2017-18 News

AUGUST 13, 2018

Dr. Eric Landquist, Dr. Yun Lu, and computer science graduate student Dylan Gaspar gave talks at the Modeling and Optimization: Theory and Applications (MOPTA 2018) Conference at Lehigh University. Dr. Landquist presented "How to Create an Elo-based Sports Ranking and Prediction Model." Dr. Lu presented "A Population-based Metaheuristic Approach for Solving the Multi-demand Multidimensional Knapsack Problem."  Mr. Gaspar presented "Analysis of Parameterless Metaheuristics as Applied to the MDMMKP." Also, Dr. Lu was the organizer and session chair for the session on Metaheuristics and Their Applications. MOPTA is an annual international conference on optimization with world-renowned speakers and attendees.

JUNE 9, 2018

On Saturday, June 9, professors Zhou, Kronenthal, Lu and Wong organized a Math Kangaroo Ceremony to give away awards to students who made the national top 20 and state top three in the 2018 Math Kangaroo Competition. In the morning, professors Kronenthal, Mace, Sims, Walz and Wong prepared interesting and fun math-related activities; and in the afternoon, professor Reed invited students and their parents to visit the KU planetarium. All the children and their families spent a wonderful day at KU.

Jacob Christ, a senior physics and mathematics major from New Tripoli, Pa., has been awarded the Copper Chambliss Student Academic Achievement Award in the category of successfully completed research projects. For his research project, Jacob spent three years studying aspects of the Quantum Hall effect and was able to create optimal conditions to create the best reproduction of the Hofstadter butterfly, a famous fractal pattern which has never been created in experiments until now. Jacob has worked on this project for three years with Professor Kunal K. Das and has presented his research at the Division of Atomic Molecular and Optical Physics annual meeting, an international conference focused on atomic physics. In 2017, he was the only student to present his research at the KU Faculty Recognition Ceremony for grants and sponsored projects.  Jacob has a 4.0 GPA and in the future plans to pursue his Ph.D. in physics.

Shannon Golden, a senior mathematics and secondary education major from Allentown, Pa., has been awarded the Silver Chambliss Student Academic Achievement Award for successfully completed research projects. Shannon has conducted research as a part of the Research Experiences for Undergraduates program at Lafayette College. She has presented research related to her work in San Diego at the Joint Mathematics Meetings, a national conference, as well as at several regional conferences. She has also worked with others to prepare a paper that will be submitted to a peer-reviewed journal, "Discrete Mathematics." She is a member of the Kappa Mu Epsilon National Mathematics Honor Society as well as the Phi Kappa Phi National Honor Society. In the future, Shannon plans to attend graduate school where she will pursue a Ph.D. in mathematics.

Joseph Ritzko, a senior mathematics and physics major from Auburn, Pa., has been awarded the Copper Chambliss Student Academic Achievement Award in the category of successfully-completed research projects. Ritzko and his research partner worked on a project that could save the Borough of Kutztown up to $18,000 over the span of five years. Working with the Kutztown Wastewater Treatment Plant, they determined a way to utilize the methane produced at the plant, and use it to fuel plant operations. Ritzko has presented this research at Math Fest, an annual summer meeting of the Mathematics Association of America, held in Chicago in July 2017. He plans to pursue a career in mathematical research in industry work.

MARCH 15, 2018

Math Kangaroo is an annual international competition where students from grades 1 - 12 are encouraged to learn mathematics by presenting them with interesting problems and rewarding their efforts. In 2017 and 2018 combined, KU had 173 registered students, 20 made the national top 20 and eight ranked top three in states. Established in 2016, the Math Kangaroo Center at KU is supported by the faculty of the Department of Mathematics.

JANUARY 18, 2018

The female members of the Department of Mathematics along with students from the Association for Women in Mathematics student club hosted a "High School Mathematics Day for Girls" on Thursday, Jan. 18. High school students and their teachers from nine local high schools came to KU for a day of activities designed to encourage young women to continue studying mathematics and to pursue careers involving mathematics, the sciences, technology and engineering by offering role models and mentors.

NOVEMBER 12, 2017

Teams of Kutztown students performed well in the LVAIC (Lehigh Valley Association of Independent Colleges) team math competition; the highest-ranked Kutztown team finished fourth in a field of 21 teams, defeating the teams from Cedar Crest College, DeSales University, Moravian College, and Muhlenberg College. 

Please congratulate Brandon DeWitt, Brooke Eshbach, Grant Fickes, Shannon Golden, Jessica Licker, Diego Manzano-Ruiz, and Jacob McCann!  Most of these students have dedicated significant time to training with Dr. Tony Wong to prepare for competitions like this one.

NOVEMBER 4, 2017

Two KU students, Grant Fickes, mathematics major, and Charles Saternos, computer science major, gave talks on their current mathematics research at the PASSHE Undergraduate Research Conference held at Millersville University of Pa. on Saturday, Nov. 4. Grant Fickes' talk was entitled "Edge-Distinguishing Chromatic Number" and Charles Saternos' talk was entitled "A Population-Based Metaheuristic Approach for Solving the Multi-Demand Multidimensional Knapsack Problem." Dr. Tony Wong (Grant Fickes' mentor) and Dr. Yun Lu and Dr. Francis Vasko (Charles Saternos' mentors) also attended this conference.