Mathematics & Computer Science

Pi Mu Epsilon is a non-secret honor society whose purpose is the promotion and recognition of scholarly activity in the mathematical sciences.  This year the HSC chapter of Pi Mu Epsilon inducted six new members (see above; from left to right): Atticus O’Brien, Carlo Anselmo, John Kroencke, Adam Witham, Conrad Brown and Benjamin Lam.

This year there was a tie for the year’s Problem of the Month winner.  Both Branch Vincent (left below) and Conrad Brown (right) solved the most number of correct solutions for the year.  Congratulations to the winners!  This year the winners received gift cards to Walmart.

A few members of the Mathematics and Computer Science department attended the national Joint Mathematics Meetings in San Antonio in January, 2015.  The conference is an annual meeting of the American Mathematical Society and the Mathematical Association of America.  At the meeting Dr. Rebecca Jayne gave two talks, entitled “A Hybrid IBL/Traditional Abstract Algebra Class” and “A count of maximal dominant weights of integrable modules.”

Left to right: Dr. Rebecca Jayne, Dr. Heidi Hulsizer, Brian Hulsizer, and Michael Salita

One example:

Another:

More here:

• Bees&Bombs
• via Colossal
• via io9

Check out CareerCast’s list of top jobs.  Here are some top jobs in which the Math/CS department at HSC can help prepare you:

1. Mathematician

2. Tenured University Professor

3. Statistician

4. Actuary

7. Software Engineer

8. Computer Systems Analyst

Congratulations to the newest members of Pi Mu Epsilon at Hampden-Sydney College!  Pi Mu Epsilon is a national mathematics honor society whose purpose is the promotion and recognition of scholarly activity among students.

From left to right:Linh Nguyen, J.D. Chaudhry, Robinson Sagar, Zack King, Tyler Williams, Branch Vincent, Sasha Obradovic, and Carson Maki.  Not pictured: Nate Shepherd

Dr. Brian Lins (left) and Linh Nguyen (right)

Solutions to this year’s Problem of the Month were presented Wednesday, April 30, 2014.  Student presenters included Casey Grimes, Shawn Stum, Michael Salita, and Francis Polakiewicz.  Professor Robb Koether also presented a solution.  Student Linh Nguyen received a cash prize for correctly solving the most number of problems for the year.  Dr. Brian Lins presented him with this prize.

Left to right: Dr. Marcus Pendergrass, Jay Iqbal, Michael Salita, Braxton Elliott, Franklin Bowers, Watt Mountcastle

Left to right: Dr. Tom Valente, Eric Gorsline, Chris Stockinger, Dr. Brian Lins

Left to right: Francis Polakiewicz, Dr. Robb Koether, Dr. Matt Willis, Grish Makarenko, Erik Schafer, Shawn Stum, JJ Strosnider

  Pi Mu Epsilon is the National Mathematics Honorary Society of the United States and its purpose is to encourage scholarly mathematical activities.  We congratulate the new members and current members.  You can check out the organization at http://www.pme-math.org/.

The very idea of a “top 5” list is kind of mathematical, isn’t it?  Check out this list of the top 5 jobs from msnbc.com:

• http://www.msnbc.msn.com-85.us/read/?Article=23163

Four out of the five are Math/CS jobs: mathematician, actuary, statistician, and computer system analyst.

Do the Math/CS!

Here is a color image of Pascal’s triangle, with each number colored based on its value modulo 5. You can see how the pattern is self-similar like the Sierpinski gasket.

Click for higher resolution