was interests are mathematical and computational aspects of recently elected to the National Academy of Sciences. She quantum information theory. . has served on the IJM board since 2012. Actuarial Science Program | Department of Mathematics College of Liberal Arts & Sciences

math.illinois.edu/actuarial-science 13 NEWS FROM Things we love [ NEWS + HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF MATHEMATICS ] NetMath OUR according to the Illini Success INFLUENTIAL initiative, a university-wide effort to FACULTY BEING better understand the early career SUMMER SEMESTER COURSES paths of new alumni. NetMath is excited to announce that we will be RECOGNIZED Among the statistics detailed offering Math 257: Linear Algebra with Computational Professor Emeritus within the report, the average Applications for the first time during Summer 2021. Bruce Berndt starting salary of new alumni grew Our Math 257 course uses material created by Philipp was named one significantly during the past year for Hieronymi and the College of Engineering, and will of the ten most several LAS categories, including be NetMath’s first time offering a programming-based influential mathematicians today by mathematics and statistics, which online course intended for students working in groups. AcademicInfluence.com. Among his An image from the virtual NetMath staff retreat in September 2020. grew from $77,523 in 2018-19 to NetMath instructors and instructional designers have many recognitions, Berndt received $79,590 in 2019-20, the highest in the been working hard to ensure that the student experience the Steele Prize for Mathematical IN RECOGNITION OF EXCELLENCE college. . in the course remains faithful to what was intended by Exposition from the American the course creators. We look forward to working with the Amber Holmes received the 2021 NetMath Award for Mathematical Society in 1996. Berndt THE DAVID H. BLACKWELL Mathematics Department to develop more courses that Outstanding Service. retired from the department in 2019 incorporate these and other pedagogical strategies that Fall 2020 Mentor Awards were given to Edward after 52 years of service. SUMMER SCHOLARS PROGRAM will be effective for online students. Guo (Outstanding Grading Pool Performance), Alex Learn more at bit.ly/influential- Morris (Excellent Mentor Thoughts), Jimmy Tambakos math2020. . (Outstanding New Mentor), Maxwell Altman (Most UHL SCHOLARSHIP AWARD FOR 2020-01 MATH TIMES Funded through an endowment from Professor Jerry Positive Student Reviews), Trish Mata (Outstanding MATHEMATICS GRADUATE Uhl, the NetMath Jerry Uhl Scholarship is awarded to Response Time), and Alex Lim (Excellent Comments CELEBRATING 30 YEARS in Development Hour Activities). Stephanie Klajbor- STUDENT NAMED SEMIFINALIST The department’s flagship high school students. The scholarship covers tuition and IN 2021 STUDENT IMAGE OF fees for up to two NetMath courses. Award recipients are Goderich was recognized for Exemplary Performance by publication made its debut in spring selected by committee on the basis of academic potential, an Academic Hourly. RESEARCH COMPETITION 1991 and it has since been a staple financial need, and mathematical interest. Winners of Spring 2021 Mentor Awards were given to Hannah Department of Mathematics for delivering news, updates, and the 2020–21 Jerry Uhl Scholarship are: Cara Chang & Rienton (Outstanding Perseverance), Alex Morris graduate student Emily Shinkle was more to students, alumni, friends, Justin Chen (Fremd High School), Nathra Ramrajvel & (Exemplary Communication with Students), Sohini named a Graduate Student Image of faculty, and staff of the Department Ziyin Wang (Naperville Central High School), and Andrew Roy (Most Positive Student Reviews), Ben Kelleher Research semifinalist. Alumnus David Blackwell (BA, ’38, of Mathematics. Although the look Tobin (Palatine High School). We are currently accepting (Outstanding Grading Feedback), and Kayla Sarantakos Image of Research is an annual MA, ’39, PhD, ’41, mathematics) has changed quite a bit over the . applications for the 2021-22 Uhl Scholarship. (Excellent Overall Performance). multidisciplinary competition overcame insurmountable odds to years, it has become a beloved and celebrating the diversity and breadth become an influential contributor important historical archive of the of graduate student research at to the world of mathematics and department. the University of Illinois Urbana- statistics. His remarkable life Check out all the past issues of Champaign. It is organized by the would culminate with 12 honorary Math Times on our online archive at Dicks receives 2021 Bateman Fellowship Scholarly Commons of the University doctorates and numerous awards, math.illinois.edu/mathtimes. . Library, the Graduate College, and honors, and leadership roles obert Dicks was named the 2021 Paul T. Bateman at the Arizona supported by a generous gift from throughout his career. SAMPERTON RECEIVED Fellow in Number Theory. Dicks is a fourth year Winter School. the Division of Intercollegiate Named in his honor, the new NSF EAGER GRANT graduate student working in number theory under Additonally, his R Athletics. David H. Blackwell Summer Scholars J.L. Doob Research Assistant the supervision of Scott Ahlgren. research has The semifinalists were chosen Program, hosted by the Illinois Professor Eric Samperton was Dicks has submitted three research papers; two of been highlighted by an interdisciplinary panel who Departments of Statistics and awarded an EAGER (Early-concept these have been accepted by the International Journal on Matrix’s judged entries on 1) connection Mathematics, is designed to increase Grants for Exploratory Research) of Number Theory and Proceedings of the American new YouTube between image, text, and research, the access and equity in the pipeline grant from the National Science Mathematical Society. His research to date involves channel. Watch 2) originality, and 3) visual impact. for graduate degrees in statistics, Foundation (NSF). His project, a generalization of a classical theorem of Ogg about the series and Learn more at bit.ly/2021gire. . data science, and mathematics. The “Detecting knottedness with Weierstrass points on modular curves, as well as subscribe to the six-week program is open to rising quantum computers,” investigates congruences for half-integral and integral weight modular channel at MATHEMATICS GRADUATES junior and senior undergraduate the extent to which quantum forms. Currently he is working on a project which bit.ly/yt-matrix. students in the mathematical computers might solve problems involves using modular Galois representations to study The Paul T. Bateman Fellowship in Number Theory HARD AT WORK sciences who are interested in in topology more efficiently than families of congruences for half-integral weight modular is awarded to a graduate student actively working on About 90 percent of new LAS alumni learning more about statistics, data classical computers. forms. research and writing his/her thesis in number theory at are securing jobs (including military science, and mathematics. Learn more at bit.ly/uiuc20math- In the past year, Dicks also supervised an Illinois the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. . service), continuing education, . Learn more at bit.ly/uiuc-bssp. eager. . Geometry Lab (IGL) project and worked as an assistant or volunteer/service positions,

14 15 Machine learning helps spot gait problems in individuals with multiple sclerosis

onitoring the progression of multiple sclerosis-related gait issues can be M challenging in adults over 50 years old, requiring a clinician to differentiate between problems related to MS and other age-related issues. To address this problem, researchers are integrating gait data and machine learning to advance the tools used to monitor and predict disease progression. A new study of this approach, led by University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign graduate student Rachneet Kaur, kinesiology and community health professor Manuel Hernandez and industrial and enterprise engineering and mathematics professor Richard Sowers, is published in the journal Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Transactions on Biomedical Engineering. Researchers Manuel Hernandez, left, Rachneet Kaur and Richard Sowers have UIUC unites with three universities to host Multiple sclerosis can present itself in many developed a machine-learning algorithm that could help doctors spot gait ways in the approximately 2 million people problems in people with multiple sclerosis and determine if they are a result of that it affects globally, and walking problems the disease or healthy aging. | L. Brian Stauffer, UI Public Affairs first virtual IME Congress are a common symptom. About half of the patients need walking assistance within 15 The diagram gains its name from the butterfly-shaped n response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the “Hosting the 24th International Congress on Insurance: years of onset, the study reports. curve created from the repeated center-of-pressure global actuarial community united virtually this Mathematics and Economics greatly raised the awareness “We wanted to get a sense of the interactions between trajectory for multiple continuous strides during a Isummer for the 24th International Congress on and the profile of our department and actuarial science aging and concurrent MS disease-related changes, and subject’s walk and is associated with critical neurological Insurance: Mathematics and Economics. In the spirit program in the global community,” said Professor whether we can also differentiate between the two functions, the study reports. of coming together as one, this event was jointly hosted Runhuan Feng, director of the actuarial science program in older adults with MS,” Hernandez said. “Machine- “We study the effectiveness of a gait dynamics- by the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, the at the University of Illinois and lead chair of the IME learning techniques seem to work particularly well at based machine-learning framework to classify strides Pennsylvania State University, Ulm University, and the organizing committee. “UIUC has long had a strong spotting complex hidden changes in performance. We of older persons with MS from healthy controls to University of New South Wales (UNSW Sydney). educational program in actuarial science. This conference hypothesized that these analysis techniques might also be generalize across different walking tasks and over new The International Congress on Insurance: Mathematics brought focus to our commensurately successful research useful in predicting sudden gait changes in persons with subjects,” Kaur said. “This proposed methodology is an and Economics (IME) is the largest international program and rising reputation as a center of excellence in MS.” advancement toward developing an assessment marker meeting dedicated to exploring current trends and actuarial research at the world stage.” Using an instrumented treadmill, the team collected for medical professionals to predict older people with MS research in actuarial science and the insurance and Additionally, this was the first IME Congress held gait data – normalized for body size and demographics – who are likely to have a worsening of symptoms in the finance industries. The conference fosters academic virtually and by cross-continental universities. To ensure from 20 adults with MS and 20 age-, weight-, height- and near term. and industry exchange on broad range of topics such as maximum accessibility for participants from all time gender-matched older adults without MS. The participants Future studies can provide more thorough examinations life-insurance, non-life insurance, data science, asset zones around the globe, the conference was held over walked at a comfortable pace for up to 75 seconds while to manage the study’s small cohort size, Sowers said. and risk management, valuation, financial modeling and the course of five days, July 5-9, 2021. Presentations at specialized software captured gait events, corresponding “Biomechanical systems, such as walking, are poorly emerging risks. the conference were recorded and made available to the ground reaction forces and center-of-pressure positions modeled systems, making it difficult to spot problems in a “Cohosting the most influential actuarial science public through Actuview, an online streaming platform during each walk. The team extracted each participant’s clinical setting,” Sowers said. “In this study, we are trying congress with three other leading actuarial programs established by the German Actuarial Association. characteristic spatial, temporal and kinetic features in to extract conclusions from data sets that include many is a once-in-a-lifetime experience,” said Zhongyi Yuan, This virtual conference also commemorated the 40th their strides to examine variations in gait during each measurements of each individual, but a small number organizing committee co-chair from Penn State. “I was year of publications of Insurance: Mathematics and trial. of individuals. The results of this study make significant excited and honored to work with the colleagues from Economics, which has become one of the top-ranked Changes in various gait features, including a data headway in the area of clinical machine learning-based UIUC, Ulm University, and UNSW Sydney, who keep international academic journals in insurance research. feature called the butterfly diagram, helped the team disease-prediction strategies.” . Lois Yoksoulian impressing me with their creativity and enthusiasm for UIUC has also been selected as the onsite host of the detect differences in gait patterns between participants. this event.” 27th IME in 2024. Additionally, the university will also This was the first major international insurance host the 57th Actuarial Research Conference (ARC) in research conference hosted by the Department of 2022. . Mathematics and the University of Illinois. 16 17 Old chair reveals how Altgeld Hall was once the campus seat Architects discover items hinting at the landmark building’s presidential past

hen you spend a year and a half immersed in room is now occupied by Alison a place, as Karla Smalley has in Altgeld Hall, Champion, associate director of Wyou start to develop a sense for the significant undergraduate studies. details. One day not long ago the architect was drawn to The history of the space isn’t lost an old chair on the building’s third floor that seemed out on its current occupants. Champion of place, yet oddly familiar. said that they enjoy some impressive Smalley is an associate principal and architect at Bailey architectural features that aren’t typical Edward, a firm hired by campus to help renovate Altgeld in a normal office. Hall while preserving the building’s colorful history. “The most wonderful features of our Her work is part of the Altgeld and Illini Halls Building space include a lovely set of window Project, which was launched to renovate Altgeld Hall seats in (Room) 313, which is where and replace its neighbor across Wright Street with a new students wait before their advisor building to improve and modernize spaces in data science appointments in non-COVID times, and other mathematical sciences. inside the area that looks like a smaller Smalley was studying the building’s decorative paint tower on the outside of Altgeld,” she and windows when it occurred to her where she’d seen said. “(There are) two fireplaces with that old leather chair: the historical archives. ornate wood coverings—but they’re “When you look at those photos for a year and a half, blocked off to keep out the bat visitor they sort of become engrained in your mind,” she said. So that we had once—and of course the she went back to the archival photos, and sure enough, view of the Alma Mater. The fireplaces there was the chair in black and white, in the office of are the real showpiece.” former University of Illinois President Andrew Draper, According to historical documents, who’d served from 1894-1904. what’s now the undergraduate office Smalley determined that the leather chair was an served as the presidential suite from original feature of the presidential office suite when it 1897 through the early 1900s. After was located in the then-new Altgeld Hall (then called the President Draper departed in 1904, the Clouds move across the horizon over Altgeld Hall. | UI Public Affairs University Library), which opened in 1897. There were space was occupied by President Edmund James (who other chairs like it in historical photos, but this was the served from 1904-1920). By 1915, James—along with the The chair’s journey before that is a mystery, though it and now McCarthy has his students sit in the chair when only one that remains in the building. Today it sits next Board of Trustrees, registrar, and other administrators— currently sits just a few feet from where it first appeared they come in for advising. to a professor’s desk in what used to be the president’s had relocated to what’s now Henry Administration in historical photos. McCarthy knows that the original Occasionally, McCarthy said, he humors them with the private office. Building. president’s desk that accompanied the chair is now in story behind the chair and his own office. Every other The old chair is a clue to Altgeld Hall’s past. In the In all, Altgeld Hall has undergone four renovations Henry Administration Building. Friday some 120 years ago, he said, as faculty and staff building’s early days it functioned not as just the campus (with the fifth one getting underway) and shifted in McCarthy has long been intrigued by the building’s lined up in the hallway to be paid at the bursar’s office, library but the center of university operations. Along with purpose from the library and administration building to history, ever since he heard that a colleague worked in an the president would open the door of his office to meet the presidential suite, the building housed operations the School of Law and the Department of Mathematics. office that still had the bursar’s old money safe. Years ago them. . Dave Evensen for the Board of Trustees, bursar, and registrar, among And yet that chair and other furniture items around the he learned the history of his own office from a historian, others. building have remained in place. Smalley, for example, Today, the space where Smalley found the chair— located a grandfather clock, a library table, and several located on the north side of the building facing the Alma paintings and photos that were present when the building In April, the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences hosted a maxed-out alumni & friends webinar, Mater—is the undergraduate office for the Department of opened in 1897. Mathematics. The former greeting area for the president’s “It’s almost been like a treasure hunt,” Smalley said, of “Preserving the Stories Past of Altgeld Hall.” This panel discussion, moderated by alumna Susan office is still a greeting area, but instead of officials and her search for original items. Morisato, explored how the hidden history of Altgeld Hall is being recaptured through restoration politicians, it’s the welcome point for students looking for As for the old chair itself, it sits in the office of Randy help and advising. McCarthy, professor and director of undergraduate work and remarkable discoveries and featured Professor Sheldon Katz, special advisor to the In the same space along that north side is the Board studies in the Department of Mathematics. He acquired dean for the Altgeld Hall renovation, and Robin Whitehurst and Karla Smalley from Bailey Edward. of Trustees’ former waiting room, now occupied by it back in 2005 from the department chair—the head of Missed it live? Watch the recording at bit.ly/2021-04LASonTap. academic advisors. Part of the board’s former meeting the department, that is—who’d had it since at least 1994.

18 19 Department & LAS Awards 2020-21 In April, more than 50 students, faculty, staff, and alumni were honored during the Department of Mathematics virtual awards program. Congratulations to this year’s recipients!

FACULTY AWARDS UNDERGRADUATE AWARDS & SCHOLARSHIPS Michael V. Colla Prize for Mathematics Related to Medicine H. Roy Brahana Prize Zoi Rapti David Brewster

NON-INSTRUCTIONAL AWARDS Most Outstanding Major in Actuarial Science Exceptional Merit Award in Mathematics Yuling Wu for Non-Instructional Staff Most Outstanding Major in Mathematics Brock Martin Jinghui Yang

NetMath Award for Outstanding Service Most Outstanding Major in Mathematics and Computer Science Amber Holmes Guangkuo Liu

GRADUATE AWARDS & FELLOWSHIPS Most Outstanding Major in Teaching of Mathematics Benjamin Candee David G. Bourgin Mathematics Fellowship Danyel Graves Larsen Vaibhav Karve Salma Wanna Memorial Award Ariel Lerman Kuo-Tsai Chen Prize in Mathematics 2021 Alumni Humanitarian Award Hadrian Quan Elizabeth R. Bennett Scholarship Yu Jun Loo Wolfgang Haken Prize in Geometry and Topology Danyel Graves Larsen of Oregon, Ill., has been named the National Board Resource Center at Illinois State Elizabeth Tatum Actuarial Science Alumni Scholarship the recipient of the 2021 Alumni Humanitarian Award for University. her excellence and impact in the field of mathematics Among her numerous recognitions, Larsen has Philip Song Dr. Lois M. Lackner Mathematics Fellowship education. received the Lee Yunker Mathematics Leadership Award Emily Shinkle Josephine Chanler Scholarship in Mathematics For more than 15 years, Larsen has been cultivating from the Illinois Council of Teachers of Mathematics Suchetan Dontha the advancement of mathematics through education. and been named an Exemplary Nominee for the Irving Reiner Memorial Prize After graduating from UIUC in 2004, she began teaching Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development Hsin-Po Wang Vincent O. Greene Scholarship in Mathematics high school mathematics at Hiawatha Community Unit Outstanding Young Educator Award. In 2015, she earned a Katrina Schideman School District for three years before joining the Oregon Those Who Excel Certificate of Meritorious Service Award State Farm Actuarial Science Scholarship Community School District in 2007. from the Illinois State Board of Education and has twice Churui Li IMC Trading Mathematics Scholarship Larsen’s impact on the students of Oregon Community been named a state finalist for the Presidential Award for School District has been tremendous since she joined Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching in 2015 Philippe Tondeur Dissertation Prize Claire Song the district. Prior to her coming to the district as a high and 2017. William Balderrama Illinois Mathematics Excellence Scholarship school math teacher, Oregon High School (OHS) was Additionally, Larsen holds membership in several scoring below average student achievement in the area professional organizations, including the National Waldemar J., Barbara G., and Juliette Alexandra Garrett Credi of mathematics for schools of its size and demographics. Council of Teachers of Mathematics, the Association for Trjitzinsky Fellowship Dr. Lois M. Lackner Mathematics Scholarship Almost immediately, Larsen’s efforts served to change the Supervision and Curriculum Development and the Illinois Xiaolong Han Daria Chudnovsky course of education in mathematics for all OHS students. Council of Teachers of Mathematics. She also served on Yifan Jing Within her first year, she was named department chair, the Illinois Education Associations Teacher Leaders and Hadrian Quan Northwestern Mutual Scholarship and under her leadership, OHS dramatically changed its National Board Outreach Committee. Anna Schulz curriculum and course sequencing to better serve the Larsen graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Stuart Seputro needs of the students and community. mathematics from UIUC in 2004. She later completed a Minwoo Sung Currently, Larsen serves as National Board certification master’s degree in mathematics with a specialization in coordinator for the Oregon Community Unit School education from Northern Illinois University. She and her District and is also a candidate cohort facilitator for husband, Adam, have two sons. .

20 21 REDDY RECEIVES 2020-21 LAS AP AWARD Seven staff and academic professionals were recognized for outstanding contributions to the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences in 2020-21, including Alison Reddy, director of mathematics placement and coordinator of quantitative reasoning courses in the Department of Mathematics. Reddy has been named a recipient of the LAS Academic Professional Award. Reddy leads a team of math instructors who are selected to work with incoming first-generation students and carefully designs courses to provide a rigorous yet welcoming and dynamic environment for students. Wrote one colleague, “Alison is clearly influencing the way math instruction and teaching should be delivered at Illinois.” Reddy and the other 2020-21 recipients were honored during a virtual ceremony in March. .

UNDERGRADUATE AWARDS & SCHOLARSHIPS UNDERGRADUATE MATH CONTESTS (Continued) 2020 U of I Freshman Math Contest First place: Dinglong Wang Susan C. Morisato Mathematics Scholarship Second place: Aaron Cho Michael Stillman Anna Schulz 2020 U of I Mock Putnam Contest Ruth V. Shaff and Genevie I. Andrews Mathematics First place: Pavle Vuksanovic Scholarship Second place: Dinglong Wang 2021 Outstanding Achievement Award Connie Chen Third place: Alexander Ristich Bradley M. and Karen A. Smith Scholarship Dr. Michael Stillman of Ithaca, N.Y, has been named a Following two postdoctoral research fellowships at Eric Bayer 2021 U of I Undergraduate Math Contest recipient of the 2021 Outstanding Achievement Award Brandeis University and Massachusetts Institute of James Hynes First place: Pavle Vuksanovic for his outstanding professional career and significant Technology (MIT), Stillman joined the mathematics Evelyn Lai Second place: Alexander Ristich contributions in computational algebraic geometry and faculty at Cornell University in 1987 as an assistant commutative algebra. professor, where he currently serves as a professor of Milliman Actuarial Science Scholarship ILLINOIS GEOMETRY LAB AWARDS In 1983, Stillman began work with David Bayer on mathematics. He has advised 11 PhD dissertations, Tina Guo the Macaulay computer algebra system. Named after has published over 55 mathematical papers, and has Susan C. Morisato IGL Scholarship English mathematician Francis Sowerby Macaulay, the been involved with numerous workshops and outreach State Farm Actuarial Science Scholarship Nachiketa Adhikari Macaulay system showed that it was possible to solve activities targeted at graduate students and postdocs. Matthew Jalnos Jenna Zomback actual problems in algebraic geometry using Gröbner He was recognized for his teaching as one of the top 10 Filip Klapacz basis techniques. The package became widely used by professors at Cornell by Business Insider in 2013. He Evan March IGL Research Award researchers, and Stillman and Bayer continued to improve received the Stephen and Margery Russell Distinguished Priyesh Patel “Firefighters on Graphs” the system until 1993. To get beyond several limitations Teaching Award from Cornell in 2013 and has twice Alexander Valkanas Graduate student team leader: Bob Krueger in the design, Stillman began work on the Macaulay2 received the Cornell Department of Mathematics Senior Brendan Watson Undergraduate students: Tongyun Huang, Andy Wang system with UIUC Professor Emeritus Daniel Grayson in Faculty Teaching Award in 2002 and 2016. Andy Lee, Mose Mizrahi, Abdullah Nooraldeen, 1993. Macaulay2 remains in active development and has Stillman graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Henry Wu been cited in over 2000 articles. In 2019, Stillman received mathematics from UIUC in 1978 before completing his Jesse Yan Casey Wheaton-Werle the Richard D. Jenks Memorial Prize for Excellence in PhD in mathematics from Harvard University in 1983. He Faculty mentor: Sean English Software Engineering Applied to Computer Algebra for was named the recipient of the department’s prestigious the revolutionary Macaulay and Macaulay2 computer H. Roy Brahana Prize in 1978. In Stillman’s nomination algebra systems. letter, the late Professor Emeritus Graham Evans, wrote Additionally, Stillman had a major impact on the “I am not aware of any other of our students, especially View the recording of the 2021 virtual department awards program, understanding of the Hilbert scheme; his paper reputedly undergraduates, whose work has had such an effect on including remarks from our 2020 and 2021 alumni awards recipients, is among the top cited papers on the subject. In 2015, he their field.” . was selected as a fellow of the American Mathematical at bit.ly/math21deptawards. Society for his work in symbolic computation.

22 23 The Department of Mathematics Impact Award recognizes faculty, staff, and graduate students in the Department of Mathematics for work which has substantially improved the welfare of members of our community since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Thank you to these individuals and groups for their innovation that helped our students to succeed and thrive throughout the past year.

NATHAN ARVAN to expand their support network, especially to include IT specialist, NetMath Program students with similar research interests or hobbies. As IT specialist for the NetMath Program, Nathan Arvan In a survey collected at the end of the semester, the is responsible for maintaining and enhancing the user- response from both returning and incoming students was friendliness of multiple aspects of the NetMath IT overwhelmingly positive, and the program is expected to infrastructure. These include most of our administrative run again next year. and studentfacing apparatus, including the Nexus record application. When the pandemic hit last spring, we had JENNIFER MCNEILLY one week to transition from paper-based exams, designed Director, Math Merit Workshop to be taken in-person with proctors, to a fully online Instructor format. He was tasked with building the online exam As director of the Math Merit Workshop, Jennifer system, and he was able to set up a mechanism that was McNeilly has gone above and beyond to keep lines of functional, flexible, and met the needs of our program communication open between Merit students, TAs, and at a critical juncture. The online exam system was made herself. By hosting regular Merit TA zoom meetings, she’s available to students free of charge, and allowed them to been able to facilitate an exchange of ideas that allow Judy Leavitt Walker complete their NetMath course with minimal interruption us to share what works and what we’re still working on, to their original timeline. Last fall as the pandemic while also checking in on our well-being. She also has 2021 Outstanding Achievement Award continued to adversely affect our students, NetMath made been quick to respond in a kind and empathetic manner the decision to grant an automatic, free extension to every when we have concerns about our students’ well-being, student currently registered in a NetMath course. Again, whether this involves checking in with the students via Arvan was a key contributor in ensuring a smooth rollout email or zoom, recommending resources, or helping TAs Dr. Judy Leavitt Walker of Lincoln, Neb., has been 2019, she was named a fellow of AWM. of the extensions, from sending email notifications to all named a recipient of the 2021 Outstanding Achievement Among her numerous recognitions and honors, Walker advocate on their behalf. Teaching online is a struggle affected students to automated entry of the new extended at the best of times, but McNeilly’s efforts to alleviate Award for her outstanding professional career and her received the MAA Deborah and Franklin Tepper Haimo end course date in every Nexus student record. In both leadership and contributions to the advancement of Award for Distinguished College or University Teaching the struggle and amplify the best of times have been instances, we were able to pivot and meet the needs of our absolutely invaluable in the time of COVID. mathematics and inclusion. of Mathematics in 2006, the AWM Louise Hay Award for students at a difficult time, thanks largely to his efforts. Walker currently serves as the Aaron Douglas Contributions to Mathematics Education in 2016 and the Professor of Mathematics and associate vice chancellor UNL Outstanding Teaching and Instructional Creativity SUMMER 2020 SIM CAMP STAFF for faculty and academic affairs at the University Award in 2014. She was also selected as MAA George Pólya EMILY HEATH, GRACE MCCOURT, MINA NAHVI The organizers, instructors, assistant instructors, of Nebraska–Lincoln (UNL). On the national level, Walker Lecturer from 2009-2011 and has been awarded more Graduate Student Mentoring Program and support faculty and staff conducted successful serves as a trustee of the American Mathematical Society than 20 grants, including a National Science Foundation Recognizing the unique challenges of starting graduate virtual programs for students in 8th-12th grades during (AMS) and is currently serving as chair of the AMS Board (NSF) INCLUDES grant which conducted research to school remotely during the pandemic, graduate students the COVID shutdown last summer. They completely of Trustees. study and document the effectiveness of several long- Emily Heath, Grace McCourt, and Mina Nahvi saw an restructured the program in order to continue to provide Additionally, Walker co-founded the Nebraska running programs that enabled and encouraged women opportunity for the department to welcome its incoming the experience for the students, gaining useful skills and Conference for Undergraduate Women in Mathematics to participate in mathematics. She has published more students by providing them with peer mentors. As knowledge for themselves in creating the experience. (NCUWM), a national conference for undergraduate than 30 publications and has served as an invited lecturer organizers of the Graduate Student Mentoring Program, They prepared supply packets for the participants students in mathematics with a focus on women. The nearly 100 times. they recruited 31 returning students and paired 37 to be distributed through a curbside pickup at the NWCUM won the AMS Programs that Make a Difference Walker completed both a master’s degree and a PhD incoming students in the Math and Actuarial Science Assembly Hall. When there was civil unrest on the days Award in 2013. from University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. She programs with mentors. Each mentor met with their surrounding this event, they adjusted again and shipped Walker holds professional memberships in AMS, the received the department’s Irving Reiner Memorial Award mentee over Zoom several times throughout the fall the packets to the campers. It would have been easy to American Association for the Advancement of Science in 1996. Before attending UIUC, she graduated with semester in addition to checking in over email. The cancel the program many times throughout the process, (AAAS), the Association for Women in Mathematics honors from University of Michigan with a bachelor’s mentors were provided with suggestions for topics to but they persevered and provided the opportunity to (AWM) and the Mathematical Association of America degree in mathematics in 1990. She and her husband, discuss with their mentees, from managing teaching the middle and high school students who gained from (MAA), and it was noted by one of her nominators that Mark Walker (PhD ’96, mathematics), Willa Cather responsibilities and finding an advisor to joining the AWM the camp. Overcoming all of the challenges they faced she is one of the few individuals that could be called up Professor of Mathematics at UNL, have two children: or IGL and exploring Champaign-Urbana (as much as provided growth for the organizers, instructors and to serve in leadership roles in each of the AMS, MAA, and Madeline and Becca. . possible during the pandemic). Mentors were encouraged assistant instructors, as they shared their enthusiasm for AWM. She was named a fellow of AMS in 2012, and in to introduce their mentee to other graduate students mathematics with the younger students. .

24 25 NEWS FROM THE Alumni Notes

Robert Purvy (BS ’72) wrote Evan Glazer (BS ’93, MS ’94) has Institute of Technology Gandhinagar, Mathematics Development Advisory Board “Inventing the Future,” a novel about been named the fifth president of Dixit is also a co-organizer of the the revolutionary development of the the Illinois Mathematics and Science Special Functions and Number Theory he 11th annual meeting of the Mathematics Xerox Star. His second post-UIUC job, Academy (IMSA). He currently serves seminar. Development Advisory Board (MDAB) was held Purvy worked as an engineer for the as the head of school for Avenues: The Tvirtually on Oct. 9, 2020, by Zoom. The 12 alumni Mathematics Development Xerox Star, which has been created as World School in New York, a grades Eliana Duarte (Ph.D. ’17) was forming the MDAB provide important guidance to the the first commercial personal computer N-12 independent school with 1,700 awarded a grant by the Portuguese department for its ongoing efforts. The switch to a remote Advisory Board 2020-21 to incorporate technologies that have students and five schools. national funding agency for science venue required some adjustments to the usual on-campus since become standard in PCs. and technology FCT (Fundação para meeting format. However, all worked smoothly, except Katy Crafton Fluet, Menlo Park, Calif. Jonathan Hayward (MS ’98) released Ciência e a Tecnologia), one of five that the board had to forego lunch, refreshments, and Marta Civil (PhD ’90) is a 2021 his book, “Orthodox Theology and acclaimed fellowships in the field of other in-person social activities. Greig Woodring, Chesterfield, Mo. recipient of the National Council of Technology: A Profoundly Gifted mathematics and computer science. The annual meeting included an update on the Bonita (Bonnie) Mampe, McLean, Va. Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) Autobiography” in December 2020. For the next six years, she will work as department’s activities, new initiatives, and aspirations. Lifetime Achievement Award. The It was reviewed by the Midwest a junior researcher at the Center for Detailed descriptions of the department’s and campus’s Steve Cox, Champaign, Ill. award honors NCTM members Book Review in April. Learn more at Mathematics at the University of Porto. response to the pandemic were provided, together with Howard Aizenstein, Pittsburgh, Pa. who have exhibited a lifetime of cjshayward.com. Currently, Duarte is a postdoctoral a report on new large National Science Foundation achievement in mathematics education researcher at the Otto-von-Guericke (NSF) grants, hiring, and student data. For the second Matt Byron, St. Louis, Mo. at the national level. Civil is the Roy Atul Dixit (Ph.D ’12) has been awarded Universität Magdeburg. consecutive year, the most significant planned activity Meghan Galiardi, Albuquerque, N.M. F. Graesser Endowed Professor at the the 2021 Gábor Szegö Prize. This prize discussed by the board was the rehabilitation of Altgeld University of Arizona, where she holds is awarded every two years by the Share your alumni news! Hall and the replacement of Illini Hall with a new and Mary Lynn Reed, Rochester, N.Y. appointments in the department SIAM Activity Group on Orthogonal Have news you would like to share larger building. George Akst, Annandale, Va. of mathematics, the department Polynomials and Special Functions with your fellow alums in an upcoming The board’s advice and actions have helped the of mathematics education, and the (SIAG/OPSF) and is awarded to an issue of Math Monthly, our alumni & department chart its course and achieve its goals over Jerome (Jerry) Casey, Bloomington, Minn. department of teaching, learning, and early-career researcher for outstanding friends e-newsletter, and/or the next time. Most of the work of the MDAB is done by four William (Bill) Perry, Dallas, Texas sociocultural studies. research contributions within 10 issue of Math Times? Submit your committees, which meet by Zoom throughout the year: years of obtaining a Ph.D. An assistant items using our online form at the Marketing and Solicitation Strategy Committee, the William (Bill) Schwegler, Cedar Rapids, Iowa professor of mathematics at Indian bit.ly/uiucmath-alum-news. Alumni Engagement Committee, the Student Experience Learn more about MDAB at math.illinois.edu/mdab. Committee, and the Scholarships Committee. .

Each year, the Department of Mathematics recognizes exceptional alumni who have made significant contributions through outstanding professional achievement in academia, research, and industry. Last October, we celebrated the power of LAS innovation and the Nominations for the 2022 UIUC Department of Mathematics amazing impact of the people in the Alumni Awards are now open: College of Liberal Arts & Sciences • Outstanding Achievement Award during the inaugural LAS Impact. • Outstanding Recent Alumni Save the date for this fall’s celebration, • Alumni Humanitarian Award slated for Oct. 25-29, 2021. • Actuarial Science Alumni of the Year Award

For more information and to submit your nomination online, visit View the recordings from LAS Impact 2020, including the Altgeld Chimes math.illinois.edu/alumni-awards. Centennial Concert and “Celebrating a Campus Landmark: The History and Impact of Altgeld Hall,” at go.las.illinois.edu/LASImpact2020. The deadline for 2021 nominations is Monday, Nov. 15, 2021.

26 27 “I had Graham Evans for an undergrad funding earmarked for student travel of us knew about Groebner bases, class Math 305, A Teacher’s Course, to send me to the Nebraska Conference so the programs were only heuristic; which basically meant that the teacher for Undergraduate Women in my senior Schreyer’s algorithm and the work of could teach anything he wanted. year of high school. More incredibly, he Bayer and Stillman on Macaulay lay, One of the lessons in that course that invited me to participate as some sort unsuspected, in the future.) I remembered was Graham Evans of unofficial satellite to an REU program “Graham and I both spent the year playing the cello during class to taking place at UIUC in the summer 1975–76 at the I.H.E.S, outside of Paris, demonstrate the mathematics of music. of 2002. At the end of the summer, supported by Sloan Fellowships. He I’ve been a high school mathematics Graham also arranged for me to give was already obsessed with (but making teacher since graduating from UIUC. a talk at UIUC about my Intel Science no progress on) the ‘Syzygy Problem’— Every time I encounter an exceptional Talent Search research project, and he the conjecture that a non-free n-th math student who happens to also recruited people to actually show up, syzygy of finite projective dimension excel at music, I am reminded of how which was a particular thrill. must have rank at least n. It took a math and music are intertwined and “When Graham retired, he gave me long time, but his persistence paid off: Graham playing the cello.” his entire math library, which was an he and his Urbana colleague Phillip Candice Sagliano incredible bounty to receive as a PhD Griffith published their proof in the BS, ’00, mathematics student. I gave a few books away but Annals of Math in 1981. Their London kept most of them, and they still form a Math Society book, published a few “Graham Evans was my undergraduate substantial part of my collection.” years later, has a nice exposition of the mentor and had a profound impact Emily Riehl whole area. The paper continues to be on me. I met him through the Campus Associate professor of mathematics, influential: it already has 65 citations, Honors Program soon after I arrived Johns Hopkins University 11 new ones in papers appearing in the on campus in 1995. From the day last 5 years alone. I met him, Graham was incredibly “Graham was one of my closest friends “At Urbana, Graham and Kay welcoming. He did everything he could, in grad school. He and Kay were continued to nurture many students, big and small, to make a nervous and already married then—I think they had one of whom, Hara Charalambous, anxious young mathematician more been childhood sweethearts––and I came to me as a postdoc and is now Remembering comfortable. It is no coincidence that remember being very impressed by chair of mathematics in Thessaloniki. I asked Mike Stillman, another of their snug little apartment. In addition to his PhD students, listed Graham’s mentees, to be my adviser “Graham was a student of Kaplansky, at the math genealogy site, there was Professor Emeritus Graham Evans in graduate school, and I know both of and I followed all of Kap’s marvelous a succession of undergraduates who us feel a great debt to Graham. We try lectures too. We both developed a enjoyed the welcoming warmth of that to emulate the remarkable example fascination with free resolutions from household, including Mike Stillman rofessor Emeritus Graham Evans passed away on the mid 1970s, he worked with then UIUC undergraduate Graham set for us.” this exposure. Graham wrote the notes and, much more recently, Emily Riehl. March 20, 2021. Evans joined the department in Michael Stillman (BA ’78) on a computer program to Chris Francisco for Richard Swan’s course in K-theory—I I believe that Kay, an accomplished 1972 and retired in 2004. While a member of the create free resolutions. This was substantially improved BS, ’99, mathematics and economics enjoyed learning the basics from them seamstress, even sewed wedding P later. Graham took a Postdoc at MIT dresses for some of them! Graham department, he served as managing editor of the Illinois by Stillman, David Bayer, Professor Emeritus Daniel Journal of Mathematics (1994-98) and as director of Grayson, and others to become Macaulay 2. “It’s hard to overstate how much I and I followed to Brandeis, nearby. was an excellent and enthusiastic undergraduate studies (2000-04). Four students completed their PhD’s under his have benefited from the generosity There we continued our friendship cook—for example, he made the first His research was centered on commutative rings and direction. Evans received an Alfred P. Sloan Foundation of E. Graham Evans Jr., who went and collaborated on basic elements and only “Christmas goose” that I the study of free resolutions of modules. He spent the Fellowship in 1975-76 that he spent at Institut des out of his way time and time again to (arising from Swan’s work) and on set- ever tasted. He was active in teaching early part of his research collaborating on a series of Hautes Études Scientifiques (IHES) in Paris. In 2001, he create special opportunities for me theoretic complete intersections—the non-mathematicians at Urbana, too: he articles with David Eisenbud and wrote with several received the Campus Award for Excellence in Advising as a teenager growing up in central latter resulting in the paper for which (I once told me about a course he gave others while at Illinois—principally Phillip Griffith. In Undergraduate Students. . Illinois. We first met on a college visit believe) I was given tenure at Brandeis. regularly, in which, on the first day, he sometime in 2001, during which I met “Graham went on to a career at would say: ‘Don’t be afraid! Now reach with him in his office in his capacity UIUC, while I stayed at Brandeis, but out and touch the computer.’ I can hear as director of undergraduate studies. we continued many interactions and him saying it …” At that point, I had fond memories parallels. For example, Graham’s David Eisenbud Since his passing, several members of the UIUC Mathematics family and of UIUC from the Illinois state math undergraduate student Mike Stillman Director of the Mathematical members of the mathematics community have sent us their memories of competitions, but I had no real wrote an early program to compute Sciences Research Institute, connection with the university. Much syzygies, while Buchsbaum and I University of California, Berkeley Professor Evans, sharing how impactful he was on their lives. At right are some to my surprise, he stayed in touch employed an undergraduate, Ray and offered to use some department Zibman, for the same purpose (none highlights of the incredible messages we have received. See more on his memorial page at math.illinois.edu/graham-evans.

28 29 We count on the generosity of alumni and friends to support students as they embark on earning a world-class education and Remembering a strong community - to fund faculty members as they conduct world changing research and train students. Your investment makes a difference. and a rigorous mathematician  Yes! I believe in the importance of excellence in mathematics and wish to show my support! $______Mathematics Partnership Fund (332346 default) $______Mathematics Graduate Student Support Fund (339209) Alumni Bill and Linda Perry honor a former professor and Altgeld Hall Your gift to the Partnership Fund will have the widest impact Supports the enrichment of educational opportunities for graduate as it supports a range of activities including student awards students. or Bill and Linda Perry, Altgeld Hall is about and travel, distinguished lecturers, the recruitment of excellent mathematics—and so much more. faculty, and alumni events. $______Mathematics Research Experience Endowment Fund (772913) The couple arrived at U of I in fall 1967; Bill had F $______Actuarial Science Fund (330225) Support research experiences for graduate and undergraduate students. a graduate assistantship in mathematics and Linda had a Support Actuarial Science through scholarships, fellowships, teaching position at Urbana High School. The May graderships, and faculty support. $______John E. & Rebecca S. Wetzel 1967 mathematics graduates of 500-student Park College Undergraduate Endowment Fund (776209) in Parkville, Missouri, arrived in awe of 30,000-student $______Illinois Mathematics Excellence Supports the enrichment of educational opportunities for University of Illinois. Bill (PhD, ‘72, mathematics) and Scholarship Fund (341016) undergraduate students. Linda (MS, ’71, mathematics) knew they would need to Scholarships enable the most promising admitted undergraduate find a small, connected community at Illinois, and they mathematics students to pursue their education at Illinois. did. The mathematics faculty and staff were welcoming and supportive. “From the moment we arrived, we felt accepted and valued,” said Bill and Linda, in a joint recollection provided to LAS. And when Bill was accepted as a doctoral student by professor T.W. Ting of the Department of Mathematics that feeling of acceptance Bill and Linda Perry | Photo provided. deepened. Bill and Linda’s gratitude for their experience at Illinois Linda said. “So clearly we had a great experience at the led them to make a donation to the Campaign for Altgeld University of Illinois, which made us want to continue Please print and Illini Halls, which is supporting the renovation being with educational institutions.” Name(s) Altgeld Hall and the construction of a new building on the Bill was president of Eastern Illinois University from site of Illini Hall. 2007 to 2015 and was professor of mathematics at The couple recall how, in August 1967, they loaded Texas A&M University in College Station, where he also Home/Cell Phone: Email their belongings into a U-Haul trailer, hooked it up to the eventually served in administrative roles, from 1971 to Chevy, and drove from Kansas City to Urbana. 2007. Linda is senior lecturer emeritus of accounting at “About a week before we left we found out we had an Texas A&M, where she taught from 1983 to 2007, and she Address apartment in Orchard Downs,” Bill said. “That was good was a lecturer at Eastern Illinois University from 2008 to news because as yet we had not found a place to live. The 2009. City State Zip Code greatest benefit of getting an apartment in the Downs was When Bill and Linda heard about the campaign to that we met couples there who are still our friends today.” renovate Altgeld Hall, they decided to give back as a token After getting moved in, Bill went to check in at the of their appreciation for finding a caring community in Spouse/Partner (circle one) Department of Mathematics. the Department of Mathematics, especially because of “I’ll never forget Altgeld Hall,” Bill said. “My first Professor Ting. teaching assistant office was there, I spent many hours in “Professor Ting enabled me, and by extension, Linda,  My check for $______is enclosed made payable to UIF/Department of Mathematics. the Altgeld library, had several classes there, made grad to have wonderful, fulfilling careers in higher education,” student friends there, and found the faculty and staff to Bill said. “Linda and I are grateful that we could make a To make a gift with your credit card, please visit math.illinois.edu/giving. be very friendly and helpful. Professor Ting, my thesis gift to honor him as part of the Altgeld Hall renovation.” . advisor had his office in Altgeld.” Kimberly Belser  My company will match my gift. Company name Bill added: “After I became Ting’s student I spent a lot of time in his office and remember with fondness those Please mail this form to: University of Illinois Foundation, P.O. Box 3429, Champaign, IL 61826-3429 times working with him. He was a stickler for rigor, extremely hard working, and a great advisor. In addition, As chair of the newly formed Alumni Engagement Committee If you would like more information about giving to the Department of Mathematics, please contact Evan Tammen, he and his wife, Eutrice, invited us to their home several within the Mathematics Development Advisory Board associate director of development, College of Liberal Arts & Sciences, 217.300.5114, [email protected]. times for dinner, making us feel very special.” (MDAB), Bill is excited to connect with fellow math alumni The overall experience deeply influenced Linda and and share ways alums can stay involved with the department. Bill. math.illinois.edu/giving Learn more about Bill’s experience and ways you can engage “As you can see from what we did with the rest of our with the department at bit.ly/mdab-message. You will receive a receipt issued by the University of Illinois Foundation. Your gift is deductible as allowed by law. Thank you! lives, we have spent it all in university communities,” 1KV25719DN046907BM00000006DK 30 31 DEPARTMENT OF MATHEMATICS COLLEGE OF LIBERAL ARTS & SCIENCES 273 Altgeld Hall | 1409 W. Green Street (MC-382) | Urbana, IL 61801

The University of Illinois is embarking on a project to restore and renovate Altgeld Hall and replace its neighbor across Wright Street, Illini Hall, with a new building. Funds from the state, campus, and private donors will support the projected $192 million cost of the project.

An investment in these spaces will directly benefit thousands of students and faculty members. The renovation of Altgeld and a new Illini Hall will provide students and faculty collaborative spaces that are essential for learning and discovery in the 21st century and make both buildings accessible to all students. I t’s all about impact. Make yours last a lifetime.

Learn more at altgeldillini.illinois.edu.