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.