Heather Muchowski

I have been an Assistant Professor of Mathematics at Westminster College since 2021. Before Westminster, I attended Marist College where I received my BS (2015) in Applied Mathematics with a concentration in Actuarial Science. I then attended Iowa State University where I earned my MS (2017) in Applied Mathematics and a PhD (2021) with comajors in Applied Mathematics and Mechanical Engineering. 

My research focuses on numerical methods for solving computational bio-medical engineering applications. In particular, I have been working on the development of numerical methods to study stent-grafts for the treatment of aortic aneurysms and bio-prosthetic heart valves for the treatment of valvular heart disease. Because of my background in applied math, I incorporate these applications into my classes to show students where math can be used in various fields of study. I particularly enjoy teaching courses like Differential Equations and Numerical Analysis where I can easily incorporate applications to motivate the theoretical aspects of the course. 

In my free time, I enjoy reading, taking my dog Piper on walks, and playing volleyball.