Mathematics Faculty and Majors Participated in Association's Section Meeting
Posted on Friday, April 27, 2012
Four faculty from Westminster College's Department of Mathematics and Computer Science and three mathematics majors participated in the annual meeting of the Allegheny Mountain Section of the Mathematical Association of America (MAA) April 13-14 at West Virginia University.
Sophomore Gregory Clark presented "Famous Sequences and Euclidean Algorithm Step Sizes," the results of an independent research project guided by Dr. Natacha Fontes-Merz, associate professor. Clark is a son of Jeffrey and Shari Clark of Cranberry Township and a graduate of Seneca Valley High School.
Senior Richard Ligo presented "Diagonal Diagrams: An Interesting Representation for Specific Classes of Links" that discussed grid diagram representations of links, defined a particular type of grid diagram called a diagonal diagram, and proved statements about the links represented by specific classes of diagonal diagrams. Ligo is a son of Jesse and Amy Ligo of Mercer and a graduate of Mercer Area High School.
Also attending was sophomore Emily Walther, a daughter of Jeff and Brenda Walther of Washington and a graduate of Trinity High School.
Dr. David Offner, assistant professor, presented his research on "Cops and Robber on the Hypercube."
Dr. Jeffrey Boerner and Dr. Pamela Richardson, assistant professors, serve as section officers. They organized a student problem-solving competition for approximately 60 students from schools throughout the region. In addition, Richardson organized the student program for the meeting.
Boerner and Offner participated in "Extreme Calculus," a NExT (New Experiences in Teaching) workshop for new faculty in the section.
Dr. Barbara Faires, professor emerita, attended as secretary for the MAA.
Contact Richardson at (724) 946-7286 or email for additional information about the conference.
Clark and Ligo received travel/presentation grants from Westminster's Drinko Center for Experiential Learning to present their research.
The Drinko Center for Experiential Learning was created to enrich undergraduate education at Westminster through advancing world-class teaching as well as by participating in collaborations that address community and regional needs including strengthening K-12 education. The Undergraduate Research Initiative provides funding for students to conduct research and to present their research at regional and national conferences. Visit the Drinko website for more information about the Drinko Center and its programs.
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