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Winter 2011 {MMathath NewsNews A publication of the Department of Mathematics at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln VIEW FROM THE Curto wins noted Sloan Research Fellowship CHAIR arina Curto, assistant profes- tion, which Csor of mathematics, has been announced its John Meakin selected for a Sloan Research Fel- newest recipi- lowship for her research in the fi eld ents on Feb. 15, he year 2011 of mathematical neuroscience. This 2011, awards Thas been one two-year fellowship awards Curto 118 Sloan of opportuni- $50,000 to put toward her research. Research Fel- ties, challenges “I was thrilled to receive the lowships each and successes for news,” Curto said. “This award will year, bringing the Department benefi t my research signifi cantly, es- total grants in of Mathematics pecially because of its fl exible nature. the program to $5.9 million annu- and indeed for I greatly appreciate all those who ally. The fellowships seek to stimulate the University of supported me in my nomination, as fundamental research by early-career Nebraska-Lin- well as my close collaborators.” scientists and scholars of outstand- coln. In what seems destined to be one The Alfred P. Sloan Founda- CURTO of the most signifi cant events in the See on Page 11 history of the university, UNL became one of the 12 members of the Big Ten (as opposed to one of the 10 remain- ing members of the Big 12). A tribute to Meakin’s leadership This move is much more than a As this edition’s View from the Chair addresses, John Meakin, after eight years of change in athletic conference for the serving as Department Chair, will be handing over the reins as chair to Judy Walker. university. UNL joins an elite group of In honor of his dedicated service, we wish to highlight some of the contributions institutions with a seat on the Com- Meakin has made to the department and thank him for a job well done. mittee on Institutional Cooperation, the academic arm of the Big Ten. uch like the mark of a good “Administration is a huge job. John Our university and our department Mpilot is an uneventful fl ight, the takes care of that, and it insulates the enjoy a new set of colleagues, oppor- mark of a good department chair is rest of us. While the work is a burden tunities, and expectations. There is a when faculty members remain oblivi- on the chair, done effectively it helps great deal of energy, optimism and ous to the work that it entails. The the entire department.” confi dence on campus, and expecta- most important aspect of the job is to As a result, much of the work is

tions of growth and additional success ensure that faculty members feel en- behind the scenes, making Meakin’s throughout the university are evi- couraged and well supported, enabling hard-working and selfl ess nature

dent. Our department and indeed the them to perform at their very best. among his greatest attributes as chair. CHAIR Professor of Mathematics David This became apparent almost im- See on Page 3 Pitts, who came to UNL in 1986, said, See MEAKIN on Page 3 {

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DEPARTMENT NEWS: Progress FACULTY NEWS: Grant provides ALUMNI NEWS: Rolle fi nds in math education Page 4 math scholarships Page 9 math gives edge in law Page 12

www.math.unl.edu/friends Winter 2011 1 {DDepartmentepartment NewsNews Leavitt’s work builds foundation for exciting new area of research

he Winter 2010 Math News In 1962, UNL Professor Tcontained an article describing William G. Leavitt wrote the outstanding contributions and an article for the presti- accomplishments of UNL’s Commuta- gious journal Transac- tive Algebra group. But don’t get the tions of the American wrong impression –– UNL’s non- Mathematical Society, Commutative Algebra community is in which he showed that having quite a worldwide impact too. there is a plethora of Here’s some mathematical back- rings which do not have ground. If you think back to your Intro the “Invariant Basis to Modern Algebra Math 310 course, Number” property. In the most likely all of the rings you saw as past seven years, his work basic examples have what’s known as has received much atten- the “Invariant Basis Number” prop- tion, and these algebras erty. This means that if you have a are now called Leavitt fi nitely generated free module M over path algebras in honor of R (the moral equivalent of a fi nite his foundational work in dimensional vector space over R), then the area. any two bases for M must have the COURTESY PHOTO same number of elements. Thinking back even further, you probably saw a i j R-modules RR and RR are not iso- the 1960s. proof of this fact in your introduction morphic; on the other hand, for each These newfangled algebras are to linear algebra course, in the case positive integer the free left called Leavitt path algebras in honor that R is the fi eld of real numbers. i j modules RR and RR are isomorphic of Bill Leavitt’s foundational work in More formally, the Invariant Basis precisely when (mod n – m). the area. (Yes, the L in L (E) stands Number property for a ring R means K Less formally, what Professor for ‘Leavitt’.) Many mathematicians that for every pair of positive integers throughout the world have been m Leavitt’s Theorem shows is that, in the m and n, if the free left R-modules RR context of isomorphisms between free focused on these LK(E) algebras for and Rn are isomorphic, then m = n. It R modules, anything that can happen, the past seven years. Interest in them is not too hard to show that not only does happen. comes not only from the noncom- does this IBN property hold for fi elds, Over the next three-plus decades mutative algebra community, but from it actually holds for all commutative this interesting work received some- the operator algebra community as rings, all (fi nite-sized) matrix rings what modest attention in the math- well, because there is an intimate con- over fi elds, and most, if not all, of the ematics community. But in the past nection between Leavitt path algebras rings you saw in Math 310. seven years, the attention level sur- with coeffi cients in the complex num- In 1962, UNL Professor William rounding these algebras has risen from bers and analytic structures G. Leavitt wrote an article for the modest to intense. Here’s why: In 2004 called prestigious journal Transactions of the a handful of algebraists came up with a During April 2011 a pair of talks American Mathematical Society, in construction which associates with any were delivered at UNL in which some which he showed that there is a pletho- fi nite directed graph E and fi eld K a K- of the current happenings in the fi eld ra of rings which do NOT have IBN. algebra, denoted L (E), whose defi nition of Leavitt path algebras were discussed. Specifi cally, Bill proved this: K is based on the confi guration of vertices How nice it was that Bill Leavitt, at age Theorem. For any pair of posi- and edges in E. As it turns out, if you 95 and still going strong, could attend. tive integers m, n with m < n and any Professor Emeritus Leavitt’s start with the directed graph Rn having fi eld K there exists a K-algebra LK(m, one vertex and loops based impact on mathematics research will n) with the following properties: for endure well into the future. at that vertex, then LK(Rn) is precisely each positive integer i < m, and each –– Gene Abrams, University of the algebra LK(1,n) that Bill Leavitt positive integer , the free left constructed and investigated back in Colorado-Colorado Springs

2 Winter 2011 www.math.unl.edu/friends DDepartmentepartment NewsNews {

as UNL’s fi rst recipient of a Gates portunities to appoint new faculty in CHAIR From Page 1 Scholarship to Cambridge University. the department are expected for the whole university has been engaged In April we hosted the KUMUNU coming year, however, as the univer- in an examination of all aspects of commutative algebra conference and sity’s budget situation improves. This its mission, from curricular issues the Rowlee Lecture by David Eisen- will be needed if the department is to research expectations to the role bud, and in October we were pleased to maintain the momentum it has that we all play in society and in our to host two more major conferences, established in the past several years, discipline. the Fall Central Sectional Meeting of and if it is to take advantage of the The department is also in the the American Mathematical Society, opportunities afforded by its rising midst of a change in leadership. including the 2011 Erdos Lecture by profi le and the university’s move into The current semester (Fall 2011) Emmanuel Candes, and the Enacting the Big Ten. will be my last semester as depart- Standards for Mathematical Practices It has been a real privilege to ment chair: Professor Judy Walker Conference in mathematics education serve as department chair, working will assume this position effective honoring the many contributions of with a talented group of faculty, staff January 1, 2012. Jim Lewis to the profession. These and students, and I am grateful for Judy has had a events are featured in this edition of the support of the administration and huge impact on Math News. friends and alumni of the department. our department The year also marked challenges Continuing support from our through her for the department with the retire- friends and alumni is of crucial comprehensive ment of three of our senior faculty importance to the department. This view of research, – Ira Papick, Roger Wiegand and support has a huge impact on the teaching and edu- Sylvia Wiegand – and the pending department’s ability to carry out cational outreach retirement in January 2012 of two its mission. Just in the past year, Judy Walker throughout her additional senior faculty (Lynn Erbe generous donations have enabled tenure on our and Dave Skoug). us to provide many scholarships faculty, and the department is excited In other changes in Fall 2011, and awards to both graduate and about working with her as she takes Jamie Radcliffe took over from John undergraduate students, to honor on this important new role. Orr as vice chair of the department, and support outstanding faculty and The past year has seen additional and Allan Donsig becomes vice chair postdoctoral scholars, to strengthen growth in the national profi le of the in Spring 2012. Also, Susan Hermiller many aspects of our extensive educa- department. In January we hosted the took over as graduate committee tional outreach program, and most 13th annual Nebraska Conference for chair in Fall 2011 after Judy Walker. recently, with funds established by Undergraduate Women in Mathemat- While UNL has not experienced the late Mr. Howard Rowlee, to sta- ics, with more than 250 undergradu- the kinds of draconian budget cuts bilize funding for an annual series of ate women participating. In February that have occurred at many colleges major public lectures by internation- we celebrated the announcements that and universities across the country ally prominent mathematicians. Professor Carina Curto was selected as in the past few years, the budget Enjoy this newsletter, and please an Alfred P. Sloan Research Fellow for remained constrained and there were maintain contact with us and take 2011 and senior undergraduate math very few authorizations for faculty advantage of opportunities to support major Zach Norwood was selected hiring in the university in 2011. Op- the department in the years ahead.

One of the most notable areas UNL by contributing to a signifi cant MEAKIN From Page 1 of growth experienced by the depart- increase in the number and quality of mediately, when, shortly after he began ment under Meakin’s leadership is the applicants for graduate education and his term as chair in 2003, Meakin was graduate program. With encourage- by bringing both national and inter- faced with the task of relocating the ment and support from Meakin, the national attention to the department. department from the eighth and ninth department was awarded federal funds In 2004, there were 94 applications fl oors of Oldfather Hall to newly reno- for grants such as Mentoring through for acceptance into the mathematics vated Avery Hall, across the walkway Critical Transition Points (MCTP), graduate program; though this was al- to the west. Organizing such a feat is which supports IMMERSE and other ready a respectable number, it steadily rather unglamorous and hardly seems programs (see http://www.math.unl. increased to reach 178 in the spring like noteworthy work for a mathemati- edu/programs/mctp/), and the of 2011. The increase in the number cian, yet its smooth coordination was continuation of GAANN (Graduate of Ph.D.s (from just two and three in incredibly important to the uninter- Assistance in Areas of National Need) 2004 and 2005 to 10 and 11 in 2009 rupted work of the department. Mea- grants from the U.S. Department of and 2010) awarded by the depart- kin forged ahead without complaint Education. ment during Meakin’s tenure is also and the leadership he provided quickly These programs have fundamen- indicative of this growth, and shows set the tone for the next eight years. tally altered the graduate program at See MEAKIN on Page 8 www.math.unl.edu/friends Winter 2011 3 {DDepartmentepartment NewsNews

LINDSAY AUGUSTYN/UNL CSMCE New Teacher Network secondary teachers Katherine Norman (left) and Kelly Gomez Johnson speak with mathematics graduate teaching assistant Tom Clark in June 2011 in a geometry course. NTN is a component of the $9.2 million NebraskaMATH grant. Enhancing math education Department, CSMCE place priority on teaching issues in Nebraska cross the nation, the University now totaling more than $20 million, Aof Nebraska–Lincoln and its De- for work partnering the Department partment of Mathematics are known of Mathematics, the Department of for their cooperative efforts between Teaching, Learning and Teacher Educa- mathematicians and mathematics tion, and K-12 schools in Nebraska. educators to improve mathematics Also of note, the March 2011 issue education. of “Notices,” the monthly periodical The department has taken the published by the American Math- stance that issues related to mathemat- ematical Society, focused on issues ics education, whether it’s the educa- related to mathematics education, and tion of K-12 students, undergraduates two of the seven related articles were or graduate students, are important authored or co-authored by faculty LINDSAY AUGUSTYN/UNL CSMCE for mathematicians to consider. There from UNL’s math department. Professor of Mathematics David Pitts is a strong correlation between the Much of the effort from the (right) discusses a textbook with the mathematical education of students department focuses on bridging UNL Noyce Master Teaching Fellows in June and K-12 schools through resources today and the availability of math- 2011. NebraskaNOYCE is a six-year, $3 ematics capable of advancing the fi eld million grant from the NSF, supporting and grants coordinated by the Center in the future. Despite this correlation, leadership development of teachers. for Science, Mathematics and Com- mathematics departments that value puter Education (CSMCE). Although contributions to mathematics educa- versity of Nebraska’s university-wide the groundwork for a “center” was fi rst tion are more the exception than the (a four-campus system) Department laid in the late 1980s, the work of the rule at research institutions. Teaching Award, and the Presidential center gained momentum in 1991, The Mathematics Department’s Award for Excellence in Science, Math- when mathematics professors Don commitment to teaching and educa- ematics, and Engineering Mentoring, Miller, Jim Lewis and Mel Thornton tional issues has not gone unnoticed. In administered by the National Science received a $4.47 million mathemat- 1998, the department was the recipient Foundation. These and other awards ics and science Statewide Systemic of two important awards: the Uni- were followed by a series of NSF grants, See MATH ED on Page 5 4 Winter 2011 www.math.unl.edu/friends DDepartmentepartment NewsNews {

MATH ED From Page 4 (From left) Initiative grant, which they were able Plenary speakers to increase to $10 million by 1993. Bill McCallum, In 1995, the university continued to Matt Larson and fund the CSMCE’s efforts to bridge Sybilla Beckmann K-12 schools and the university into sit on the panel the next decade through Programs of during the Enact- Excellence initiatives Math and Science ing Standards for Teachers for the 21st Century (2002) Mathematical and NU-Teach (2009). Practices Confer- Now, with support from UNL’s HOLLIE SWANSON/UNL CSMCE ence Oct. 21-22. Colleges of Arts and Sciences, Edu- cation and Human Sciences, and Agricultural Sciences and Natural UNL hosts national conference Resources, the mission of the CSMCE is to support UNL faculty engaged in educational activities focused on on current math education issues improving the teaching and learning rominent leaders in mathematics abstractly and quantitatively” com- of science, technology, engineering and Peducation gathered in Lincoln on prise the fi rst two practices of the list mathematics (STEM) at both the K-12 Oct. 21-22, 2011, to discuss one of of eight. For more information about and collegiate level. The CSMCE sup- the important issues in mathemat- the Common Core, visit http://www. ports a broad range of activities from ics education in America today: the corestandards.org. outreach programs for K-12 students Common Core State Standards. The Enacting Standards for to professional development opportu- Released in 2010, the Common Mathematical Practices Conference nities for graduate students. Core is a set of curriculum standards hosted by UNL addressed issues Lewis, Aaron Douglas Professor covering English, language arts and surrounding these practices and the of Mathematics, is the director of the mathematics, based on what all ways in which they can be enacted CSMCE and has been the principal American students need to know in teacher education and in K-12 investigator for the prestigious NSF- to successfully enter college or the classrooms. Bill McCallum, profes- funded grants Math Matters; the Math workplace. sor of mathematics of the Institute and Science Partnership programs The Council of Chief State for Mathematics Education at the Math in the Middle and Nebraska- School Offi cers and the National University of Arizona, who served as MATH; and NebraskaNOYCE, part of Governors Association Center for the lead author for the CCSS, was a the Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship Best Practices (NGA Center) led the plenary speaker at the conference. Program. Common Core State Standards Ini- “The conference brought math- Lewis was honored on Oct. 22, tiative (CCSS), working with a wide ematicians, education researchers, 2011, at the Enacting Standards for range of educators, content experts, and teachers together for a well- Mathematical Practices (ESMP) Con- researchers, national organizations, balanced series of talks by local and ference (see sidebar) at UNL, for his and community groups. national experts,” McCallum said. “It 40-year career contributing to math- Their purpose is to provide a was a wonderful conference: thought- ematics and mathematics education. consistent, clear understanding of provoking, great talks, lots of time “Jim’s work has had an extraor- what students are expected to learn, for interaction, and lots of energy. It dinary impact on the lives of a very no matter where they live, and are was the best meeting I’ve been to in a large number of students, teachers, designed to be much more rigor- long time.” professional mathematicians, math- ous and relevant to the real world A total of 135 people represent- ematics teacher educators and many than current standards. Nebraska is ing 18 states attended the conference. of the leaders in the profession at the not among the 45 states that have Slides and handouts from the confer- national level,” said UNL Department adopted them. ence presentations, along with videos of Mathematics Chair John Meakin. The Common Core Standards in of the plenary sessions, can be found “His work matters and he has had, and Mathematics also incorporate what is on the website: http://scimath.unl. continues to have, a profound impact referred to as Standards for Math- edu/conferences. on mathematics education at all levels ematical Practice. This portion of the For many who attended the at UNL and on the national stage.” standards focuses on the processes conference, the highlight was a ban- The department and CSMCE’s and profi ciencies that mathematics quet honoring UNL’s Jim Lewis, who NSF grants funding teacher educa- teachers of all levels should seek to has dedicated much of his 40-year tion have worked to improve student instill in their students. For example, career to improving math education. achievement in mathematics across the “make sense of problems and per- Teachers, educators and alumni alike severe in solving them” and “reason thanked Lewis for his contributions. See MATH ED on Page 6 www.math.unl.edu/friends Winter 2011 5 DDepartmentepartment NewsNews ing, 2011: Three-year, $1.2 million taught or assisted with a course through MATH ED From Page 5 NSF Research, Evaluation and Techni- Math in the Middle, NebraskaMATH, state of Nebraska. Some of the more cal Assistance (RETA) grant to study NebraskaNOYCE and the NMSSI. {prominent grants include: the development of statistical models Nine faculty members from neighbor- • Math in the Middle Institute for analyzing relationships between ing institutions have also served on Partnership, 2004: Five-year, $5 mil- mathematics teaching and learn- instructional teams. Their support has lion grant (with two $900,000 supple- ing and for interpreting student and been instrumental in the level of success ments) that was a partnership among teacher data in statistically productive achieved by these grants. educators at UNL, Lincoln Public and meaningful ways. But the collaboration has been Schools (LPS), Omaha Public Schools For more information about these mutually benefi cial. Graduate students (OPS), and and other grants, have found the experience of teaching Nebraska’s rural visit http://sci- teachers to be very valuable. Many want Educational Ser- math.unl.edu. to participate on an instructional team vice Units (ESU), While these for a summer course for teachers and offered a two-year grant-funded report that their experience was viewed graduate program programs go by potential employers as a real plus. focused on im- a long way to For some, the experience has proving middle- improve math- shaped the path of their careers. Chris- school student ematics education tina Eubanks- achievement in in Nebraska, the Turner, who math and devel- Nebraska Math earned her Ph.D. LINDSAY AUGUSTYN/UNL CSMCE oping intellectual and Science Sum- from the math de- Kristie Pfabe, UNL math department teacher-leaders mer Institutes partment in 2008, alum and professor of mathematics at who would affect (NMSSI) is the credits her oppor- Nebraska Wesleyan University, instructs change within CSMCE’s effort to tunities to work a Math in the Middle course for Omaha their schools, dis- expand opportu- with K-12 schools Public Schools teachers in June 2010. tricts and ESUs. nities for math- and teachers here Christina In all, 170 teachers participated in the ematics teachers at all grade levels using at UNL with her Eubanks-Turner institute with 157 of them earning local dollars. current success master’s degrees. “While we are pleased with suc- in her position as Assistant Professor • NebraskaMATH, 2009: Five- cess we’ve had in obtaining grants, of Mathematics at the University of year, $9.2 million NSF Targeted teaching is the largest profession in the Louisiana–Lafayette. Math-Science Partnership to support nation so there is still more work to be “The experiences I had as a gradu- a partnership among UNL, LPS, OPS, done,” Lewis said. “In order to contin- ate student have been invaluable to Grand Island Public Schools, Papil- ue supporting mathematics teachers in my career. In graduate school, when I lion-La Vista Public Schools and Ne- Nebraska we are seeking corporate and found out about the work being done braska’s ESUs. The partnership works private donations to help cover the with the public schools it motivated to educate and support students and costs of quality professional develop- me to work hard to successfully com- teachers at critical junctures, continu- ment and graduate education.” plete the requirements for the Ph.D. ing the goal of improving achievement In Summer 2011, the NMSSI program. I knew I could one day in mathematics for all students. De- offered one- or two-weeklong courses start similar effective programs in the partment alums Michelle Homp and for mathematics teachers in nine communities I so deeply care about,” Wendy Smith are NebraskaMATH’s locations around the state. Teachers Eubanks-Turner said. “Since becom- program manager and research coor- enjoyed reduced tuition from UNL ing an assistant professor in 2008, I dinator, respectively. and additional fellowships were avail- have been a principal investigator on • NebraskaNOYCE, 2010: Six- able to cover the remaining tuition. In six externally funded education and year, $3 million Robert Noyce NSF Summer 2012, the NMSSI courses will outreach grants that focus on mentor- grant supporting the Master Teaching expand to 10 locations in Nebraska ing of undergraduates and professional Fellowship and the Teaching Fellow- and will continue to offer fi nancial development for teachers.” ship. The Master Teaching Fellowships assistance. Faculty members also value the support the leadership development The CSMCE also coordinates out- experience working with K-12 teach- of 24 outstanding master teachers in reach efforts through the mathematics ers. Mathematics Professor David Pitts, high-need Nebraska schools, and the department, including All Girls / All who taught the Noyce Master Teach- Teaching Fellowship provides talented Math, IMMERSE and the Nebraska ing Fellows in the summer of 2011, STEM majors and professionals with Conference for Undergraduate Women said, “Teaching the Noyce fellows was an opportunity to become secondary in Mathematics, programs outlined in my fi rst chance to experience working mathematics teachers in high-need the previous edition of Math News. with in-service teachers. I came away Nebraska schools. Since 2004, 13 faculty members humbled by the experience and hope- • Developing a Coherent Picture and 47 graduate students from the ful that they will affect real change in of Mathematics Teaching and Learn- UNL Department of Mathematics have the schools in which they work.”

6 Winter 2011 www.math.unl.edu/friends DDepartmentepartment NewsNews { CONFERENCE RECAPS KUMUNU opens with Eisenbud lecture

UMUNU is an annual gathering The algebra community who attended the 2011 Fall Central Sectional Meeting of the American Knamed for three hotbeds of com- Mathematical Society pose on the UNL campus during the Oct. 14-15 meeting. mutative algebra – the universities of Kansas, Missouri and Nebraska. Supported in part by the National 441 attend AMS Meeting Science Foundation, it began at KU in 1999 and moved to NU in 2005. The he Math Department had the hon- Professor Candes’s stimulating talk. format consists of six to eight 45-minute Tor of hosting the 2011 Fall Central One very enjoyable aspect of the expository talks on commutative alge- Sectional Meeting of the American meeting was the opportunity to meet bra and related topics, such as represen- Mathematical Society (AMS) on Oct. up with the many people who came tation theory and algebraic geometry. 14-15, 2011. This is only the third to the conference who have ties to The roster of speakers typically consists AMS meeting held at UNL; the previ- the Department. Here is a (probably of a balance of established spokespeople ous meeting was in 2005, and the one incomplete!) list of the current and and talented youngsters, as well as a mix before that was held in 1987. former UNL faculty, post-docs, grad of regional and national experts. This year’s conference was well students and long-term visitors who This year’s KUMUNU, organized attended, with 441 offi cial registrants either organized sessions or spoke at by Research Assistant Professor Susan coming from across the country and the meeting. The list also includes a few Cooper (now an assistant professor at internationally. Of these 441 attendees, people who were not speakers but who Central Michigan University) and Pro- 324 gave talks. The talks were divided have ties to the Department and came fessor Brian Harbourne, was held April by discipline into 20 sessions, 11 of to take in talks or just to say hello: 1-2, 2011. The speakers were Olgur which had an organizer or co-organiz- Ahrendt, Chris; Ananthnarayan, H.; Anderson, Doug- Celikbas (Missouri), Calin Chindris er currently on the Math Department las; Atici, Ferhan; Avalos, George; Avery, Rich; Axvig, (Missouri), David Eisenbud (Berkeley), faculty with one further session orga- Nathan; Baeth, Nicholas; Berger, Heidi Feller; Bociu, Lorena; Brittenham, Mark; Celikbas, Ela; Celikbas, Claudia Miller (Syracuse), Hal Schenck nized by faculty at other institutions Olgur; Cooper, Susan; Christensen, Lars Winther; (Illinois), Sandra Spiroff (Mississippi), who were formerly graduate students Curto, Carina; Dahal, Rajendra; Davis, Jennifer Ever- son; Denkert, Annika; Donsig, Allan; Duncan, Benton; Mark Walker (Nebraska) and Roya Be- of the Math Department and a poster Erbe, Lynn; Eubanks-Turner, Christina; Geisbauer, Joe; heshti Zavareh (Washington Universi- session organized by two current Math Gibbons, Courtney; Goodrich, Christopher; Grilliette, Will; Harbourne, Brian; Harmsen, Betty Jean; Hartke, ty). An important KUMUNU tradition Department grad students. Stephen; Hermiller, Susan; Higgins, Raegan; Henriques, is the Saturday evening reception and In addition there were three talks Ines; Holay, Sandeep; Hummel, Livia Miller; Hummel, dinner (held this year at the Wiegands’ by internationally prominent math- Ned; Itskov, Vladimir; Janssen, Mike; Johnson, Brian; Jia, Bao-Ping; Karr, Ryan; Kattchee, Karl; Kelley, Chris- home), which allows participants to ematicians: Lewis P. Bowen of Texas A tine; Kilibarda, Vesna; Langdon, Jennifer; Leuschke, meet and establish mathematical con- & M spoke on “Entropy theory for ac- Graham; Li, Aihua; Lynch, Laura; McCune, David; McDonnell, Lori; Meakin, John; Milan, David; Moore, nections in an informal setting. tions of sofi c groups”; Alina Cojocaru Frank; Morrison, Katherine; Peterson, Allan; Pitts, Da- On April 1, Eisenbud gave the 15th of the University of Illinois-Chicago vid; Radcliffe, Jamie; Radu, Petronela; Rahmati,Hamid; Annual Rowlee Lecture, providing a spoke on “Questions about the reduc- Rammaha, Mohammad; Sabalka, Lucas; Saccon, Silvia; Sapir, Mark; Sather-Wagstaff, Sean; Seceleanu, splendid opening for the KUMUNU tions modulo primes of an elliptic Alexandra; Sega, Liana; Sunic, Zoran; Takahashi, Ryo; conference. Many KUMUNU partici- curve”; and Michael Zieve of the Uni- Toundykov, Daniel; Veliz-Cuba, Alan; and Walker, Judy. pants arrived in time to hear Eisenbud, versity of Michigan spoke on “The Credit for the meeting’s suc- happy marriage between arithmetic cess is thanks to the efforts of many a leading researcher in commutative geometry and dynamical systems.” faculty and graduate students and algebra and algebraic geometry, and A special highlight of the meeting staff throughout the Department, but author of several widely used books on was the 2011 Erdos Memorial Lecture, perhaps no one more than the Depart- these subjects. He chose the title “Plato’s given by Emmanuel Candes of Stanford ment’s conference coordinator Marilyn Cave: Some things we know and some University, titled “Recovering the un- Johnson, who assisted local liaison and things we don’t know about shadows seen: Some recent advances in low-rank faculty member Brian Harbourne in on the wall.” The name comes from a matrix reconstruction.” An enjoyable making arrangements for the meeting. fi ctional dialog, described in Book VII wine and cheese reception followed –Brian Harbourne See KUMUNU on Page 8 www.math.unl.edu/friends Winter 2011 7 DDepartmentepartment NewsNews MEAKIN undergraduate program. The depart- to graduate education, undergraduate From Page 3 ment is heavily committed to mentor- research, women in mathematics, the Meakin’s commitment to graduate ing undergraduate research projects mathematical education of teachers {education. and to interacting with undergradu- and outreach. Since only four depart- While the list of accolades and ates. The department’s MCTP grant ments have ever received this award, accomplishments for Meakin is vast, has supported 11 undergraduate men- it is a true testament to the leadership among those mentioned most fre- tees and RUTE has supported 17 and that Meakin has provided. quently by faculty members are: 12 in 2011. Since 2001, 38 undergradu- Being the humble leader that he is, • Department faculty. Eleven new ate research projects have been sup- Meakin is quick to give credit for the faculty members were hired while he ported by UCARE, and math majors department’s successes to other faculty have had 33 REU experiences (14 at members and often points out that the was chair, including Carina Curto, a UNL and 19 away) department already 2011 Sloan Research Fellowship award and 14 intern- ‘John continued the was experiencing winner (see Page 1). Other strategic ship experiences much success when hires have enabled the department to away from UNL. upward trajectory of the he became chair assemble a world-class research group Moreover, approxi- in 2003. However, at UNL, particularly in the area of department’s success and mately half of the as Gordon Wood- commutative algebra. There is heavy Goldwater scholar- national profi le.’ ward, Professor of demand from students to gain admis- ships awarded in - David Pitts Mathematics and sion to the graduate program in this Nebraska, and chair of under- area and a constant stream of top re- around 80 percent of those at UNL in graduate mathematics education, said, search visitors and postdocs attracted all areas of science and engineering, “Continuing a strong department is by UNL’s research environment. have been awarded to undergradu- no small matter. John was able to fi nd • The growth of the postdoctoral ate mathematics majors at UNL. Six support to help us continue to do our program. In 2001, the department undergraduate math majors have won jobs, to do them better, and then to do obtained administrative approval coveted NSF graduate fellowships and even more.” to create a postdoctoral program to seven more have received honorable Pitts concurred: “John continued fully support three positions per year mention (one last year). the upward trajectory of the depart- by seeking state funds. From 2003 to But the department’s faculty ment’s success and national profi le.” present, 11 individuals have served in members are not the only ones who “John has been a fantastic chair,” these postdoctoral positions. In 2005, have observed Meakin’s successes Judy Walker said. “I am grateful both for under Meakin’s direction, the depart- as chair. Under Meakin’s tenure, the the shape John has left the department ment was able to use private funds UNL Department of Mathematics in and for the advice John has given me through the University Foundation was the recipient of the prestigious thus far (and, I hope, will continue to to convert two of these positions into AMS Award for an Exemplary Pro- give me) as I take over the reins.” permanent, named postdoctoral posi- gram or Achievement in a Mathemat- The growth and success of the tions: the Edith T. Hitz and Marilyn ics Department in 2009. The award department since 2003 can be, whether M. Hitz research assistant professors in highlighted a broad spectrum of in large part or small, attributed to mathematics. features for which the department was him. Thank you, John Meakin, for a • Support for the mathematics commended, including contributions job that has been indeed well done.

KUMUNU From Page 7 Howard Rowlee, long-time friend of the Department. The lectures were of Plato’s The Republic, between Socrates established to promote public under- and Plato’s brother Glaucon. In the par- standing of mathematical research able, prisoners are chained so that they and to stimulate the environment for can face in only one direction, toward mathematics research at UNL. a blank wall illuminated by a huge fi re The 15 Rowlee lecturers, repre- behind the prisoners. As events take senting a diverse cross-section of the place between the fi re and the prisoners’ mathematical sciences, are among the backs, they see only the shadows and nation’s most distinguished scientists. eventually accept the shadows as reality. Eisenbud has served as President of the Eisenbud’s lecture asked how much COURTESY PHOTO American Mathematical Society and of a higher-dimensional object can be David Eisenbud, University of Cali- Director of the Mathematical Sciences reconstructed from its projection onto fornia, Berkeley, gave the 15th Annual Research Institute. He has had 27 Ph.D. lower dimensions. Such questions are Rowlee Lecture on April 1, 2011. students, many of whom are also top important not only in geometry but also www.math.unl.edu/events/rowlee) is researchers. His 78 mathematical de- in data analysis and elsewhere. made possible by a generous do- scendants include fi ve UNL Ph.D.s. The Rowlee Lecture Series (http:// nation from the estate of the late – Roger and Sylvia Wiegand

8 Winter 2011 www.math.unl.edu/friends FFacultyaculty NewsNews { Grant provides math scholarships

hile mathematics is often an en- Stephen Hartke, UNL Director of Ad- Wtry point for students pursuing missions Amber Hunter, and Professor careers in STEM disciplines, it also can of Mathematics Gordon Woodward. be a bottleneck that causes otherwise The program goals of Nebraska talented students to change their Math Scholars are to: career paths. This is especially true of • Recruit fi nancially disadvantaged fi nancially disadvantaged students. students who might not be able to The new Nebraska Math Schol- attend college, or commit fully to their ars grant from the National Science academics, without a scholarship; Foundation aims to help alleviate this • Increase the number of math- diffi culty. LINDSAY AUGUSTYN/UNL CSMCE ematics students in groups that are Led by Professor Richard Rebar- (From left) Nebraska Math Scholars PI historically underrepresented in ber, the UNL Department of Math- Professor Richard Rebarber, scholarship mathematics; ematics was awarded the fi ve-year, recipient Jesse Epperson and graduate • Create a supportive academic $600,000 grant in July 2011 to provide student mentor Brittney Hinds and social community for Nebraska scholarships to fi nancially disadvan- Math Scholars; and taged students who major in math- clear a few roadblocks“ said Rebarber, • Provide challenging educational ematics at UNL. the principal investigator for the grant. opportunities and enhanced men- “It can be quite challenging to be Co-PIs on the grant are Assistant toring to help the scholars succeed, a mathematics major, and we’re hop- Professor of Mathematics Carina Cur- thereby increasing retention. ing that these scholarships can help to, Associate Professor of Mathematics See REBARBER on Page 11

RETIREMENTS faculty in our department in 1997. Ira Papick retired at the end of the Lynn retires as one of the most prolifi c 2010-11 academic year. Ira obtained Lynn Erbe will retire at the end of research workers in the history of our his Ph.D. from Rutgers in 1975. He held the 2011 calendar year (effective department; to date he has published a position at Adelphi University from January, 2012). Lynn is a graduate of well over 200 research papers in the 1975 to 1978, at which time he moved our department, general area of ordinary differential to the University having obtained equations and related fi elds. Since of Missouri. He his Ph.D. under he joined our faculty, he has collabo- was a member of the direction of rated with Allan Peterson to build one the faculty at Mis- Lloyd Jackson in of the foremost research centers in souri from 1978 1968. He spent a the country in the emerging fi eld of to 2008, when he large part of his dynamic equations on time scales: joined our faculty very distinguished in this capacity he has had a major at Nebraska. Ira career in mathe- impact on the research and graduate has had a distin- matics at the Uni- programs in our department. Eleven guished career in versity of Alberta of his Ph.D. students have graduated mathematics with where he was a member of the faculty so far (seven of them at UNL – Jen- research interests in both commutative from 1968 to 1996. He served as nifer Langdon, Bobbi Buckholz, Jacob and homological algebra and math- chair of the mathematics department Weiss, Heidi Feller, Reagan Higgins, ematics education; he has published at Alberta from 1987-1990. He was Raj Dahal, and Chris Arendt), and he well over 50 papers to date and has an Alexander von Humboldt Fellow at is currently advising six other Ph.D. been very active in editorial, refereeing the University of Wurtzburg in 1974- students, one of whom will graduate and reviewing work and in presenting 75 and 1981-82, and he was awarded this year: he will continue his research his work at a large number of profes- an honorary Doctor of Science degree and his work in advising graduate sional conferences in his fi elds of inter- from Concordia College in Minne- students after his retirement. est. Ira has been extremely active in sota in 1993. After a visiting position obtaining external funding to support at Kuwait University, he joined the See RETIREMENTS on Page 10 www.math.unl.edu/friends Winter 2011 9 FFacultyaculty NewsNews He has been very active as a member the university’s excellence in gradu- RETIREMENTS From Page 9 of the board of directors of the Rocky ate education award in 2001. He has his work in the mathematics educa- Mountain Mathematics Consortium served as PI on a series of GAANN {tion of teachers, both at Missouri and and in the MAA, serving as sectional grants to support graduate students at Nebraska: he is co-PI on two large governor from 1984 to 1987. in our department. He has also been grants at Nebraska – the Nebraska- very infl uential at the national level, MATH grant and the NebraskaNOYCE through his editorial, refereeing and grant - and on several large grants Roger Wiegand retired as Willa reviewing work, in the organization at Missouri. In addition to the major Cather Professor of Mathematics in of many research conferences in his impact that he has had through his re- August 2011. He obtained his Ph.D. fi eld, and in service on several com- search and grant activity, Ira is widely at the University mittees of the American Mathemati- recognized as an outstanding teacher; of Washington cal Society. he was named a Curator’s Teaching in 1967 and was Professor at the University of Missouri on the faculty at before he joined our faculty. the University of Sylvia Wiegand retired as of August Wisconsin from 2011. She obtained her Ph.D. in 1967 to 1972. He 1972 at the University of Wisconsin Dave Skoug will retire at the end moved to Ne- and accepted a of the 2011 calendar year (effective braska and joined position in our January 2012) after a long and dis- the faculty in our department that tinguished career department in year. She has held in mathematics 1972. He has held visiting positions at visiting positions at UNL. He has Purdue, Connecticut, and Wisconsin at Wisconsin, been a member and was a general member at MSRI Purdue, Michi- of our depart- in 2003. Roger has had a profound gan State and ment since 1966, impact on the development of the Connecticut. when he joined research and graduate program at She served as a the faculty after UNL. He has published more than visiting scientist graduating with 75 highly infl uential research papers at the National Science Foundation his Ph.D. from in commutative algebra and related during the 2002-03 year. Sylvia is the University fi elds to date, and his research has re- internationally known for her research of Minnesota. He has had a major ceived near continuous support from work in commutative algebra and she impact on the intellectual life of our NSF and NSA since 1968. He is promi- has published more than 50 research department, and served as chair of nent in his fi eld, and has been in very papers in this fi eld to date. Her re- the department from 1975 to 1983. heavy demand as an invited speaker, search has been supported by grants Dave has published extensively, with having given well over 100 invited lec- from NSF and NSA and she has around 90 published research papers tures at prestigious conferences and advised fi ve Ph.D. students who have to date in the general area of integra- colloquia in many parts of the world. completed their degrees under her tion in function spaces, particularly He has been highly infl uential in build- direction so far (Aihua Li, Serpil Say- Wiener and Feynman integrals. This ing our commutative algebra group at dam, Meral Arnavut, Melissa Lucas, is an area in which he is internation- UNL into one of the most prominent and Christina Eubanks-Turner); she is ally known, with particularly close groups in the fi eld worldwide. Roger currently advising one more Ph.D. stu- connections to many mathematicians has advised 16 graduate students dent. Sylvia has been one of the most in Korea working in this area. Dave who have completed their degrees so visible members of our faculty at the has supervised three PhD students in far (Thomas Fischer, Bette Midgarden, national level. She is in demand as an this area (Robert Ewan, Tim Huffman, Bill Krauter, Bao Ping Jia, Nuri Cimen, invited speaker at a large number of and Ian Pierce). In addition to his Kurt Herzinger, Dave Jorgensen, professional conferences in her fi eld, research and major service contri- Darren Holley, Graham Leuschke, and is nationally recognized for her butions to the department, Dave is Karl Kattchee, Ryan Karr, Nick Baeth, work to encourage women to pursue widely recognized as one of the best Andrew Crabbe, Olgur Celikbas, Silvia careers in mathematics and science. teachers in our department. He has Saccon and Micah Leamer), and two She served as President of the As- infl uenced the lives of thousands more students are currently working sociation for Women in Mathematics of students through his dedicated under his direction. His has been a from 1997 to 1999 and has been classroom teaching and advising; his strong voice in support of graduate heavily engaged in national profes- teaching has been recognized by a education in our department through sional service work through commit- Chancellor’s distinguished teaching his service as graduate committee tees of the AMS, MAA, and AWM. award, by an MAA sectional dis- chair for many years and as leader of She has been honored for her work on tinguished teaching award, and by our department’s participation in the campus with many awards, including recognition awards for contributions Carnegie Initiative on the Doctorate. the Chancellor’s Commission on the to students on 13 different occasions. He was recognized for his work with Status of Women Award in 2000.

10 Winter 2011 www.math.unl.edu/friends FFacultyaculty NewsNews { Curto said she has not yet decided CURTO From Page 1 how she will use the fellowship funds, Postdoctoral ing promise. Twenty fellowships are but she said it would be related to her allocated in the fi eld of mathematics. current research. “Dr. Curto is an extraordinarily Once chosen, Sloan Research Fel- faculty talented mathematician with a strong lows are free to pursue whatever lines command of the literature in theoreti- of inquiry are the most compelling, cal neuroscience and brilliant insights and their Sloan funds can be applied Alexandra Seceleanu into completely new ways of apply- to a wide variety of uses. Postdoctoral fellow Alexandra Sece- ing a wide variety of mathematical “Dr. Curto’s work has the poten- leanu was born and raised in Brasov, ideas to problems in neuroscience and tial to make a transformational impact Romania. Before developing the mathematics needed on the fi eld of theoretical neurosci- beginning her to consider such problems,” said John ence,” Meakin said. “She has been one-year appoint- Meakin, professor and chair of the able to apply algebraic, geometric and ment at UNL this UNL Department of Mathematics, topological methods to solve prob- fall, she received who nominated Curto for the award. lems in neuroscience that appeared to her bachelor’s de- “I am extremely pleased that she was be quite intractable, and her work is gree in mathemat- named a Sloan developing a mathematical framework ics and computer Research Fellow, as for understanding science from the this is an extraordi- ‘Dr. Curto’s work has the the relationship University of narily competitive potential to make a transfor- between stimulus Bucharest, Roma- award, involving space structure nia in 2005, and her Ph.D. from the nominations for mational impact on the fi eld and neural activ- University of Illinois at Urbana-Cham- many of the very of theoretical neuroscience.’ ity. She is rap- paign in August 2011. Her research best scholars of her idly establishing interest fi t in the broad framework of generation from - John Meakin herself as one of commutative algebra and algebraic the United States the leading fi gures geometry. The methods she uses per- and Canada.” in this fi eld, worldwide.” tain to homological algebra, whereas Originally from Iowa City, Iowa, Past recipients of Sloan Research the nature of the problems are often Curto joined the UNL faculty in 2009 Fellowships have gone on to win 38 grounded in geometry. Alexandra is after earning her bachelor’s degree Nobel prizes, 14 Fields Medals in math- very happy to be at UNL, the thriving from Harvard University and her ematics and eight John Bates Clark center (not only geographically) of Ph.D. from Duke University. She held awards in economics. Established in commutative algebra in the U.S. postdoctoral positions at Rutgers Uni- 1955 to provide support and recogni- versity and New York University. Her tion to scientists, the fellowship pro- research, funded by a three-year Na- gram has supported more than 4,200 FACULTY PROMOTIONS tional Science Foundation grant, uses early-career researchers. mathematics to improve understand- The Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, & AWARDS ing of how the brain works, especially founded in 1934, makes grants to sup- at the level of information processing port original research and broad-based 2011: Carina Curto, Alfred P. Sloan Re- search Fellowship; Jim Lewis, College of in neural circuits. Many neurological education related to science, technol- Arts & Sciences Academic Star; Stephen disorders such as autism, Parkinson’s ogy and economic performance and Hartke, awarded tenure and promotion disease and schizophrenia are believed seeks proposals for original projects led to Associate Professor; Jamie Radcliffe, to arise from malfunctions in neural by outstanding individuals or teams. awarded Full Professor circuitry. - Lindsay Augustyn

already at UNL; and ty, so to speak, from the older students REBARBER From Page 9 • 10 one-year scholarships, which in the program,” said Jesse Epperson, a Nine scholarships were awarded target advanced math majors within scholarship recipient from Omaha. for the 2011-2012 academic year. one or two years of graduation. The broader impact of Nebraska The students range from freshmen “The scholarship from Nebraska Math Scholars expects to increase the to seniors, hailing from Minnesota to Math Scholars has enabled me to make pipeline of talented students, espe- Kansas. The program awards: connections with similarly motivated cially in fi nancially disadvantaged • 16 three-year scholarships, which students and faculty, explore the career and underrepresented demographics, target incoming students entering options available to me through math- applying to graduate school or pursu- UNL as a result of program recruit- ematics, and understand what it means ing other careers in mathematics and ment strategies; to be a Husker. As a freshman and one other STEM disciplines and facilitate • six two-year scholarships, which of the youngest Scholars, I have been the development of a diverse mathe- target qualifi ed students who are able to learn the ropes of this universi- matics and STEM community at UNL. www.math.unl.edu/friends Winter 2011 11 {AAlumnilumni NNewsews Math gives Rolle ‘a bit of an edge’ Banking lawyer fi nds dealing with each University, whom she originally met at country’s laws. Lincoln Southeast High School. background of solving Sometimes things “She was a very cheerful person, have to be done bringing lots of energy to the Career complex problems useful in a certain order, Scholar offi ce on the ninth fl oor of when negotiating deals and you have to Oldfather Hall. Oldfather provided have done all of us with a friendly place to meet and verywhere she looks, Marty Traudt these things in ad- work, with excellent contact with other ERolle sees formulas. vance to get all of faculty. I know we both felt the respect As partner at an international the pieces to come of the faculty helped us mature to our law fi rm in London, Rolle fi nds her Marty Rolle together. It’s like a goals that have brought us to where we mathematics degree from the Univer- big puzzle, and I are today. Sylvia Wiegand provided a sity of Nebraska-Lincoln gives her an have to make sure I ask all of the right good role model for her,” Mahaffy said. advantage in negotiations. questions to make sure I can identify Before making the move to “One of my associates said when the problems. It’s never boring,” Rolle London 12 years ago, Rolle lived in I’m negotiating deals that I tend to said. Denver for 20 years and was a partner turn things into formulas. If someone Her mathematics background has at Holme Roberts & Owen. When the is making payments, or we are creating served her well in her law career. fi rm had an opening in London, Rolle a profi t sharing, or in using fi nancial “It actually crops up in multiple volunteered to relocate. In 2002 while terms, it’s obvious to me that the situa- ways, both in the way you approach with Holme Roberts & Owen, Rolle tion lends itself to a formula,” Rolle said. the problem and was the United “I get a bit of a negotiating edge because sitting down with Kingdom lead for the other lawyers see the formulas and complex materi- the negotiations they say, ‘Yes, that looks right,’ but they als and working by the Anschutz don’t always run the numbers to see if through them in an Entertainment it actually works the way they expected. organized, logi- Group in the $500 We do run the numbers.” cal fashion,” Rolle million multi-cur- Rolle, a 1974 alumna of UNL, said. “One of my rency construction went on to law school at the University law professors from COURTESY PHOTO fi nancing for the of Colorado in Boulder and now, as a Colorado said that Rolle was the U.K. lead for the negotia- take over of The O2 banking lawyer at Bryan Cave, repre- he thought students tions by the Anschutz Entertainment Arena in London sents lenders and borrowers in cross- with a mathemati- Group in the $500 million construction (formerly the Mil- border transactions and loans that have cal background did fi nancing for The O2 Arena in London. lennium Dome). exceeded $15 billion in the aggregate. disproportionately “It was fasci- These loans are secured by a variety of well at law school because of their logi- nating to see how the government works collateral in more than 20 countries. cal minds.” over here,” Rolle said. “They were threat- With more than 30 years of Rolle was one of the few female ening that if we didn’t close the deal by experience in complex fi nancings, math majors at UNL in the early a certain date in May, they would cancel including project fi nancings, asset- 1970s, but she said the environment all of the negotiations - and we closed backed securitizations, repos, synthetic was “not intimidating.” Rolle was a on the last day possible. Since there leases, cross-border fi nancings, energy Nebraska Career Scholar in Mathemat- wasn’t any concert venue in London projects and vendor fi nancings, she ics, which recognized undergraduate as sophisticated as the Staples Center has advised clients in a broad range of mathematics students who had the in L.A., the local offi cials had trouble industries, including sports and enter- potential to go on to graduate school. visualizing the type of arena we were tainment, fi lm and media, oil and gas, “I have very fond memories of describing, so we fl ew out to the Staples mining, energy, real estate, railroad being an undergraduate at Nebraska. Center to show them what we were talk- and telecommunications industries. Being a math major made me feel ing about. It was very challenging and a “Almost everything we do at special. I felt I was working to achieve lot of work, but very exciting.” Bryan Cave in London is cross-border. something,” Rolle said. Rolle also has represented a corpo- I do transactions involving three, four, She was friends with fellow Career rate counterparty in the Enron bank- fi ve different countries, and I’m trying Scholar Joe Mahaffy, now a professor ruptcy that was party to interest rate to make each piece fi t together and of mathematics at San Diego State See ROLLE on Page 13

12 Winter 2011 www.math.unl.edu/friends AAlumnilumni NNewsews { ROLLE From Page 12 TThankhank youyou toto ourour DonorsDonors Donors to the Department of Mr. & Mrs. James R. Goodrum Mathematics from 12/1/10 - 11/30/11 Mr. Ernest E. Haight Mr. & Mrs. Brent M. Hall Chair’s Circle Drs. Brian L. & Regina T. Harbourne (donors above $4,000) Mr. Richard M. Henry Jr. Richard D. Hitz Mr. Gerald & Dr. Michelle D. Homp Dr. W. James & Ms. Doris Lewis Drs. Erica L. Johnson & Howard Skogman State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Dr. & Mrs. Gerald W. Johnson Company Drs. Karl M. Kattchee & Patricia F. Nelson Mr. & Mrs. Joel Kligerman COURTESY PHOTO Friends Dr. William G. Leavitt Marty Rolle and her husband, Alec, in Lt. Cmdr. Daryl C. Allen Dr. Michael K. Lewis Switzerland Altick and Corwin Co., L.P.A. Dr. Steven P. Lindblad Ms. Alison Litowsky swaps and power hedges with Enron, as Dr. Douglas R. Anderson Mr. Robert E. Little well as a number of corporate counter- Mr. & Mrs. James P. Angell Mr. Timothy Arndt Mr. & Mrs. Maynard K. Louis parties on unwinding foreign exchange Drs. Luchezar L. & Zoya Avramov Mr. & Mrs. Paul S. McKie transactions in distressed circumstanc- Dr. & Mrs. Jack L. Beal Drs. John C. & Glory L. Meakin es. Rolle has been providing derivatives Ms. Barri Bernstein Dr. Kirsten R. Messer advice since the 1980s. Dr. S. Elwood Bohn Mr. & Mrs. Mark J. Moisan Rolle is a member of the Society Dr. Monte B. Boisen Jr. Mr. & Mrs. Fred W. Nelms of English and American Lawyers Ms. Linda J. Bors Dr. & Mrs. Allan C. Peterson and attended the Women and Power: Mr. & Mrs. James R. Box Mr. & Mrs. Milton L. Plunkett Regence Employee Giving Campaign Leadership in a New World Execu- Dr. & Mrs. John E. Boyer Jr. Mr. and Mrs. Kell A. Reimann tive Education at the Harvard Ken- Mr. & Mrs. Ken and Marjorie P. Bennett Brown Mr. Conrad Rennemann Jr. nedy School in 2007. In 2009, she was Mr. Michael L. Burks Mr. & Mrs. Dick Richardson recognized in The UK Legal 500 for Dr. Enid L. Burrows Mr. & Mrs. Alexander F. Rolle her continued work in derivatives and Dr. & Mrs. Karl E. Byleen Mr. Marshall D. Ruchmann structured products, and continues to Dr. Leo G. Chouinard II Mr. & Mrs. Ronald D. Schlattmann be recognized in the UK Legal 500. Crate and Barrel Dr. Robert J. Schwabauer Rolle is married with two sons. Crate MIS Group Dr. & Mrs. David Skoug Her oldest son is now a structural Mr. & Mrs. Timothy S. Davis Drs. Eric M. & Wendy M. Smith Mr. & Mrs. John Sparks engineer, while her younger son will Ms. Elizabeth Derosier Mr. & Mrs. Edwin L. Stone graduate from Swarthmore College Col. & Mrs. Daniel C. Edwards Dr. & Mrs. Lynn Erbe Ms. Carolyn S. Taylor in May - with a degree in mathemat- Mr. & Mrs. Stephen D. Everhart Dr. Daniel Y. Toundykov ics. She has discovered with him that Mr. & Mrs. Steven H. Feinberg Dr. Daniel D. Van Peursem mathematics is a springboard to many Mr. Patrick Fillingim & Ms. Felicia Potok Drs. Judy L. & Mark E. Walker different career paths. Mr. Christopher Frye Drs. Roger A. & Sylvia M. Wiegand “Math is an excellent background for many things. It takes a lot of disci- Contributions to funds can be made online by downloading pline, and it’s something that you have the form found at www.math.unl.edu/friends under on your resume for life, showing you Giving Opportunities. Thank you for supporting the are someone who can tackle diffi cult issues, and you stick with it. It says a activities of the UNL Department of Mathematics. lot of things about you to employers,” Rolle added. “I was just talking to an executive at a multinational consult- UNL Department ing company, and he said they were Class Notes of Mathematics desperate to hire more math majors.” For Rolle, her love for mathematics Darren Holley (Ph.D. ’97) is a math- Paige Lindstedt on July 16, 2011, at and her work have always been about a ematics teacher at Omaha North Tower Hall in Malcolm, Neb. Paige passion for putting the pieces together. High School and has taught at the is a 1995 UNMC-Kearney College of “Doing math is sort of like putting school for 29 years. In 2011, he won Nursing graduate with a certifi cation together a puzzle, and the deals I work a $10,000 Alice Buffett Outstanding in Emergency Nursing and works at St. on are like that too,” Rolle said. “The Teacher Award. Elizabeth Regional Medical Center in work at Bryan Cave is exciting, chal- Lincoln. lenging and complex. That’s what keeps John Sweeney (BS ’95) is a math- Read more Class Notes online it interesting after all of these years.” ematics teacher at Geneva North High – Lindsay Augustyn School in Geneva, Neb. John married and submit your news! www.math.unl.edu/friends Winter 2011 13 {SStudenttudent NNewsews May graduate 2010-11 UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAM AWARDS & FELLOWSHIPS Chair’s Prize UCARE Awards for Math Majors Norwood earns Awarded to the graduating senior Jonathan (Jay) Cummings (Math, with the strongest mathematics record Christine Kelley), Tyler Lemburg (Math, Gates Cambridge Zachary Norwood Jamie Radcliffe), Zachary Norwood (Math, Roger Wiegand), Michael Trogdon (Math, Scholarship Math majors who presented a thesis George Avalos) for A&S Degree with Distinction Zach Norwood of Papillion, Neb., Jonathan (Jay) Cummings (Christine Special Scholarships Awards a senior mathematics major who Kelley, Highest Distinction) (over $1,000 per year) graduated in May 2011, became the Note: 57 scholarships of $1,000 or more fi rst University of Graduated with Honors from Honors were awarded for 2011-12 academic year. Program: Kathryn DeJong (Allan Donsig, Nebraska–Lincoln Dean H and Floreen G Eastman student to win the Distinction); Zachary Norwood; (Roger Wiegand, High Distinction); Graduated Memorial (only available to Nebraska Gates Cambridge with Honors (area of Honors Thesis): high school graduates) Scholarship, and Laura Badalucco (Biology); Justin Hicks Jesse Epperson, Spencer Farley, Drenin one of 30 in the (Raikes Senior Design); Ryan Hotovy Hingst, Joshua Mireles United States in (Physics); Tyler Lemburg (Math, Radcliffe); Joel Stebbins Fund (available to all) 2011. Calvin Luo (Computer Science) Susan Cooper and Karly Williams The schol- arship is for Putnam Participants Rennemann/Luebbers Zach Norwood graduate study (Mentors: Mikil Foss, Daniel Toundykov) (available to out of state students) in any fi eld at the Adam Azzam, Charles Beer, Sourabh Emily Krumbach Chakraborty, Kathryn DeJong, Alex Estes, University of Cambridge in England. Steve Emmel, Keler Marku, Corey Stone, Winchester Fund (available to all) The scholarship covers tuition, room, John Stetson (team placed 127th) Nikolas Bravo board, travel, and a student stipend. Norwood traveled to England in mid-September. He will spend one year studying math at Cambridge. The 2010-11 GRADUATE PROGRAM AWARDS & FELLOWSHIPS coursework is designed to prepare AAAS Mass Media Science & Emeritus Faculty Fellowship students for research toward a Ph.D. Engineering Fellowship Ben Nolting (Bill Leavitt Award), The Gates Cambridge scholarship Melanie DeVries Joseph Geisbauer (Lloyd Jackson Award), was created in 2000 when the Bill and Annika Denkert, Eric Eager Melinda Gates Foundation donated UNL Outstanding Graduate Teaching $210 million to the University of Assistant Award Chancellor’s Doctoral Fellowship Cambridge. The scholarship process Courtney Gibbons Caitlyn Parmalee (Christopher Goodrich, honorable mention) identifi es students who show leader- Othmer Graduate Fellowship ship skills and want to better others’ Maude Hammond Fling Fellowship Haydee Lindo lives. Christopher Goodrich Norwood said he is excited to have 2010 Volterra Prize (Annual Ecologi- cal Society of America Meeting) the opportunity to study at Cambridge Grace Chisholm Young and William Ben Nolting because it “is one of the best places in Henry Young Award Derrick Stolee the world to study math,” he said. GAANN Trainees After he fi nishes studying at Outstanding Teaching by a Graduate Eric Eager, Courtney Gibbons, Kathryn Cambridge, Norwood plans to attend Student Haymaker, Lisa Moats, Zach Roth, Ashley graduate school, with the long-term Katie Morrison Sullivan, Ashley Weatherwax, Marcus Webb goal of perhaps becoming a math pro- Outstanding Qualifying Exam fessor at a research university. MCTP Trainees James Carraher UNL math professor Roger Wie- Advanced (Fall) - Laura Lynch, Zahava gand said he is amazed by how quickly Walter Mientka Teaching Award Wilstein; Advanced (Spring) - Katie Norwood absorbs advanced material. Jason Hardin and Ashley Weatherwax Johnson, Katie Morrison; First-Year: “He’s one of the best students I’ve Sarah Behrens, Lilith Ciccarelli ever encountered,” Wiegand said. Outstanding First-Year Student Award – University Communications Nora Youngs

14 Winter 2011 www.math.unl.edu/friends SStudenttudent NNewsews {

Morris, Adam Nordloh, Colin O’Keefe, Jessica Fricke, Susannah Go, Thomas Martin Perteet II, Yuliy Pisetsky, Reed Harrington, Firuz Kamalov, Chad Larson, Degrees Rawhouser, Danielle Rood, Edward Rubin, Kristina Lund, Laura Lynch, Michael Sonja Schindler Kalkwarf, Gabriel Smith, McCoy, David McCune, Lori McDonnell, Derrick Stolee, Kyle Strabala Carmen Melliger, Maria Pierce, Emily Bachelor’s degrees Price, Daniel Schaben, Christina Sheets, Cindy Steinkruger, Shana Streeks Dick, 2011: Austin Barnes, Charles Beer, Lauren Master’s degrees Diane Swartzlander, Sarah Tekansik, Beitel, Casey Blaser, Anne Bradford, Shari Lindsey Thompson, Tina Thompson, Janet Brockett, Suet (Shelly) Chan, Pao Cheah, 2011: Jay Beyer, Angela Blank, Danielle Timoney, Greg Vanderbeek Jonathan (Jay) Cummings, Kathryn Buhrman, James Carraher, Katie Glacey, DeJong, Justin Hicks, Derek Hollrah, Ryan Kelly Gomez Johnson, Amy Gordon, Douglas Hotovy, Lingling Fan, Nicole Gaswick, Heltibridle, Lauren Keough, Kesha King, Laila Gharzai, Tyler Lemburg, Wen Luo, Kathleen Klein, Brian Kohlhaas, Kelly LaFleur, 2011 Doctorates Sarah Larson, Susan Leavitt, Dianne Lee, Keler Marku, Benjamin McGill, Zach- DeVries, Justin On the Rank of Multi-grad- Holly Liibbe, Eric Lockert, Katherine Nor- ary Norwood, Brianna Pinquoch, Peter ed Differential Modules, Srikanth Iyengar Schlette, Wei Seow, Nathanael Spaulding, man, Anisah Nu’Man, Joseph Nuss, Pei Pei, Corey Stone, Daniel Wiechert, Jacob Wil- Jennie Premer, Lauren Sipe, Meagan Stobel, Fey, Kyle (Luther College) On Morrey Spac- liams, Brenton Willoughby Ashley Sullivan, Matthew Timm, Lynn West, es in the Calculus of Variations, Mikil Foss Mary (Molly) Williams, Nora Youngs 2010: Jessica Alley, Anas Bouzid, Eric Rob- Grilliette, William (Alfred University) bins, Heng Yik Seik, Wesley Botham, Wade 2010: Tanya Archie, Pamela Arvie, Formalizing Categorical and Algebraic Clement, John DeVol, William Echten- Abigail Brackins, Amy Bystrom, Thomas Constructions in Operator Theory, David kamp, Caitlin Falcone, Amy Gehring, Am- Clark, Connie Colton, Patrick Derr, Pitts ber Hansen, Eric Hoffman, Laura Janssen, Melanie DeVries, Jonelle Dickmeyer, Jodie Holm, Michael (Department of Defense) Douglas Johnson, Hanieh Kamelian, Mat- Emerson, Jason Hardin, Patty Hastings, The Theory of Discrete Fractional thew James, Joseph Lach, Shirah Leedom, Kathryn Haymaker, Mary Beth Kilnoski, Calculus: Development and Application, Amelia Martinez, Catherine May, Eric Jessica Korth, Philip LaFleur, Phillip Allan Peterson and Lynn Erbe Norrgard, Frank Moonyoung Lee, Charles Landry, Jocelyn Masasi, Paula Jakopovic Lucas, Skye O’Hearn, Jonathan Olson, Millerd, Loretta Ohnemus, Sara Reynolds, Kamalov, Firuz (Canadian University of Patrick Olson, Grayson Path, Eric Price, Valerie Schovanec, Crystal Simpson, Kaelly Dubai) Covariant Representations of C*- Joshua Reed, Eric Robbins, Dennis Rogers, Simpson, Lisa Vavra, Ashley Weatherwax, Dynamical Systems with Compact Groups, Andrew Ruhrdanz, Christopher Rummel, Andrew Wilkerson, Keri Witherell Allan Donsig William Sanders, Jordan Schleif, Rachael 2009: Manar Al-Suqaier, Teena Ander- Schultz, Aimee Schwab, Sarah Scofi eld, An- Leamer, Micah (Postdoc, Chennai Math- sen, Chantelle Bicket, Katherine Bohac, drew Severson, Autumn Shapland, Christie ematical Institute) Homology of Artinian Michael Bomar, Amanda Croll, Katherine Shaw-Citta, Christopher Sheets, Jing Lit Modules Over Commutative Noetherian Field Johnson, Jeremy Fries, Stephanie Soong, Christopher Starkey, Brian Stevens, Rings, Srikanth Iyengar and Roger Wiegand Fuehrer, Joseph Geisbauer, Courtney Gib- Jeffrey Thomas, Mason Tye, Steven Trout, bons, Michaela Goracke, Marlene Grayer, Lynch, Laura (College of Coastal Geor- Andrew Wardyn, Dustin Walker, Robert Nicholas Imholte, Michael Janssen, gia) Annihilators of Local Cohomology Woodward Scott Johnsen, Brian Johnson, Brian Kell, Modules, Tom Marley 2009: Derek Augustine, James Carraher, Michelle Looky, Sheila McCartney, Ryon McCune, David (Visiting, Ashland Miranda Chrastil, April Christensen, Kyle Nilson, Ben Nolting, Marcia Ostmeyer, University) Groups and Semigroups Deterding, Jennifer Determan, Jordan Margaret Pickering, Edith Ronhovde, Zach Generated by Automata, Susan Hermiller Dudzinski, Matthew Duling, Andrew Roth, Lindsey Sample, Mary Schneider, and John Meakin Hassing, Seth Hoffert, Kinsley Johnson, J. Amy Solomon, Jessica Thompson, Michael Travis Johnston, Robert Lindquist, Joshua Uhrig, Lexi Wichelt, Brandee Wilson, Xuan McDonnell, Lori (Visiting, Ashland Lindsteadt, Alan Mock, Charles Scherer, Ye, Anatoly Zlotnik University) Hilbert-Samuel and Hilbert- Kenneth Shum, Chase Taylor, Noah Weiss Kunz Functions of Zero-Dimensional 2008: Val Adams, Anna Anderson, Colin Ideals, Tom Marley 2008: Robert Andersen, Stephen Anthony, Anderson, Kathleen Ansaldi, Deborah Berg, Stephen Augustine, Ernesto Bartels, JaLena Clement Slack, Kimberly Cotton, Pierce, Ian (Visiting, St. Olaf College) A Julie Edeal, Joshua Epke, Brady Garvin, Sandy Dean, Anthony DeLegge, Justin Study of Families of Generalized Wiener Julianne Harm, Scott Hottovy, Jeffrey DeVries, Jill Edgren, Monte Else, Alisa Measures and Applications, Dave Skoug Favinger, Yanqiu Guo, Kacy Heiser, Cole Ifl and, Imke Reimers, Lee Richert, Andrea Ray, Andrew (Walmart Corporate Offi ce) Hilker, Julie Hoaglund, Michael Holm, Emy Rohn, Kimberly Sanderman, Kyle Scheele, Extremal Trees and Reconstruction, Jamie Jones, Emily Lashley, Diane Lunman, Mary Amy Tentinger, Stephen Tetrault, Beth Radcliffe Ann Tidemann, James Wallace, Stephanie McConnell, Katherine Morrison, Katie Walz, Aaron Wentzel, Jill Westcott, James Pease, Jeremy Renfro, Amy Schutz, Bryce Seacrest, Tyler (University of Montana, Willcockson, Daniel Williams, Jaclyn Wray Schwanke, Tyler Seacrest, Michelle Sehnert, Western) Packings and Realizations of Marcia Smith, Aleksandra Stein, Derrick Degree Sequences with Specifi ed 2007: Kimberlee Blaha, Laurel Burk, Stolee, Shelley Vlasin-Poore, Leah Wilcox Substructures, Stephen Hartke Kristin Carney, Caleb Cassel, Christopher Corder, Jason Dinsmoor, Matthew Dul- 2007: Chris Ahrendt, Stacey Aldag, Wilstein, Zahava (Berry College) Global ing, Andrew Fiedler, Stephanie Gilbert, Nathan Axvig, Derek Boeckner, Patricia Well-posedness and Energy Decay For A Shengije Guo, Victory Haines, Theang Ho, Buchanan, Jesse Burke, Lok Chow, Gary Wave Equation with p-Laplacian Phong Le, Christopher Meyerle, Daniel Eisenhauer, Kyle Fey, Shauna Green, Damping, Mohammad Rammaha www.math.unl.edu/friends Winter 2011 15 DEPARTMENT OF MATHEMATICS

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