Mathematics &
Statistics
Faculty Bios & Courses
“My class is their focus for 18 days. They do the homework,
they come to class prepared, and they listen. And it works.”
Ann Cannon, Professor of Mathematics and Statistics
also delivers subject-specific lessons in
math and statistics to a wide range of
Cornell courses.
M
600 FIRST STREET SW | MOUNT VERNON, IOWA 52314 | CORNELLCOLLEGE.EDU
athematics is a language,
and like all languages, it
is learned best through
immersion. Cornell’s
One Course At A Time schedule
gives students the opportunity to
focus intently without artificial time
constraints, allowing learning to occur
quickly and deeply.
Our department has two theoretical
(or pure) mathematicians, an applied
mathematician, a statistician, and a
professor shared between Mathematics
and Statistics and Computer
Science. The recent addition of an
applied mathematician expands the
department’s offerings by adding an
applied option for the two-course
capstone and a new area of summer
research opportunities for students.
Cornell students undertake meaningful
research under the guidance of
faculty members during summers
and through independent study. They
also have the opportunity to apply for
positions in Research Experiences for
Undergraduates (REUs) at colleges and
universities across the country.
Our students frequently attend graduate
school, often in conjunction with other
disciplines. Recent graduates have
pursued advanced degrees in physics,
chemistry, statistical genetics, sociology/
statistics, and actuarial science,
among others.
Students have the opportunity to give or
receive assistance in math and statistics
through the library’s Quantitative
Reasoning Studio. The studio is directed
by a full-time academic consultant who
BENEFITS OF ONE COURSE AT A TIME
Class time is divided between teacher
presentation, group work and
discussion, and student presentations.
Most exams are not timed, allowing
students to take as much time as
they need to fully demonstrate their
knowledge. The One Course calendar
and Cornell’s small class sizes
benefit math students of all abilities
because they have extended contact
time with professors, which enables
individualized learning—nobody is left
behind or held back.
CURRICULUM HIGHLIGHTS
Our department offers coursework
in three different areas: Theoretical
Mathematics, Applied Mathematics,
and Statistics.
The offerings in theoretical mathematics
are standard for liberal arts schools,
including Modern Algebra, Analysis,
Complex Variables, and Geometry.
Until recently, applied mathematics
training was aimed largely toward the
training of engineers. With the advent
of computers, however, mathematics
and statistics have also become powerful
tools in the life sciences, economics,
social sciences, and other areas.
Our curriculum has evolved in
response to these changes. Our goal is to
provide the core material and training
necessary for graduate study in a range
of disciplines for which mathematics
and statistics have become increasingly
important. As a small liberal arts
school, we’re also able to closely
mentor and support our students in
interdisciplinary coursework,
cont. >
Steve Bean
Associate Professor of
Mathematics
Teaches courses in
mathematics. He became
interested in mathematics
after reading about general
relativity and the large-scale
geometry of the universe.
He is interested in all areas
of geometry; most recently,
in particular, in projective
geometry, a subject that has
ties to the idea of perspective
in art. He is also fascinated by
prime numbers and patterns
in their distribution. He hopes
to live long enough to see the
Riemann hypothesis proved.
Ph.D., University of Iowa;
B.S., M.A., Bowling Green
State University
Ann Cannon
Professor of Statistics and
Mathematics
Teaches statistics courses,
and her main professional
interest is in statistics
education. She is coauthor of Stat 2: Building
Models for a World of Data
(2012), a textbook for the
second introductory course
in statistics. Ph.D. and
M.S. in statistics, Iowa
State University; B.A. in
mathematics, Grinnell College.
Tony deLaubenfels
Professor of Computer
Science and Mathematics
Teaches courses in
mathematics, statistics, and
computer science. He has
been a leader in bringing
computing technology into
teaching and learning at
Cornell. M.S. in mathematics,
M.S. in computer science,
University of Iowa; B.A. in
mathematics, Simpson College.
cornellcollege.edu
/academics
real-world internships, meaningful research, and
other areas to meet their individual goals.
Coursework in statistics includes not only the
standard introductory statistics, and probability
and mathematical statistics courses, but also
courses in modeling, epidemiology, and issues
surrounding data not typically included in
traditional courses—“cleaning” data so that
analysis can be done; exploring new, sophisticated
methods of visualizing data; and defining the term
“big data” and the challenges that accompany it.
Senior majors complete a two-course capstone
sequence at the 300 level. Options include
Mathematical Statistics I & II, Modern Algebra I
& II, and Analysis I & II.
RESEARCH
Our summer research program allows students
to experience how mathematics really works.
It’s more than using prescribed solutions and
procedures in contrived problems. In fact,
researchers not only seek the answers, they decide
what questions they would like to address and how
to address them.
Recent projects have investigated elliptic curves,
the Menger sponge in n-dimensions, the history of
the Gamma function, and the dispersal of dogbane
beetles in tall-grass prairies.
Students have the chance to do off-campus research
in a variety of settings and disciplines. Students
have spent a semester in Budapest, Hungary,
doing research, as well as doing research at the
University of Nebraska, University of Iowa,
University of Pittsburgh, and Rutgers University.
INTERNSHIPS/FELLOWSHIPS
Students also have the chance to take part in
internships where they can apply their coursework
in a professional setting. Students have recently
taken part in internships and fellowships at
AEGON, the National Cancer Institute, and
BCS Inc., among others.
Math teacher at Platte County High School in
Kansas City, Missouri (Class of 2010)
Risk analyst at Beach Point Capital Management in
Los Angeles, California (Class of 2009)
Geneticist at Choice Genetics in West Des Moines,
Iowa (Class of 2007)
Director of digital research and development
at Meredith Corporation in Des Moines, Iowa
(Class of 2006)
Director of residence life at Simpson College in
Indianola, Iowa (Class of 2006)
Statistical consultant at Unraveling Data: Statistical
Solutions in Mount Vernon, Iowa (Class of 2005)
Mathematics teacher at International School in
Buchs, Switzerland (Class of 2004)
Systems engineer at Technology Service
Corporation in Bloomington, Indiana
(Class of 2002)
Web developer at Northwestern University in
Chicago, Illinois (Class of 2001)
Para-educator at Tanager Place in Cedar Rapids,
Iowa (Class of 2001)
Football coach/math teacher at Norwalk Public
Schools in Norwalk, Iowa (Class of 2000)
Patent examiner at the United States Patent &
Trademark Office in Alexandria, Virginia
(Class of 2000)
Natural resource management extension agent
with the Peace Corps in Mali (Class of 1999)
Mechanical engineer at CTS Wireless Components
Inc. in Bloomingdale, Illinois (Class of 1999)
Statistician at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester,
Minnesota (Class of 1997)
Engineer at Raytheon Missile Systems in Tucson,
Arizona (Class of 1997)
GRADUATE SCHOOLS ATTENDED
North Carolina State University (Class of 2014)
Ohio State University (Class of 2012)
Boston University (Class of 2011)
AFTER CORNELL
Western Illinois University (Class of 2008)
ALUMNI CAREERS
Iowa State University (Class of 2007)
Risk management analyst at Aegon in Cedar
Rapids, Iowa (Class of 2014)
University of Iowa (Class of 2006)
Software engineer at Pitney Bowes in Denver,
Colorado (Class of 2012)
Personal lines supervisor at Auto Owners
Insurance Company in Appleton, Wisconsin
(Class of 2010)
Harvard University (Class of 2005)
University of California Los Angeles
(Class of 2005)
Jim Freeman
Professor of Mathematics
Teaches courses in
mathematics and introductory
statistics. He managed
Cornell’s first Internet
connection and networks and
served as the college’s first
webmaster; created the first
website for the Iowa General
Assembly in 1996; and more
recently has investigated the
connection between origami
and mathematics. Ph.D.
and M.S. in mathematics,
University of Notre Dame;
B.A. in mathematics,
Grinnell College.
Tyler Skorczewski
Assistant Professor of
Mathematics and Statistics
Teaches courses in
mathematics. His research
interests include mathematical
modeling and fluid dynamics
problems arising in biology
and industry. His work has
been used by companies such
as Kimberly-Clark (Huggies,
Kleenex, Scott paper towels),
Hitachi, and Sandia National
Laboratories. He is the
2014-2015 Robert F. Witte
Project NExT fellow of the
Mathematical Association
of America (MAA). Ph.D. in
applied mathematics from
the University of California,
Davis; B.S. in Physics and
Mathematics from the
University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh.