Education

Northwestern University

• Ph.D., Mathematics, June 1998
• M.S., Mathematics, December 1994
• Ph.D. thesis: "Connection Matrix Pairs for the Discrete Conley Index"
• Thesis advisor: John Franks
• Thesis committee: John Franks, Clark Robinson, Keith Burns

Hamilton College

• B.A., Mathematics, June 1993

Employment history

Dickinson College

• Chair of the Department of Mathematics and Computer Science (2008–present)
• Associate Professor of Mathematics (2006–present)
• Assistant Professor of Mathematics (2000–2006)

Michigan State University

• Visiting Research Instructor in Mathematics (1998–2000)

HONOR SOCIETIES

Mathematical Interests

Dynamical systems, Conley index, interplay between topology and dynamical systems, symbolic dynamics, omega limit sets, history of mathematics, Euler's polyhedron formula, the Euler characteristic, knot theory, billiards

Publications

Topology and dynamical systems

• "Symbolic dynamics for nonhyperbolic systems," with Jim Wiseman, (submitted)
• "Itineraries of rigid rotations and diffeomorphisms of the circle," with Paul Winkler and Jim Wiseman, Theoretical Computer Science, to appear
  
• "Chain recurrence rates and topological entropy," with Jim Wiseman, Topology and its Applications, 156 (2008), No. 2, 251–261
• "Positively expansive dynamical systems," with Jim Wiseman, Topology and its Applications 154 (2007), No. 3, 604–613
• "Equivalence of expanding properties," with Jim Wiseman, in the problem section of Topology Proceedings, 28 No. 1 (2004), 299–300
• "Topological helicity for framed links," with Elizabeth Bouzarth, Journal of Knot Theory and its Ramifications, 13 (2004), no. 8, 1007–1019
• "Positively expansive homeomorphisms of compact spaces," with Jim Wiseman, International Journal of Mathematics and Mathematical Sciences, 54 (2004) 2907–2910
• "Bounded homeomorphisms of the open annulus," with Jim Wiseman, New York Journal of Mathematics, 9 (2003), 55–68
• "A fixed point theorem for bounded dynamical systems," with Jim Wiseman, Illinois Journal of Mathematics, 46 (Summer 2002), no. 2, 491–495, addendum, 48 (Fall 2004), no. 3, 1079–1080
• "Shift equivalence and the Conley index," with John Franks, Transactions of the American Mathematical Society, 352 (2000), no. 7, 3305–3322
• "Connection matrix pairs," Conley Index Theory (Warsaw, 1997), 219–232, Banach Center Publications, 47, Polish Acad. Sci., Warsaw, 1999

Euler's polyhedron formula

• Euler's Gem: The Polyhedron Formula and the Birth of Topology, Princeton University Press (2008)
• "The polyhedral formula," In Leonhard Euler: Life, Work and Legacy (R. Bradley and E. Sandifer, editors), volume 5 of the Studies in the History and Philosophy of Mathematics series. Elsevier, Amsterdam (2007) 421–439
• "The flaw in Euler's proof of his polyhedral formula," with Chris Francese, The American Mathematical Monthly, 114 (April 2007) 286–296

Undergraduate mathematics and miscellaneous publications

• "A π-less Buffon's needle problem," Mathematics Magazine, 79 (December 2006) No. 5, 385–389
• "Centers of the United States," The College Mathematics Journal, 36 (November 2005) No. 5, 366–373
• "An illuminating example of the Gauss map," The College Mathematics Journal, 35 (January 2004) No. 1, 14
• "Math goes pop: The American public succumbs to the allure of a formerly ‘uncool' discipline," with Cotten Seiler, Dickinson Magazine, 80, No. 4, Spring 2003
• I was "blurbed" on the dust jacket of Mathematicians: An Outer View of an Inner World, by Mariana Cook, Princeton University Press, 2009
• I was "blurbed" on the dust jacket of How Round is Your Circle? Where Engineering and Mathematics Meet, by John Bryant and Chris Sangwin, Princeton University Press, 2008

Book reviews

• Review of The Survival of a Mathematician: From Tenure Track to Emeritus, by Steven G. Krantz, American Mathematical Society, 2009, for MAA Reviews, (March 30, 2009)
• Review of Five-Minute Mathematics, by Ehrhard Behrends, American Mathematical Society, 2008, for MAA Reviews, (July 6, 2008)
• Review of Hesiod's Anvil: Falling and Spinning Through Heaven and Earth, by Andrew J. Simoson, The Mathematical Association of America, Washington D.C., 2006, for Read This! The MAA Online Book Review Column, (February 18, 2008)
• Review of Topology and its Applications, by William F. Basener, Wiley, 2006, for MAA Reviews, (January 12, 2007)
• Review of Topology Now!, by Robert Messer and Philip Straffin, The Mathematical Association of America, Washington D.C., 2006, for Read This! The MAA Online Book Review Column, (April 8, 2006)

Translations

• "On n-gons, n-sided figures, and polyhedra," 2006 translation (w/Anne Maiale) of pages 20–22 of Karl Georg Christian von Staudt's book Geometrie der Lage, Nürnberg, 1847
• "Addition to Euler's Polyhedral Theorem," 2006 translation (w/Anne Maiale) of J. F. Hessel's paper "Nachtrag zu dem Euler'schen Lehrsatz von Polyedern," Journal für die Reine und Angewandte mathematik 8 (1832), 13–20
• "Easier proof of a stereometric theorem of Euler," 2006 translation (w/Anne Maiale) of Jacob Steiner's paper, "Leichter Beweis eines stereometrischen Satzes von Euler," Journal für die reine und angewandte Mathematik 1 (1826), 364–367
• "Proof of some notable properties with which solids enclosed by plane faces are endowed," 2004 translation (w/ Chris Francese) of Leonhard Euler's paper "Demonstratio nonnullarum insignium proprietatum quibus solida hedris planis inclusa sunt praedita," Novi Commentarii Academiae Scientiarum Petropolitanae, 4 (1752), 94–108 (available online at the Euler Archive )

Grants

• Sustainability in Calculus, From the Environmental Education Fund, Dickinson College, May 2009
• Summer study group: The Future of Calculus at Dickinson College, May 2009
• Willoughby Fellow, for implementing technology in my Knot Theory course, 2008-2009
• Central Pennsylvania Consortium Mellon Grant: to design a new course entitled Great Theorems in Mathematics, Summer 2007
• Dana Research Assistantship: hired Anne Maiale ('08) to translate mathematics papers from German, Spring 2006
• Whitaker grant for student/faculty research: the Dynamics of Beach Waves, with Tom Edgar ('02), Summer 2001

Talk and Presentations

Geographical CV

• A map showing everywhere I have spoken.
  

Panels

• "Family Matters," a panel about balancing family life and work, sponsored by the Association for Women in Mathematics, MathFest 2009, August 2009, Portland, OR
  

Talks for a professional audience

• Title TBA, Tetrahedral Geometry/Topology Seminar, April 2010
• "Symbolic Dynamics for Nonhyperbolic Systems," AMS session on dynamical systems, Joint Mathematics Meeting, January 2010, San Francisco
  
• "History of mathematics podcasts," Conference on the History of Mathematics and its Use in Teaching, Elizabethtown College, August 2009
• "A Japanese temple problem," Mathematical Association of America, MathFest 2009, Portland, OR, August 2009
• "Euler's formula for polyhedra: The gem of mathematics," Millersville–Franklin & Marshall Colloquium, April 2009
• "Itineraries of rigid rotations of the circle," Tetrahedral Geometry/Topology Seminar, April 2008
• "Lunch & Learn: PodClass," a presentation about podcasting in the classroom, w/ Brenda Landis, Dickinson College, February 2008
• "Podcasts in a history of mathematics course," AMS-MAA Joint Mathematics Meeting, San Diego, CA, January 2008
• "Symbolic dynamics and irrational rotations on the circle," Brigham Young University, December 2007
• "Symbolic dynamics and irrational rotations on the circle," Mathematical Association of America, MathFest 2007, San Jose, CA, August 2007
• "Euler's polyhedron formula: a prehistory of topology," Philadelphia Area Seminar on the History of Mathematics, Villanova University, March 2007
• "Itineraries of rigid rotations," AMS Southeastern Sectional Meeting, Davidson College, March 2007
• "Itineraries of rigid rotations of the circle," Dynamical Systems Seminar, University of Maryland, March 2007
• "A π-less Buffon's needle problem," AMS-MAA Joint Mathematics Meeting, New Orleans, January 2007
• "The Polyhedral formula," The Frederick V. Pohle Colloquium on the History of Mathematics, Adlephi University, November 2005
• "The Polyhedral formula," Euler society annual meeting, Roger Williams University, August 2005
• "Euler's proof of his polyhedral formula," AMS-MAA Joint Mathematics Meeting, Atlanta, GA, January 2005
• "Positively expansive homeomorphisms of compact spaces," 2004 Spring Topology and Dynamics Conference, University of Alabama at Birmingham, March 2004
• "Applications of bounded dynamical systems: forward expansive dynamical systems," invited talk at the joint meeting of the American Mathematical Society and the Real Sociedad Matematica Espanola, Seville, Spain, June 2003
• "Bounded homeomorphisms of the open annulus," Midwest Dynamical Systems Conference, Northwestern University, April 2003
• "Bounded homeomorphisms of the open annulus," AMS Eastern Sectional Meeting, Northeastern University, Boston, October 2002
• "Itineraries of rigid rotations," Dickinson College Math/CS research colloquium, April 2002
• "A fixed point theorem for bounded dynamical systems," Dynamical Systems Seminar, University of Maryland, November 2001
• "A fixed point theorem for bounded dynamical systems," Midwest Dynamical Systems Conference, University of Colorado, October 2001
• "Omega limit sets of maps of zero entropy," Michigan State University seminar, 5 week presentation, November 1999
• "Shift equivalence and the Conley index," University of Cincinnati Mathematics department colloquium, March 1999
• "Connection matrix pairs and the discrete Conley index," University of Cincinnati Dynamical Systems seminar, March 1999
• "Shift equivalence and the Conley index," Michigan State University Mathematics department colloquium, September 1998
• "An introduction to the discrete Conley index," a four-week seminar at Michigan State University, October 1998
• "Homology and dynamical systems and the discrete Conley index," one hour invited plenary lecture at the University of Cincinnati for the conference "Global Analysis 30 Years Later," March 1998
• "Connection matrix pairs for the discrete Conley index," Northwestern University Dynamical Systems Seminar, October 1997
• "Connection matrix pairs for the discrete Conley index," Conley Index Workshop, Banach Center, Warsaw, Poland, June 1997
• "Connection matrix pairs for multi-valued maps," Northwestern University Dynamical Systems Seminar, May 1997

Talks for a general audience

• "Euler's polyhedron formula: history and applications," Gettysburg College Mathematics Colloquium, November 2009
• "Euler's polyhedron formula: history and applications," Juniata College Mathematics Colloquium, November 2009
• "A Japanese temple problem," keynote address at the Millersville University Mathematics Honors Banquet, April 2009
  
• "Euler's polyhedron formula: history and applications," Hamilton College Mathematics Colloquium, April 2009
  
• "Euler's gem: The polyhedron formula and the birth of topology," Shippensburg Student Mathematics Conference, keynote speaker, March 2009
• "Euler's formula for polyhedra and the birth of topology," Brigham Young University, December 2007
• "Euler's formula for polyhedra: The gem of mathematics," Shippensburg University, November 2007
• "Euler's formula for polyhedra and the birth of topology," Bucknell University, October 2007
• "The history of the platonic solids," keynote address at the Elizabethtown College Pi Mu Epsilon Banquet, April 2007
• "Euler's formula for polyhedra: the gem of mathematics," Elizabethtown College mathematics colloquium, April 2007
• "Euler's formula for polyhedra: the gem of mathematics," one of the four plenary speakers at the EPaDel sectional meeting of the Mathematical Association of America, Delaware State University, April 2007
• "Happy 300th Birthday Dr. Euler: a celebration of his polyhedron theorem," FaculTEA, Dickinson College, April 2007
• "Euler's polyhedral formula and the birth of topology," keynote address at the Millersville University Mathematics Honors Banquet, April 2006
• "The history of Euler's polyhedral formula," Dickinson College Math/CS chat, November 2005
• "Introduction to LATEX" Dickinson College, April 2005
• "Mythbusters: the controversies surrounding Euler's polyhedral formula," Dickinson College Math/CS chat, November 2004
• "Mythbusters: the controversies surrounding Euler's polyhedral formula," Shippensburg University, November 2004
• "Its a small world after all," keynote speaker, Department of Mathematics and Computer Science Majors dinner, May 2004
• "When topology controls geometry: a generalization of the 180 degree theorem," Hamilton College, February 2004
• "Introduction to LATEX" Dickinson College, October 2003
• "When topology controls geometry: a generalization of the 180 degree theorem," Dickinson College Math/CS chat, November 2002
• "Rubber sheets, hairy hedgehogs, colorful maps and the platonic solids: applications of the Euler characteristic," Swarthmore College, September 2002
• "Rubber sheets, hairy hedgehogs and the platonic solids: applications of the Euler characteristic," Alumni College course at Dickinson College, June 2002
• "Rubber sheets, hairy hedgehogs and the platonic solids: applications of the Euler characteristic," Gettysburg College Math Department Colloquium, January 2002
• "Rubber sheets, hairy hedgehogs and the platonic solids: applications of the Euler characteristic," Dickinson College Mathematics and Computer Science Chat, October 2001
• "Fractals and Chaotic Dynamical Systems," presentation at the Science Day open house at Dickinson College, October 2000
• "Dynamical systems, continued fractions, and the Fibonacci sequence," Dickinson College, Math/CS chat, February 2000
• "Dynamical systems, continued fractions, and the Fibonacci sequence," Furman University Mathematics Colloquium, February 2000
• North Central College Mathematics Colloquium, February 2000
• Coe College Mathematics Colloquium, February 1998

Professional associations

• The American Mathematical Society
• The Mathematical Association of America

Service

Professional service

• Elected member of the Executive Committee for the EPaDel (Eastern Pennsylvania and Delaware) section of the Mathematical Association of America, November 2007–November 2012
• Served on the Mathematical Association of America's Committee for Minicourses, January 2007–January 2010
• Minicourse coordinator for 14 minicourses offered at the Joint Mathematics Meetings, Washington, DC, January 2009
• Co-organized the "AMS/SIAM Special Session on Contemporary Dynamical Systems" at the 2006 Joint Mathematics Meeting in San Antonio, TX

Served as a reviewer for grant proposals from the following organizations

• Served on a 2-day NSF/DARPA review panel to evaluate 30 grant applications, February 2003
• The National Science Foundation (2001, 2001)

Served as a referee for the following journals

• Nonlinearity (2009)
• Topology and Its Applications (2007)
• Foundations of Computational Mathematics (2005)
• Transactions of the AMS (2001)
• Discrete and Continuous Dynamical Systems (2001)
• Ergodic Theory and Dynamical Systems (2003, 2000, 1998)
• The Journal of Fourier Analysis and Applications (1999)

Reviewed book manuscripts for the following publishers

• Princeton University Press (2006, 2008, 2009)
• W. H. Freeman (2006)

Elected college committees

• All-College Committee on Information Technology and Services, Fall 2005–Spring 2008 (Chair 2006–07, 2007-08)
• All-College Committee on Planning and Budget, served Fall 2003–Spring 2004
• Planning and Budget subcommittee charged with evaluating the Global Perspective and the Technology and Information Management sections of the strategic plan (chair), Spring 2004
• Judicial Pool, Dickinson College, Fall 2001–Spring 2004

Other committees

• Science Executive Committee, Fall 2008–Spring 2010
• Hiring committee for writer/editor for College Relations, Fall 2007
• Department liaison for the Mathematical Association of America, October 2005–present
• Writing Subcommittee of APSC, June 2005–May 2006
• Library and Information Services website advisory group, January 2005–July 2005
• Faculty liaison for the Committee on Facilities for the trustees meeting, January 2004, May 2004
• Hiring committee for the Department of Mathematics and Computer Science with duties including scheduling interviews and interviewing candidates at the AMS/MAA joint meetings in San Diego, January 2002
• Dickinson Magazine Advisory Board, Spring 2001-present

Advising

• Adviser and team leader for the William Lowell Putnam Mathematical Competition, 2001-2003, 2005, 2006, 2009
• Faculty adviser for the Gaming club, Fall 2007-present
• Faculty adviser for the Jive Turkeys Ultimate Frisbee club, Fall 2006-present
• Faculty adviser for the Racket Club, Spring 2005-Spring 2007
• Faculty adviser for the Dickinson College radio station, WDCV, 2000-2007

Miscellaneous service

• Write on my mathematics blog http://divisbyzero.com/ Fall 2008-present
• Puzzlemaster (w/ Barry Tesman) for the "Puzzle of the Month" competition, http://puzzleofthemonth.blogspot.com/, Spring 2004, Spring 2005-Spring 2008
• Panelist for discussion of "The College's Fraternity and Sorority Community in the Eyes of the College's Faculty and Administration," February 2004
• Panelist for discussion of "Intellectual community," for new faculty orientation, Fall 2003
• Judge for the Springfest Battle of the Bands competition, Spring 2003, Spring 2004
• Spearheaded curriculum changes for Mathematics department and helped redesign the major, Fall 2002
• Organized a trip for mathematics majors to attend the EPaDel sectional meeting of the MAA, April 2002, April 2005, October 2007
• Organizer of a trip for mathematics majors to attend the Moravian College Mathematics Conference, February 2004, February 2005
• Organizer of a trip for math majors to see the play Proof in Baltimore, March 2002
• Presenter for the "Sexual Assault Prevention" discussion for incoming first year students, orientation week, Fall 2001
• Producer of the Bill Durden Show, a 1-hour interview program airing 5 times per semester on the Dickinson College radio station, Fall 2001
• Representative for the Department of Mathematics at the fall open house for the New Science Building, Fall 2000
• Judge for the 2000 public speaking contest, Fall 2000

Teaching

Awards and honors

• Nominated for the James P. Crawford EPaDel Teaching Award for the Mathematical Association of America, 2008
• Nominated for the Frame Award for Teaching Excellence, Michigan State University, 1999
• Nominated by the mathematics department for the university-wide excellent teaching assistant award, Northwestern University, Spring 1997

Courses taught

• First-year seminar (UFO or Plate on a String? Skepticism and Reason in the Modern Era)
• Elementary Algebra
• Calculus I
• Calculus II
• Calculus III
• Discrete Mathematics
• Linear Algebra
• Applied Linear Algebra
• Knot Theory
• Differential Equations
• Chaotic Dynamical Systems
• Great Theorems and Ideas in Mathematics
• Algebraic Structures
• Topology

Miscellaneous

• Wrote the Grade Wizard program for student-instructor interactions on the internet (http://www.gradewizard.com/, no longer online).
• Appointed head teaching assistant in the Northwestern University Mathematics Department, Spring 1995, Fall 1995, Fall 1996, Spring 1997

Professional Development

• Attended the MAA PREP program "Leading the academic department: A workshop for chairs of mathematical sciences departments," run by Arnie Ostebee, 2008
• Attended the MAA minicourse "Directing undergraduate research," run by Aparna W. Higgins at the AMS/MAA joint meetings in New Orleans, 2007
• Attended the MAA minicourse "Teaching a course in the history of mathematics" run by Victor J. Katz and V. Frederick Rickey at the AMS/MAA joint meetings in New Orleans, 2007
• Served as a reader for AP Calculus AB/BC exams for the College Board, 2005, 2007
• Attended the MAA minicourse "A Dynamical Systems approach to Differential Equations" run by R. Devaney and P. Blanchard at the AMS/MAA joint meetings in San Diego, 2002
• Attended Northwestern University's Faculty Development Program, Fall 1997
• Participated in the Preparing Future Faculty mentorship program, Northwestern University, 1994-5