EDGE 2016 |
Summer Program at Purdue University
EDGE 2016 Speakers
| Week 1 |
|
| Donatella Danielli-Garafalo |
 |
| Title: Partial Differential Equations: Calculus (and more!) at work |
Abstract: In this talk we will give an overview of some of the main themes in the study of partial differential equations. We will start from some classical results from the theory of harmonic functions and highlight some of the fundamental results of the past century. If time permits, we will also discuss some very recent developments in the field, and emphasize the synergy with other areas of mathematics. |
| Week 2 |
|
| Piper Harron Piper Harron is a recent graduate of Princeton University. She is a soon-to-be ex-stay-at-home-mom who complains a lot. Her interests include number theory, shapes of lattices, intersectional feminism, and anti-racism. |
 |
| Title: How to Become a Liberated Mathematician in 13 Painful Years |
Abstract: Piper Harron never wanted to be liberated. She would have much preferred to be conventionally successful, living by other people's standards. Though she tried, she couldn't make herself fit. You could say she has some complaints. Now she has a story to tell. A story of failure and how sometimes failure is the same as leadership. |
| Week 3 |
|
| Erin Militzer |
 |
| Title: Teaching in Graduate School and Beyond Click here and here for slides and MAA Handbook for TA's. |
Abstract: Teaching (in some capacity) is almost always a component of your graduate experience in the mathematical sciences. Many graduate students are unsure where to begin when they receive their first teaching assignment. To start, we will discuss the varying assignments including informal definitions of each. We will then talk about the obstacles that you may face. Knowing these obstacles ahead of time and being prepared for them will only aid in your success as a graduate student. If time permeating, we will talk about your teaching beyond graduate school. There will be many portions of this talk that will be interactive. |
| Week 4 |
|
| April Harry April Harry (EDGE `10) received her undergraduate degree in Mathematics from Xavier University of Louisiana and is now a PhD Candidate in the Department of Statistics at Purdue University. She is advised by Professor Olga Vitek. April's research interests involve developing statistical methods for mass spectrometry imaging which take into account the spatial dependence in the data. She is also interested in the computational issues that arise from the implementation of such methods on large datasets. April is currently working on her dissertation research as a visiting scientist at Northeastern University in Boston, MA. |
 |
| Title: Statistical Design and Analysis of Mass Spectrometry Imaging Experiments |
Abstract: The goal of mass spectrometry-based imaging (MSI) is to characterize the chemical composition of biological samples such as tissues in spatial resolution, and changes in the composition between conditions such as the status of a disease. A single MS image repeatedly acquires mass spectra at gridded locations on a sample. When acquired over multiple tissues and conditions, the datasets are tremendously complex in both scale (~10000 features, ~5000 locations, in some cases 3-dimensional) and in the stochastic structure of the quantified spectral features. Statistical characterization of the biological and technical variation in these experiments is therefore key for deriving sensitive and reproducible biological conclusions. Unfortunately, there is currently no general statistical methodology that is available for this task. This talk will focus on the development of a rigorous statistical framework that accurately represents arbitrarily complex MSI experimental designs, scalable computational methods to apply this framework, and an implementation of these methods in open-source R-based software. |
| Reunion Speakers |
|
| Carmen Wright Dr. Carmen Wright is an Assistant Professor of Mathematics at Jackson State University. She obtained her doctorate from The University of Iowa and her research area is in the field of representation theory, but has also been doing research in genome science that combines biology and mathematics using machine learning. In addition, she has a special interest in increasing the participation of under-represented groups in the field of mathematics, noting the critical importance of doing research at the undergraduate level. She teaches abstract algebra and engages in undergraduate research that introduces students to some interesting applications of group theory and some of the traditional abstract theories of abstract and linear algebra. |
 |
| Title: Note To Self |
|
| Deidra Coleman Deidra A. Coleman, PhD (EDGE '04) is a native of Savannah, Georgia. She obtained her B.S. in Mathematics from Shaw University in 2003. She earned a Doctorate of Philosophy in Statistics from NCSU in 2015. Her research interests include distributions of runs and patterns in random sequences and statistical modeling for improved outbreak detection. In the fall of 2014, Dr. Coleman joined the faculty at Philander Smith College (PSC) as an Assistant Professor of Mathematics and became the coordinator of the Arkansas Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (ARK-LSAMP) program component at PSC. Since becoming a faculty member at PSC, she has been selected as a 2015 MAA Project NeXT fellow and awarded the 2016 Exemplary Teacher Award from the General Board of Higher Education and the Ministry of the United Methodist Church. Dr. Coleman is a summer 2016 recipient of a National Science Foundation MAA National Research Experience for Undergraduate Program (NREUP) grant. As often as possible, Dr. Coleman returns to her hometown of Savannah and where she enjoys spending time with family and going horseback riding, fishing, refinishing antique tractors. She is elated to reconnect and to meet the newest members of the EDGE family. |
 |
| Title: A Journey to the PhD in Statistics: Deciding, Persevering, and Celebrating |
Abstract: While there are now many stories that can be classified as a journey to the PhD in the mathematical sciences, each of them are unique. Yet, we share a common bond. We all know what it means to decide on and accept the challenge before us that is connected to an accomplishment of significant worth; and to become so committed to reaching our goal that we persevere against all odds. So, we each tell our stories realizing that in them we inspire the next story. In this talk, a journey of deciding, persevering, and celebrating will be told with the hope that something in it will provide inspiration for someone in the creation of their story. |
| Christine Berkesch Zamaere |
 |
| Title: Torus quotients in algebraic analysis |
Abstract: Algebraic analysis, also called the theory of D-modules, is the application of algebraic geometry to the study of systems of linear partial differential equations. Just as algebraic varieties with group actions admit quotients, we provide a quotient construction for linear PDEs with torus actions that is compatible with several important properties in algebraic analysis (the theory of D-modules). As an application, we apply tools from toric geometry to obtain new information about hypergeometric systems of PDEs studied by Gauss, Appell, and Lauricella, among others. In particular, we determine when such "Horn systems" are regular holonomic. This is joint work with Laura Felicia Matusevich and Uli Walther. |
| Sarah Bryant Sarah Bryant (EDGE '02) is a graduate of Berea College and received her PhD in Mathematics from Purdue University under the direction of Professor Rodrigo Banuelos in 2009. She has experience as a visiting faculty member at Gettysburg College, Dickinson College, and Shippensburg University and was a Project Manager for the NSF-ADVANCE grant STEM-UP PA: University Partnership for the Advancement of Academic Women in STEM. Because she wants to share the fun of mathematics with others, Sarah is the co-founder and co-director of the Shippensburg Area Math Circle for 4th and 5th graders. Sarah first participated in the EDGE summer session in 2002, later mentored as an advanced graduate student in summers 2005 and 2006; and most recently led Analysis workshops in 2012 and 2015. |
 |
| Title: When Mentoring Works (WMW) Click here and here for slides and mentoring map. |
Abstract: In this casual talk, we will discuss the power of mentoring and how to cultivate a positive mentoring relationship. We will talk through best practices in mentoring, whether in a mentor-mentee pairing or the type of peer mentoring network that EDGE cultivates. Come prepared to share your stories of mentoring (triumphs and tragedies) and what you hope to gain from your mentoring relationships in the next few years. When mentoring works, it is a powerful tool for women math warriors! |