2004 and 2005 K-State Undergraduate Lecture Series in Mathematics
Lectures by eleven alumni, an actuary, a visiting professor, a career placement officer, and five of our faculty and staff were the highlights of the 2004 and 2005 Undergraduate Lecture Series in Mathematics at Kansas State University.Ruben Airapetyan, class of '00, gave a talk entitled Mathematical modeling: objectives, applications, and examples. He described the process of developing and improving a mathematical model for the degradation of polymer molecules in engine oils. Ruben is professor of mathematics at Kettering University in Flint, Michigan.
Michael Card, class of '67, answered the question What am I doing in this can of paint? by giving examples where math can be applied in the paint industry, such as research and development and strategic planning. He told us how: group theory was useful in studying crystal symmetry; ordinary differential equations were useful in studying atomic motion; and numerical analysis and linear algebra were useful in energy calculations. He described models of particle motion in fluid bed simulations and titanium dioxide demand versus existing home sales, using the latter to explain the steady 2% growth rate in the paint industry. Michael is director of sales in North America for Millennium Chemicals in Baltimore.
John Elbl, classes of '95 and '97, gave a presentation entitled Catastrophic management in the insurance industry in which he described how insurance companies manage their exposure to properties that are susceptible to natural catastrophes such as hurricane Andrew. John said that the most sought after skill of potential aggregation modelers is the ability to recognize and solve problems akin to those in higher level math courses such as abstract algebra, topology, and number theory. John is catastrophic aggregation manager for Zurich Insurance Company of North America and works in Chicago.
Gary Gabrielson, class of '68, spoke on The National Polar-orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite System (NPOESS). He described writing software for satellite systems to promptly and reliably collect, deliver, and process quality environmental data. Gary is a senior systems engineer at Raytheon Corporation in Colorado Springs. His career includes development of computer based training materials for satellite controllers and operational software for space environment models.
Mark Lesperance, classes of '90 and '91, gave A delicious introduction to auto rates in which he used M & M's to illustrate the problems actuaries face in setting auto insurance rates. Mark also described the actuarial profession in some detail. Mark is a casualty actuary working for Farm Bureau Insurance in Manhattan.
Bruce Merrill, classes of '01 and '03, described A strategy for 3-D modeling challenges in which he presented a simple visual motion display to illustrate tracking in confined spaces. Bruce showed how math was an indispensible tool for his research in mechanical engineering. Bruce is an instructor at Tulsa Community College.
Mark Norfleet, class of '04, explained How a group theorist "spells" surface and graph and gave some colorful examples of the use of jargon in math. Mark also addressed some Questions about the genus of powers in a free group. Mark is now a graduate student in math at the University of Texas at Austin.
Peter Pauzauskie, class of '02, gave a presentation entitled DNA computation: finding Hamiltonian paths with chemical algorithms in which he showed how to use graph theory to analyze DNA chains. Peter is now a graduate student in physical chemistry at the University of California at Berkeley.
Wiley Rittenhouse, class of '94, spoke on Mathematics at the United States Military Academy. He explained the process of using mathematical models to solve problems and presented a Monte Carlo simulation of a Triumph motorcycle production line problem which he solved using a spreadsheet to generate random samples from a distribution function. Wiley is a captain in the Army and an instructor in the department of systems engineering at the United States Military Academy at West Point.
Bernd Schroeder, classes of '89 and '92, presented The synergy between multivariable calculus, physics, and engineering or: why do we teach that stuff anyway? He showed how Gauss' theorem, Stokes' theorem, the Navier Stokes equations, and the law of conservation of mass entered into a calculation of the mass of the earth. Bernd is chair of the department of mathematics and statistics at Louisiana Tech University in Ruston.
Jingrong Yang, class of '99, gave a talk entitled Math and public health in which she did a survival analysis of how lower hemoglobin levels and reduced renal function relate to increased risk of all cause deaths. Jingrong is now a graduate student in epidemiology at the University of California at Berkeley and a consulting data analyst for Kaiser Permanente Division of Research in Oakland.
Jim Rowland visited Kansas State and talked about Mathematics...and a whole lot more: careers in property and casuality actuarial science. Jim is a senior actuary and product manager for Allstate Insurance Company in Northbrook, Illinois.
Roger Bey visited Kansas State and gave a lecture on Careers and graduate studies for math majors. Roger is chairman of the department of finance and operations management at the University of Tulsa.
Charles Eaton visited Kansas State and described The officer candidate program. Charles is a career placement officer for the United States Army.
David Auckly spoke on Undergraduate research at K-State. Andrew Bennett spoke on Roman numerals, the black plague, and the solution of cubic equations. Marianne Korten spoke on How to be the best math student you can be. Zongzhu Lin spoke on DNA sequences and graph theory. Andrew, David, Marianne, and Zongzhu are professors of mathematics at K-State. Karl Kandt spoke on The career fair, internships, and co-op work experiences. Karl Is assistant director of career and employment services at K-State.