WINTER 2018 Alumni Newsletter Winter 2018 2 Contents Editor Debbie Farris at the Helm Writer 2 Advancing Mathematics Through Leadership Srila Nayak

COLLEGE OF SCIENCE DEPARTMENT OF MATHEMATICS

WINTER 2018 Alumni Newsletter Winter 2018 2 Contents Editor Debbie Farris At the Helm Writer 2 Advancing mathematics through leadership Srila Nayak

Designers Annie Thomas Thinkers and Doers Sharon Betterton 6 Alumni of distinction Department of 6 Mathematics Bill Bogley, Head Math in the World Vrushali Bokil, Newsletter 8 Committee Chair Modeling phenomena, finding solutions

Publisher Department of Mathematics Delivering Impact Kidder Hall 368 10 Students make their mark through Oregon State University mathematics Corvallis, OR 97331 8 Out There 14 Diversity, outreach, news and events Stay connected Please volunteer as a way of giving back. Mentor students, give a lecture on campus, coach students On the cover — At the intersection about career paths or hire an of mathematics and human health, intern. Contact us at: mathematician David Koslicki’s research has revealed that individuals with schizophrenia have different blood [email protected] microbiomes than those without. See p. 9. 10

OSUScience

14 faculty member in our department to achieve this outstanding international recognition for his research. Seven faculty members, who are known across campus as “Team Math,” FROM received OSU’s 2018 Faculty Senate Student Learning and Success Teamwork Award, which recognized THE their efforts to improve student success in college algebra. HEAD We are deeply saddened to relate that Professor Bob Burton passed away on June 23, 2018. Bob was a valued friend and leader for a generation of Bill Bogley students and faculty. He retired on June 30, 2017 along with Ed Waymire. Department Head This year, Mary Flahive and Marie Franzosa also retired. Please read about their invaluable contributions in this newsletter. Dear alumni and friends, and Torrey Johnson and David Wing were promoted to Senior Instructor I. Thanks to the College of Science and Greetings from our outgoing Congratulations to these outstanding an anonymous donor, the Mathematics Department Head Enrique Thomann researchers and teachers! and Statistics Learning Center (MSLC) and our incoming Department Head benefited from a fresh upgrade with an Bill Bogley, who assumed his new role Our research continues to attract open floor concept and new furniture on July 1, 2018. It is a pleasure for us external funding from the National that makes it a more welcoming to share our winter 2018 newsletter, Science Foundation, Simons environment for students, tutors which highlights some of the many Foundation and other major funding and faculty. The MSLC remains the accomplishments by our students, agencies. We are thrilled to announce backbone for beyond-the-classroom alumni and faculty, and elements of that David Koslicki is the first faculty academic support for all students our history that have contributed to member of the department to taking mathematics courses at Oregon our department’s fabric. receive funding from the National State University. Institutes of Health. In more good This has been a banner year for faculty news, Mary Beisiegel is a co-PI on a We appreciated hearing from all promotions, especially for women in five-year, $1 million grant from the who have sent comments on past our department: Vrushali Bokil and Howard Hughes Medical Institute newsletters. Please stay in touch! We Holly Swisher are now full Professors; Inclusive Excellence Initiative, again hope to see you in the coming year. Mary Beisiegel, Elaine Cozzi and a first. Juan Restrepo was named a Elise Lockwood were promoted to Fellow of the Society for Industrial Cheers, Associate Professor with tenure; and Applied Mathematics—the first Enrique Thomann and Bill Bogley

Special thanks to the Newsletter David Wing. Thanks also to Tom Dick for suggestions help us better fulfill Committee for producing this edition the article on the MSLC. our mission. of Math in the Valley, including Vrushali Bokil (Chair), Sara Clark, Nathan Gibson, To all mathematics alumni and Please drop Bill a line at Joy King, David Koslicki, Torrey Johnson, friends: Your success is the measure [email protected] to let us Clayton Petsche, Ralph Showalter and of our success. Your support and know how we are doing. 2 OREGON STATE UNIVERSITY / MATHEMATICS

AT THE HELM Advancing mathematics through leadership

Tuan Ngoc Pham studies fluid dynamics.

New leader for Welcome new faculty! mathematics This past year we hired two fixed-term We extend a warm welcome to assistant professors, Blessing Emerenini Bill Bogley in his new role as Head and Tuan Ngoc Pham, who arrived in of the Department of Mathematics, Fall 2018. We are thrilled to welcome effective July 2018. He has served as them into our community. associate chair in the department from 2011–12 and as head undergraduate Tuan Pham earned his bachelor’s advisor for mathematics students. degree in mathematics and computer science from the University of Science Blessing Emerenini specializes Bogley brings significant leadership in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, and in mathematical modeling. experience to his new role. He has earned a master’s degree in applied been active in shared governance and mathematics from the University of served on many committees at OSU. Orléans in Orléans, France. Pham spent applied mathematics from Eindhoven He served as Associate Dean of the the summer of 2011 as an intern at University of Technology in Eindhoven, Honors College from 2005–10 and as Ecole Polytechnique (Palaiseau, France) Netherlands and from Johannes OSU’s Director of Academic Programs, where he worked on his master’s Kepler University Linz in Linz, Austria. Assessment and Accreditation, thesis. He received his Ph.D. from the She received her Ph.D. in applied where he led the implementation of University of Minnesota, Twin Cities mathematics from the University of general education learning outcome in 2018. Pham’s dissertation dealt Guelph in Ontario, Canada, in 2015. assessment protocols for the university. with several regularity issues of the 3D Navier-Stokes equations in fluid Excellence in research, Bogley joined the department in dynamics, and his research focuses on service and teaching 1990 and holds the rank of professor. partial differential equations. His research is in the areas of Malgorzata Peszynska has been combinatorial and geometric group Blessing Emerenini specializes in elected President of the Pacific theory. He has received several mathematical modeling, numerical Northwest Section (PNWS) of the teaching awards, including the Lloyd simulation and mathematical analysis Society for Industrial and Applied Carter and Fred Horne awards in the of infectious diseases and microbial, Mathematics (SIAM). The SIAM College of Science ecological and biological systems. PNW Section sponsors conferences She holds a bachelor’s degree in and promotes collaboration for both He received his bachelor’s degree from mathematics and computer science from basic research and applications of Dartmouth College and earned both the Federal University of Technology mathematics to industry and science. his master’s degree and Ph.D. from the Owerri in Nigeria. She earned two Peszynska previously served as vice- University of Oregon. master’s degrees in industrial and president of SIAM PNWS. MATH IN THE VALLEY WINTER 2018 3

Juan Restrepo was recognized as a undergraduate mathematics education introductory mathematics courses such 2018 Fellow of SIAM for his exemplary and who has worked in the field for no as college algebra. The award recognizes contributions to the mathematical and more than 10 years. departments or interdisciplinary computational modeling of the ocean groups at Oregon State that have and atmosphere. He was one of 28 “I am extremely honored to receive the demonstrated exceptional teamwork in researchers from across the world in Selden Prize. The RUME community creating and sustaining an exemplary the 2018 Class of SIAM Fellows. has been tremendously formative teaching and learning environment to in my professional development. I advance student success. Mary Beisiegel was recognized by have felt encouraged and supported graduate students with the 2018 since the beginning of my career, Leadership in mathematical Graduate Faculty Award during the and my RUME colleagues continue research across the nation 33rd annual Lonseth Lecture. to challenge me to become a better and the world researcher,” said Lockwood. Global recognition for Mathematics faculty have had a busy year research in undergraduate Team Math wins award organizing over a dozen international, education for exceptional teamwork national and regional conferences. and teaching Elise Lockwood, a recent NSF David Koslicki co-organized the CAREER grant awardee, received A team of mathematics faculty—which annual National Institutes of Health- the (biennial) John and Annie Selden includes Sara Clark, Liz Jones, Scott sponsored Computational Genomics Prize for Research in Undergraduate Peterson, Lyn Riverstone, Daniel Summer Institute at UCLA, July Mathematics Education (RUME) Rockwell, Katy Williams and David Wing 6–8, 2017, an event which brings from the Mathematical Association — has received OSU’s 2018 Faculty together mathematicians, computer of America. The international Senate Student Learning and Success scientists and biologists interested in award honors a researcher with a Teamwork Award for their efforts computational genomics research. significant record of publications in to enhance student performance in OSU hosted the first biennial SIAM PNW section meeting, co-located with the Pacific Northwest Numerical Analysis Seminar, in Corvallis in October 2017, which featured over 150 participants from the region. Malgo Peszynska was the chair of the organizing committee. The local organizing committee 7 consisted of Elaine Cozzi, Nathan 4 3 6 Gibson, Bob Higdon, Mina Ossiander 2 5 and Ralph Showalter. 1 Yevgeniy Kovchegov co-organized Frontier Probability Days at OSU on March 29–31, 2018, to bring together leading researchers and students in Tenure and promotions: were both promoted to full Professor. probability theory and its applications. Committed to excellence 3 Mary Beisiegel, 4 Elaine Cozzi The conference received funding from in mathematics and 5 Elise Lockwood have been the National Science Foundation (NSF) promoted to Associate Professor and honored professors Bob Burton The mathematics department with tenure. 6 Torrey Johnson and and Ed Waymire on the occasion of successfully promoted seven faculty 7 David Wing were both promoted to their retirements. members in 2017–18, five of whom Senior Instructor I. Congratulations to are women. Associate Professors all of these outstanding researchers, Kovchegov was also a co-organizer 1 Vrushali Bokil and 2 Holly Swisher scholars and teachers! and speaker at the workshop Random 4 OREGON STATE UNIVERSITY / MATHEMATICS

Trees: Structure, Self-Similarity and Swisher was awarded continuing Dynamics at the Centro de Investigación grant support of $288K to en Matemáticas in Guanajuato, Mexico, organize and host an eight-week April 23–27, 2018. The meeting celebrated summer research experience for Waymire’s contributions to the field of undergraduate students from around mathematics. Speakers included alumnus the country each year throughout the Jorge Ramirez (Ph.D. ‘07) and Evgenia three-year duration of the project. Chunikhina (MS ‘14), as well as colleagues The goal is to advance undergraduate from the United States and Mexico. research in mathematics and theoretical computer science with a Christine Escher co-organized the NSF- particular focus on number theory, sponsored conference Representations probability and cryptography. of Riemannian Geometry in Philadelphia, Petsche and Yevgeniy Kovchegov are Malgo Peszynska with graduate August 10–13, 2017, to honor the 65th also supported by this grant. students Azhar Alhammali (L) and Choah Shin (R) in Munich, Germany birthday of Professor Wolfgang Ziller of the University of Pennsylvania. At David Koslicki was awarded least half of the speakers were women, $292K by the NSF to investigate Out there: which is highly unusual in the field of mathematical approaches Representing OSU differential geometry. for analyzing communities of around the world microorganisms from their sampled Research funding surges DNA. Koslicki is also co-PI on an Last year, our faculty $849K National Institutes of Health participated and gave invited The mathematics department has been award as part of the National Center talks in over a dozen countries. quite successful in obtaining external for Advancing Translational Science. Here are a few highlights. funding on awards totaling over $2 The goal of this project is to build million in the last year alone. Below we a Biomedical Translator, a software Malgo Peszynska gave an highlight some of our successes. system that connects various invited talk at the workshop distributed databases of biomedical “Numerical Analysis of Coupled Clayton Petsche and Holly Swisher knowledge and has the capability to and Multi-Physics Problems with are co-organizers of Oregon Number “reason” over these data sources to Dynamic Interfaces,” organized Theory Days, an NSF-supported triennial answer biomedical questions such by the Banff International distinguished lecture series that rotates as: What genetic conditions might be Research Station, July 29–August between three Oregon universities. protective against malaria? 3, 2018, in Oaxaca, Mexico.

From left, Zackery Reed (Ph.D. ’18) and Tevian Dray was a plenary Elise Lockwood with colleagues in Norway. speaker on the geometry of vector calculus at the XX Semana de la Enseñanza de la Física, Bogotá, Colombia, September 25–29, 2017, where he and physicist Corinne Manogue also presented a joint workshop to future physics teachers on the geometry of electromagnetism.

Other faculty, including Bill Bogley, Vrushali Bokil, Christine Escher, Elise Lockwood and Tom Dick, also gave talks in England, China, Germany, Norway and France, respectively. MATH IN THE VALLEY WINTER 2018 5

Recent retirees Ed Waymire, Mary Flahive and Marie Franzosa Bob and wife Vicki

Mary Beisiegel is co-PI on a five-year between Corvallis and Tucson. He Remembering $1 million grant from the Howard retired in June 2017. Bob Burton Hughes Medical Institute to increase inclusion and success of diverse Mary Flahive received her Ph.D. In 1977, Bob Burton joined students in mathematics, life sciences from the Ohio State University in OSU after receiving his Ph.D. and chemistry classes. The grant will 1976 under the direction of Alan in mathematics from Stanford help OSU develop a cohort-based Woods. She joined OSU in 1990 as University where he worked under professional learning community an associate professor after working the direction of Donald Ornstein. for designing STEM curricula that at the University of Massachusetts He was associate chair and then will improve the performance of Lowell. While at OSU, Flahive chair of the department (1997– underrepresented ethnic minorities, held visiting positions at Flinders 2001). Burton retired from OSU in first-generation and economically University in Australia, Salzberg June 2017 after 40 years. disadvantaged students. University in Austria and the Radon Institute for Computational and Burton held visiting positions at On to the next adventure Applied Mathematics in Linz, Austria. several universities in Germany, She has published two monographs the Netherlands, Canada and the Ed Waymire received his Ph.D. and more than 25 papers. Flahive’s United States. His collaborations from the University of Arizona in service to OSU and the mathematics were vast and highly productive. 1976 where he worked under the department exemplifies her generous direction of Rabi Bhattacharya. personality. She served as head In March 2018, a special session Waymire and Bhattacharya have undergraduate advisor and associate recognizing Bob’s immense co-authored books on probability head. Flahive retired in August 2018. contribution to mathematics theory and stochastic processes. was held as part of the Frontier Waymire’s work has been recognized Alumna Marie Franzosa received Probability Days conference at with the Milton Harris Award in her Ph.D. at OSU in 1988 under the OSU. Several of Bob’s collaborators Basic Research and the F. A. Gilfillan supervision of Robert M. Burton. She and former students were able to Memorial Award by the College of was an assistant professor at Western attend. The department took this Science at OSU. He is a Fellow of the Oregon University and then at St. opportunity to recognize Bob’s Institute of Mathematical Statistics Cloud State University in Minnesota exquisite taste in mathematics, (IMS), winner of the Carver Medal for before returning to Corvallis. She was elegance in presentation and service awarded by the IMS and past hired as a full-time instructor at OSU overall ingenuity in solving president of the Bernoulli Society. in 1991, focusing first on pre-college problems that served to motivate Recognized widely as an extraordinary mathematics courses and later on the students and colleagues. mentor to junior faculty and students, mathematical preparation of pre-K–8 Waymire continues to combine teachers. Franzosa retired in 2018 and Bob was a voracious reader and research and service with gusto and plans to enjoy her retirement traveling music lover with a great sense of intensity. He will alternate living and spending time with family. humor. He will be sorely missed. 6 OREGON STATE UNIVERSITY / MATHEMATICS

From left, clockwise: Jesse Rodriguez ’18, the mathematics graduate class of 2017, Mirek Brandt ’18, Kirana Bergstrom ’17 THINKERS AND DOERS

The triple crown of science Big strides by alumni He was quickly promoted to Senior Member of Technical Staff. McGregor Jesse Rodriguez (B.S. ’18) is a first- Kyle Bradford (Ph.D. ’13, Advisor: utilizes his graduate training by generation college student who Kovchegov) is an assistant professor contributing to several computational graduated with majors in mathematics, of mathematics at Georgia Southern plasma physics projects at Sandia. physics and nuclear engineering. He University. Prior to that, Bradford His Ph.D. research was in the area was awarded the 2017 Botond Gabor was an assistant professor in Korea of compatible methods for transient Eross Math Memorial Scholarship for two years. electromagnetics in media. for outstanding performance in mathematics at Oregon State. Kirana Bergstrom (M.S ’17, Advisor: Kirk McDermott (Ph.D. ’17, Advisor: Restrepo) is a software development Bogley) is an assistant professor Jesse has begun doctoral research engineer working on the Intel® of mathematics at Slippery Rock in plasma physics at Stanford Math Kernel Library (Intel MKL) University in Pennsylvania. University as a Department of Energy team. Specifically, she works on the Computational Science Graduate components of Intel MKL that provide Thomas Morrill (Ph.D. ’17, Advisor Fellow (DOE CSGF)—a highly functionality to solve systems of Swisher) started a postdoc in analytic prestigious fellowship that provides equations, eigenvalue problems and number theory at the University of four years of financial support with a singular value problems, as well as the New South Wales, Canberra, Australia stipend of $36,000 per year. The DOE related matrix factorizations. in 2017. He will work collaboratively on fellowship trains the next generation of the Riemann zeta function. leaders in computational science who Duncan McGregor (Ph.D. ’16, use math and computers to advance Advisors: Bokil and Gibson) began Forrest Parker (Ph.D. ’17, Advisor: scientific discovery. Jesse is one of 26 a postdoctoral appointment at Bogley) began working at Google, Inc., fellows chosen from across the country Sandia National Laboratories in the in October 2018. His team is focused for the DOE CSGF class of 2018. computational multiphysics group. on automating the process of analyzing MATH IN THE VALLEY WINTER 2018 7

the computational and storage utilization at Google’s data centers MATHEMATICS around the world, and forecasting future demand via the use of a variety FOR LIFE of statistical techniques and machine learning models. Cavaiani’s gift will support the department’s first Puttha Sakkaplangkul (Ph.D. ’17, Advisor: Bokil) is a lecturer in the endowed professorship. Department of Mathematics at King Mongkut’s Institute of Technology Ladkrabang in Thailand. Prior to that he Over a period of about 17 years, settled in Redding, California, was a postdoctoral fellow at Michigan Thomas Cavaiani earned two Cavaiani began his mathematics State University. bachelor’s degrees, a master’s degree major at the University of and a doctorate from Oregon State California–Berkeley. Vanessa Bean (B.S. ’17) graduated University. He earned his first degree, with a major in mathematics and a a B.S. in mathematics, in 1971 and bid Finding UC–Berkeley “too big and minor in both statistics and actuarial a final farewell to OSU with a Ph.D. impersonal,” Cavaiani left after just science. Recently, she was hired as an in mathematics education in 1989. one year and transferred to OSU. investment analyst with RVK (formerly Interspersed with his studies at OSU, He attributes his success to his known as R. V. Kuhns & Associates), an Cavaiani pursued careers in teaching at mathematical training at OSU. investment consulting firm located in Boise State University (BSU) in Idaho. downtown Portland, Oregon. “My math education helped me “Every time I finished my degree, my think linearly — how to solve a Jetjaroen Klangwang (Ph.D. ’18, professors asked me to continue,” problem by breaking it down, how Advisor: Swisher) is a visiting assistant recalls Cavaiani. He completed his to structure a solution and acquire professor of mathematics at Union doctoral dissertation under the the ability to think in a way that College in Schenectady, New York. guidance of Howard Wilson, currently solves a knotty issue,” Cavaiani professor emeritus of mathematics and states. “This scientific method of Zackery Reed (Ph.D. ’18, Advisor: mathematics education. problem solving has proven useful Lockwood) is a postdoctoral fellow throughout my career in teaching in the mathematics department at Cavaiani recently retired as faculty and corporate training.” Oklahoma State University. from BSU where he taught courses in programming, statistics, networking A passionate proponent of STEM Caitlin Berger (B.S. ’18 ) is Associate and telecommunications in the learning, Cavaiani has made a Solutions Architect with Amazon Web Department of Information Technology planned bequest to establish the Services in Seattle. Caitlin holds a B.S. and Supply Chain Management. Thomas P. Cavaiani Endowed in mathematics with the statistics Professorship, which will support option and a computer science minor. Besides playing an important role in a faculty position dedicated to developing educational technology, innovative teaching and research Gregory “Mirek” Brandt (B.S. ’18) will Cavaiani has enjoyed a rewarding and in mathematics. This would be the attend the University of California-Santa multi-faceted career as an informational first endowed professorship in the Barbara (UCSB) for a Ph.D. in physics. technology expert and a corporate mathematics department. Brandt has received a Paxton Summer training consultant for various Fellowship in theoretical astrophysics companies including Hewlett-Packard. Cavaiani’s legacy gift will help from UCSB. He graduated with a a greater number of students bachelor’s in mathematics and physics. Born in New Orleans, Louisiana, succeed in mathematics as well as Cavaiani had a peripatetic childhood inspire more students to major in Jill Weimer (B.S. ’18) is an analyst in because of his father’s career in the mathematics. “I thought this way the finance department for Comcast in Navy. He attended school in California, you can get more young people to Beaverton, Oregon. Kansas and Nebraska. After his parents study math,” remarks Cavaiani. 8 OREGON STATE UNIVERSITY / MATHEMATICS MATH IN THE WORLD Modeling phenomena, finding solutions

Mathematics faculty are involved project involved mathematics faculty, spread of maize lethal necrosis in in world class research that is deep including Ralph Showalter, Nathan Kenya and strategies for its control. in mathematical innovation, broad Gibson and Justin Webster. Carrie Manore (Ph.D. ’11), Bokil’s and diverse in its application, and advisee, was part of the research team. collaborative, interdisciplinary and Understanding random Manore is currently a staff scientist at international in its nature. We highlight disturbances in Los Alamos National Laboratory. here some of our ongoing research. populations The research was conducted at the Never heard of methane How can we construct a mathematical National Institute for Mathematical hydrates? framework to understand how and Biological Synthesis as part of a population-reducing events of varying working group on Multiscale Vectored Malgo Peszynska says that might be frequency and intensity, like fires, Plant Diseases, and is now published good news. In a recent article that floods, storms and droughts, can affect in the journal Phytopathology. This was published in the premier news a species’ ability to survive? Patrick work can not only help improve publication in applied mathematics, De Leenheer’s collaborative work our understanding of maize lethal SIAM News, Peszynska describes her identifies “critical growth thresholds” necrosis but could also help inform international collaborative research for species subjected to random events the management and control of other on methane hydrate, abundantly that immediately and substantially destructive plant diseases caused by found in deep ocean sediments and impact the species’ population levels. combinations of pathogens. in Alaska. Methane hydrate is an The research was motivated in part ice-like crystalline substance, and to try to predict the effects of global Intertwining topology and is considered a “smoking gun” in climate change which may alter the geometry environmental and (paleo-) climate characteristics of these events. studies because dissociation of gas Christine Escher is conducting hydrates can dramatically increase the De Leenheer’s work, funded by the joint work with Catherine Searle, amount of methane in the atmosphere, NSF, was published in the Journal of associate professor from Wichita contributing to the overall balance of Mathematical Biology. Collaborators State University, on classifications other greenhouse gases. included Edward Waymire, professor of Riemannian manifolds with emeritus of mathematics, and alumnus non-negative sectional curvature. This research on the mathematical Scott Peckham, who is a geophysicist Manifolds with non-negative modeling of methane hydrate, at the University of Colorado. sectional curvature have been of funded by the National Science interest since the beginning of global Foundation (NSF), has involved several Tackling a destructive Riemannian geometry. Some of the mathematics graduate students plant virus oldest conjectures in the field, for including Joe Umhoefer, Choah example the Hopf conjecture, also Shin, and former students Tim Costa, Vrushali Bokil’s international team of fit into this subject. One part of this Patricia Medina and Ken Kennedy, collaborators came up with a project includes graduate student and students outside mathematics mathematical model to understand the Zheting Dong, whom Searle and such as Wei-Li Hong from the College of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences (CEOAS). Originally started in collaboration with CEOAS professors Marta Torres and Anne Trehu, the MATH IN THE VALLEY WINTER 2018 9

Escher are co-advising. Escher has received several grants including funding from the Mathematical Sciences Research Institute, Thermotogae Deinococcus-Thermus Verruncomicrobia Elusimicrobia the AssociationAcldobacteria for WomenBacteroidetes in Euryarchaeota Aquaﬁcae Chlamydiae Firmucutes MathematicsSpirochaetes and the MaxChloroﬂexi Planck Fusobacterium Synergistetes Crenarchaeota Nitrospirae Institute in Bonn,Tenericutes GermanyCynobacteria to Planctomycetes Thaumarchaeota Deferribacteraceae Proteobacteria pursue this research. Escher LS RO SC recently also received funding T Z N from the Simons Foundation’s O Mathematics and Physical Sciences C division for a collaboration grant for mathematicians. B S P L D A During 2017–18, Escher ran a seminar in a new field called topological data analysis. The goal is to use tools from algebraic topology and lately also differential geometry to study the structure of large data sets.

Fighting misconceptions about climate science Each slice represents the blood microbiome of an individual with (clockwise): schizophrenia (SCZ), Juan Restrepo published a study amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), bipolar disorder (BPD) or no disorder (control) in SIAM News, “Uncertainty in ½ Acidobacteria ½ Thaumarchaeota ½ Crenarchaeota ½ Euryarchaeota Climate Science: Not Cause for ½ Actinobacteria ½ Thermotogae ½ Cyanobacteria ½ Firmicutes Inaction,” in which he and co- ½ Aquaficae ½ Verrucomicrobia ½ Deferribacteraceae ½ Fusobacterium author Michael Mann, a professor ½ Spirochaetes ½ Bacteroidetes ½ Deinococcus ½ Nitrospirae at Pennsylvania State University, ½ Synergistetes ½ Chlamydiae -Thermus ½ Planctomycetes use simple mathematical arguments ½ Tenericutes ½ Chloroflexi ½ Elusimicrobia ½ Proteobacteria to show that observational climate data are not consistent with a fundamental property of data ON THE COVER that is in a statistically steady Schizophrenics’ blood non-human reads to assess the state. The authors also show how has more genetic material microbiome from whole blood. uncertainties in the data and from microbes models can be taken into account Koslicki and collaborators performed when making predictions of future The blood of schizophrenia patients whole-blood transcriptome analyses on global climate. contains more genetic material from 192 people, including healthy people more types of microorganisms than as well as those with schizophrenia, The concept of uncertainty that of people without the debilitating bipolar disorder and amyotrophic in climate science is often mental illness, based on new research by lateral sclerosis (ALS), or Lou Gehrig’s misrepresented, asserts Restrepo, mathematical biologist David Koslicki disease. The findings were published in and a greater public understanding as part of an international collaboration. Translational Psychiatry in May 2018. of uncertainty analysis and Scientists at the Universities of California its impact on the science of at Los Angeles, Davis, and San Francisco; The National Institutes of Health, the climate change would help dispel the University Medical Center at Utrecht National Institute of Mental Health misconceptions that tend to and Wageningen University collaborated and the National Science Foundation influence policy. on the study, the first to use unmapped supported this research. 10 OREGON STATE UNIVERSITY / MATHEMATICS DELIVERING IMPACT Students make their mark through mathematics

At the age of 21, Pearson became the mechanical engineering major. But big youngest intern to be hired by a Major changes were on the horizon. League Baseball team in the summer of 2017 when he worked with the Texas First, Hoechlin discovered that she Rangers as an analytics assistant with enjoyed her mathematics classes far Morgan Pearson ’18 their analytics team. more than her engineering ones. Then two successive knee injuries ended her “My classes in mathematics and sports career. The Springfield, Oregon UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS statistics taught me to deliver what the native transferred to OSU to study Winning at baseball with Rangers needed,” said Pearson, who mathematics. Much to her delight, mathematics used his knowledge of single, multiple she also got a foothold on the OSU and logistic regression to evaluate and softball team as a manager. Morgan Pearson (B.S. ‘18) just spot the differences among the players. graduated with a major in mathematics Hoechlin was recently promoted to and both a minor and option in Pearson traces his strength with head manager of the team where statistics. But he started his career in baseball analytics to his classes on she is thrilled to assist Head Coach summer 2018 with the Major League data analysis, mathematical statistics, Laura Berg — the most decorated Baseball team the Texas Rangers. stochastic modeling and probability. USA Softball Olympic athlete in Some of his favorite statistics and history — on player statistics, batting Pearson started working as an mathematics classes were with average, analysis of patterns and international assistant for the Rangers professors Mina Ossiander, Robert player positions. in Arlington, Texas, where his primary Burton and Sarah Emerson. responsibilities are international “We are making sure we are putting scouting and assisting upper The math behind softball the best player in the best position management with projects related to in every single game and I am here to statistics and baseball analytics. This Sarah Hoechlin is yet another help with that,” says Hoechlin. Her combines player development with mathematics senior who is bridging dream is to see the OSU softball team analytics, giving him opportunities the worlds of numbers and sports. win a national championship soon. to travel, interact with and scout for Having played softball since she players. As part of his job, he will was five, Hoechlin was on track with Hoechlin is excited about adding travel to Puerto Rico, Japan and the her goals as captain of the softball an option in statistics and taking Dominican Republic to identify the team at Clark College in Vancouver, statistics courses. She aspires to be best talent to bring to Texas. Washington, where she was also a a sports statistician after graduation. MATH IN THE VALLEY WINTER 2018 11

Her favorite mathematics classes so Carolina. The REU was focused Mathematical far have been the advanced calculus on coding theory, number theory excellence, 2017–18 series where she explored the basis of and cryptology. Lilly’s project is an calculus and its applications. intersection between coding theory Joel Davis Award for outstanding and number theory. work in mathematics Preparing for future careers Dang Dinh through summer research Anthony Netz attended the REU at Illinois State University in Botond Gabor Eross Math Our undergraduates have gained mathematics education. Memorial Scholarship for valuable research and scholarly excellence in mathematics experiences through participation in Sara Tro participated in an REU Andrea Lanz NSF-funded Research Experiences for program in Computational and Applied Evan Tufte Undergraduates (REU) in collaboration Mathematics at UCLA. The project she Catharine Ordway with mathematics faculty. This form worked on is called “Classifying body Lucy Huffman of experiential learning prepares our worn video data.” Tro writes about Jeremy Lilly students very well for non-academic the project, “The Los Angeles Police careers as well as graduate school. Department has collected massive Edward H. Stockwell Award for amounts of data from cameras worn excellence in mathematics Associate Professor Clay Petsche by officers while on active duty. It Sara Tro recently published a paper with is impossible to curate these videos Sean Pitman students participating in the manually, and new algorithms are Michael Aimonetto mathematics REU at OSU. With needed to analyze the videos to Kenneth Allen and David DeMark, classify officer activity, and the people Actuarial Science Award for Petsche published a paper, titled, that officers interact with.” excellence in mathematics “Non-Archimedean Hénon maps, Joel Belsterling attractors, and horseshoes” in the Noah Langlie worked with Professor Michael Papendieck journal Research in Number Theory. Vrushali Bokil on nonlinear Maxwell Benjamin Sharkansky models with applications to nonlinear Logan Wooldridge Jeremy Lilly participated at the optics. This work was funded by an REU at Clemson University in South NSF REU supplement. Gary L. Musser Award for outstanding mathematical achievement for prospective elementary or middle school teacher Melissa Scarborough Sarah Hoechlin, mathematics senior Marissa Downing and head manager of the OSU softball team WIC Culture of Writing Award for outstanding work in mathematical writing Brandon Farmer

Virginia Tech Regional Mathematics Contest Melissa Scarborough

William Lowell Putnam Mathematics Competition Patrick Flynn Jesse Johnson Melissa Scarborough 12 OREGON STATE UNIVERSITY / MATHEMATICS

GRADUATE STUDENTS earned her master’s degree from King National Laboratory in Washington, Future mathematicians Saud University in Saudi Arabia. where his work involved supporting projects related to national security. The graduate cohort in 2018–19 Samantha Smith (Ph.D. ’18, Advisor: has 23 students entering their first Bogley) completed her degree in just Andrew Jensen (Advisor: Koslicki) year at Oregon State, one exchange three years. Her thesis is focused on studied the relationship between student from France, and another symmetries that are present in certain changing oceanic and environmental who is getting a concurrent degree geometric objects called hyperbolic conditions, Dungeness crab in engineering. We also have three buildings. Smith will be a tenure-track distributions, and their socio-economic students beginning their Accelerated instructor at Green River College in effects through three sub-studies. Masters Platform ramp year. Two in Auburn, Washington. He got to experience mathematical this cohort have received recruitment research from ecological and social awards: Hannah Barta is a Provost Combining math skills science perspectives. Scholar, and Nachuan Zhang is a recipient with marine science of the Wei Family Scholarship. Sebastián Naranjo Álvarez Three mathematics graduate students (Advisor: Bokil) collaborated with Research excellence, 2018 participated in transdiciplinary faculty and students from ecology research projects as part of the and anthropology on a project that The Graduate Student Excellence National Science Foundation Research explores the concept of cultural Award, which is the highest honor Traineeship (NRT) program on “Risk importance of particular species in risk, given to graduate students by the and Uncertainty Quantification in and uncertainty analysis in the context department, was awarded to both Marine Science” at OSU. of the indigenous communities of Azhar Alhammali and Samantha Smith. Oregon. He developed a mathematical Will Mayfield (Advisor: Restrepo) model for the spread of opinions Azhar Alhammali (Advisor: Peszynska) worked on a project developing a in different types of communities. conducts research in applied and methodology that aims to provide As one of the core requirements computational mathematics on how uncertainty information for sea surface of the NRT project, Alvarez also microbes form protective biofilm in elevation in near-shore regions after participated in an internship at Los complicated domains, depending on a disturbance (such as a tsunami). Alamos National Laboratory in New the availability of nutrients and other His NRT training culminated with an Mexico to work on problems in environmental conditions. Alhammali internship at the Pacific Northwest computational electromagnetics.

(Left) Awardees Azhar Alhammali and Samantha Smith. (Right) NRT participants Will Mayfield, Andrew Jensen and Sebastián Naranjo Álvarez MATH IN THE VALLEY WINTER 2018 13

Inventing our future Charles Camacho won a Certificate of Achievement for presenting a poster at the Latinx in Mathematical Sciences conference at UCLA, March 2018. The conference focuses on showcasing leading Latinx scientists and mathematicians, and encourages underrepresented minorities to Charles pursue careers in the sciences, Camacho industry and academia, bringing a more diverse future to STEM fields.

Awards for top scholars High-powered activities Mathematical Sciences Research Institute in Berkeley, California. Mathematics graduate students have Daniel Erickson, Alireza Hosseinkhan Lisa Bigler, summer 2018, MSRI garnered prestigious scholarships and Naveen Somasunderam, school on “Representation of High in 2017–18. Michael Lopez won University of Houston Summer School Dimensional Data.” the Thurgood Marshall Graduate on Dynamical Systems. Scholarship, and Maria-Inez Carrera Talks/Posters at SIAM Geosciences received the Graduate Laurels Block Michael Allen, University of Conference, Erlangen, Germany, Grant scholarship. Three students Connecticut Summer School in September 2017. Choah Shin, Azhar received the Oregon Lottery Number Theory. Alhammali and Joe Umhoefer. Graduate Scholarship: Zackery Reed, Emerald Stacy, both in 2017–18 Sebastián Naranjo Álvarez, Colorado Presented at the Joint Mathematics and Azhar Alhammali for 2018–19. State University Summer Graduate Meetings, San Diego, January Allison Arnold Roksandich, Zack School on Wave Propagation in 2018. Zachery Reed, Branwen Purdy, Reed and Emerald Stacy received Random Media. Emerald Stacy, Claire Gibbons and Graduate School travel awards, Charles Camacho. while Azhar Alhammali, Choah Choah Shin, 9th Annual Scientific Shin and Joseph Umhoefer received Software Days in Austin, Texas. Presented at the American College of Science travel awards. Mathematical Society Sectional Congratulations to these students! Jhih-Jyun Zeng, Summer Graduate Meeting, Portland, April 2018. School on Fluids and Waves at Gran Azhar Alhammali, Allison Arnold Next-gen teachers Sasso Science Institute, Italy. Roksandich, Charles Camacho, Eleanor Holland, Huanqun Jiang, Stephen Ricardo Reyes Grimaldo (M.S. Alex Putnam, internship at Maiden Re, Krughoff, Zack Reed, Choah Shin, Ally ’18) and Allison Stacey shared the a Bermuda-based insurance company. Stacy and Joe Umhoefer. In all, 23 2017–18 William F. Burger Graduate students participated at the meeting. Teaching Award, which recognizes Disseminating research outstanding teaching by graduate 1st Biennial Meeting of SIAM students in the department. Reyes Summer internships at the PNWS, Corvallis, October 2017. Grimaldo completed his master’s Department of Energy national Student volunteers: Azhar Alhammali, degree in mathematics, with an labs with funding from the labs, Zachary Barry, Lisa Bigler, Ali Chick, emphasis on mathematical biology. the National Science Foundation Diana Gonzalez, Will Mayfield, Sandra Stacey is doing research in topology and other sources. Choah Shin, Nguemto, Ricardo Reyes-Grimaldo, as part of her doctoral studies with Joe Umhoefer, Diana Gonzalez, Will Choah Shin, Joe Umhoefer, JJ Zeng and Associate Professor Ren Guo. Mayfield, Sebastián Naranjo Álvarez. Cynthia Sanchez-Cruz. 14 OREGON STATE UNIVERSITY / MATHEMATICS OUT THERE Diversity, outreach, news and events

Left and top right photos: OSU Noyce Teaching Fellows program their robotic vehicles during the Ambitious Mathematics and Science Teaching Institute in June 2018; Sarah Hagen at the Public Library; (L to R) Sarah Hagen, Branwen Purdy and Emerald Stacy

Impact on our community community and is honored to be an events, such as Meet-A-Scientist Day informal math ambassador. and OMSI After Dark, to share hands- In addition to busy schedules filled with on learning experiences about her research, teaching and coursework, Purdy volunteers at the Coffee Creek research in topological data analysis. graduate students Sarah Hagen, Correctional Facility, a women’s prison Branwen Purdy and Emerald in Wilsonville, Oregon, that works with Last April, Stacy was an invited Stacy have been dedicating their Portland Community College to offer speaker at the March for Science in talents toward sharing their love of educational opportunities to women, Salem, Oregon. She discussed the mathematics with the broader public. including a GED certificate program. roles of women and marginalized Specifically, Purdy works with women groups in science and research, and Hagen has given talks on mathematics who are preparing to enter this the need for physical spaces in science for the general public at the Corvallis program and need to refresh their education to be accessible to everyone. Public Library, Tsunami Books in mathematics skills. In particular, she spoke about the Eugene, the Da Vinci Days Festival and importance of access to bathrooms, the OSU Space Grant Festival. Hagen Purdy was accepted into the Oregon collaborative learning spaces and seats developed an interactive presentation Museum of Science and Industry in classrooms that can accommodate (with many props and much audience (OMSI) Science Communication large or pregnant bodies. Stacy will be participation) for Pi Day. She is excited Fellowship in 2018. She has an assistant professor at Washington to see the strong interest in the broader participated in several OMSI public College in Chestertown, Maryland. MATH IN THE VALLEY WINTER 2018 15

Math club hosts comedian “Ancient Greek Astronomy.” The vehicles. Participants had the and cryptologist mathematics department also hosted opportunity to explore several of an immensely successful booth that OSU’s research facilities, such as the OSU Math Club was busy organizing featured a crowd-sourcing effort to Wave Research Lab. The program many social and professional approximately calculate pi via discrete offers opportunities for networking development activities for students trials of the Buffon Needle problem. and discussions of problem-based this year. Led by officers who are learning in the classroom. undergraduate mathematics majors Ambitious Math and and advised by Dan Rockwell, members Science Teaching Institute participated in outreach as well as celebrated Pi Day. The Math Club “Ambitious teaching deliberately traditionally sells pies to raise funds aims to get all kinds of students — on Pi Day, but this year they also held across ethnic, racial, class, and gender a pie-throwing fundraiser. The event categories — not only to acquire, but allowed lucky participants to throw pies also to understand and use knowledge, at faculty, including the Dean of the and to use it to solve authentic College of Science, Roy Haggerty. The problems.” –M. Lampert & F. Graziani Math Club developed several fun, hands- on math projects for children. This notion of ambitious teaching is a central focus of a new project at OSU The fundraiser helped support the club’s titled “Ambitious Math and Science participation in Discovery Days, which is Teaching Fellows.” The project is an outreach program for elementary and funded through the National Science Advancing diversity, middle-school students. Foundation’s Robert Noyce Teacher equity and inclusion Scholarship and is being led by in STEM The Math Club also hosted nationally mathematics Professor Tom Dick. recognized “math-comedian” This program seeks to address the Vrushali Bokil was named an Sammy Obeid, a Lebanese-American critical need for K-12 teachers of OSU 2018 ADVANCE Faculty mathematician-turned-comedian, and science, technology, engineering, and Fellow. The Oregon State an engaging performance by internet mathematics (STEM) by encouraging ADVANCE program, funded by star and renowned Acme Klein Bottle talented students and professionals to the NSF with $3.5 million for entrepreneur Dr. Clifford Stoll. The events pursue teaching careers in elementary five years through June 2019, were a great success, with 80 people and secondary schools. seeks to create an equitable and attending Obeid’s performance. socially just academic climate The Ambitious Math and Science for women scientists and other The club hosted a featured talk on Teaching Institute, co-sponsored by underrepresented minority cryptology by National Security the Oregon Department of Education, faculty at the university. Agency employee and OSU alumnus was hosted on OSU’s campus for Ben Livingston, who discussed a second year. Approximately 50 Bokil’s specific project is focused innovative methods and principles middle and high school math and on embedding a systems- related to cryptology and career science teachers, education leaders of-oppression perspective opportunities for mathematics and and administrators from across the into OSU’s graduate student computer science majors. state enjoyed a dynamic and engaging professional development opportunity to work with and learn seminars. She successfully Making mathematics cool at from national and regional STEM piloted such a seminar in the Da Vinci Days education leaders. mathematics department with former Ph.D. student Emerald Da Vinci Days, Corvallis’s wildly The Institute featured STEM learning Stacy, and trained several faculty popular community festival, featured innovations such as mathematical in every College of Science five science and arts lectures, one of modeling, virtual reality, drone department to create ADVANCE which was a talk by Sarah Hagen on technology, coding and robotic seminars for their colleagues. 16 OREGON STATE UNIVERSITY / MATHEMATICS

FEATURED LECTURE 1972 Renowned ecologist Professor Gary Musser leads the talks about predator- LEARNING charge in serving prey models students with a learning center. In May 2018, the 33rd Annual Lonseth Lecture featured TOGETHER Henri Berestycki, fellow of the American Mathematical Society 2013 inaugural class of fellows FOR 40+ and chair of mathematical analysis and modeling at YEARS the École des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociales in The Mathematics and Paris, France. In his talk, “Of Predators and Prey,” Berestycki Statistics Learning discussed the classical Lotka- Center continues its Volterra system that describes long-standing mission predator-prey interactions, one of the cornerstones of of student success mathematical ecology. He presented an extension of the original Lotka-Volterra system that aims at showing how territories are formed as a result The Mathematics and Statistics away with the firm belief that OSU’s of strong competition between Learning Center (MSLC) has gotten math department could better serve packs of predators. a facelift, having been recently its students with such a center. A expanded, remodeled and equipped trial drop-in help center opened in with new furniture through the the fall of 1973, using an available support of the College of Science and classroom in Kidder a few days a week. generous donors. The new main study Its early popularity led immediately area layout was designed by OSU to Musser’s efforts to continue and Design Club students, led by club enlarge the center, with enthusiastic president Courtney Smith, as part encouragement from Chair James of their 2016–17 project “students Brown, College of Science Dean Robert helping students.” Krauss and Dean of Undergraduate Studies Stuart Knapp. The MSLC represents the mathematics department’s major contribution to Locating the learning center near enhancing student success for over the mathematics department was 40 years. Here is a brief history of the a priority. Musser found a recently MSLC from its inception to the present. vacated space on the main floor of Kidder Hall (formerly home of the MSLC Beginnings University Archives when Kidder Hall was OSU’s library) and the In 1972, Professor Gary Musser department was assigned this space was hired by the Department of in 1974. Linda Middleton was hired Mathematics to lead its mathematics as the first director of the MSLC (that preparation program for K-8 teachers. abbreviation stood for “Mathematical Musser visited several other colleges Sciences Learning Center” at the time) with math learning centers and came and Kathy Martin was hired to manage MATH IN THE VALLEY WINTER 2018 17

2018 Continuing to serve students, the MSLC provides support for thousands of students every term.

the large study area, now furnished and the direction of the center brings students together in a social with tables and chairs with spaces for was assigned to a faculty member. atmosphere to work collaboratively in volunteer faculty and graduate student However, the most important service solving mathematics problems related tutors to answer questions. Martin of the MSLC — the drop-in tutoring to their introductory coursework. The served in this role for many years help provided by graduate teaching workshop sessions are often held in and was affectionately known as the assistants and faculty volunteers — the laboratory classroom of the MSLC. “Mother of the MSLC.” was preserved. MSLC today As the MSLC grew in popularity, Musser retired in 1996. Tom Dick Musser secured two additional large has served as faculty director of the Since fall 2018, evening hours in the rooms adjacent to the study area — learning center since 1997. Faculty center have returned and a full-time one used as a testing center and the Scott Peterson, Marie Franzosa, MSLC coordinator, Wendy Aaron, other as an instructional computer and Dianne Hart have provided has been hired. The MSLC remains a laboratory. Additional staff were hired outstanding assistance over the vibrant academic support system for to assist Martin (Marilyn Wallace and years with coordination of the MSLC literally thousands of OSU students David Kendricks) so that the MSLC operations, such as scheduling each term, continuing to offer free could expand to evening hours. The tutors and student clerks, overseeing drop-in tutoring assistance for students MSLC had a series of full-time directors the computer lab, and providing in all first-year and sophomore-level serving three-year terms, including instructional leadership in the MSLC’s mathematics courses as well as some Linda Thompson, Stuart Thomas, Karen laboratory classroom for the math statistics courses. The Center is also a Swenson, Dianne Hart, Kathy Seagraves courses for K-8 teachers. popular place for mathematics majors Higdon and Judy DeSzoeke. to study together, and a gathering spot Dick founded the OSU Math Excel for math clubs and organizations. MSLC in the 1990s program in 1998, based on Uri Treisman’s Emerging Scholars If you are visiting campus sometime Due to university budget cuts in the Program (and named after University soon, we hope you will drop in and see 1990s, the MSLC staff was eliminated, of Kentucky’s program). Math Excel the MSLC’s fresh look! Department of Mathematics Oregon State University Kidder Hall 368 Corvallis, OR 97331

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