Math Newsletter: Spring 2023

The semiannual ��Ӱֱ�� Math Newsletter includes recent departmental news and photographs.

Senior Profiles

Katherine Clemens

Avalon Vanis

Veronica Wang

Faculty Publications

Erica Graham on Endocrine Dynamics

Paul Melvin on Equivariant Hyperbolization of 3-manifolds via Homology Cobordisms

Djordje Milićević on the Spherical Sup-norm Problem

Faculty News in Brief

Over the past year, there were a wide range of faculty milestones including arrivals, departures, and celebrations of professional milestones.

As part of our spring info session, the department celebrated the achievements of two of our faculty. Djordje Milicevic was promoted from associate professor to full professor, and Erica Graham was promoted from assistant professor to associate professor with tenure. Graham also won the Association for Women in Mathematics’ for her work as a founder of the website.

In spring 2022, we said goodbye to Assistant Professor John Bergdall who left ��Ӱֱ�� to take up dual positions, along with his wife Katherine Raoux, at the University of Arkansas. Katherine had been a visiting faculty member at ��Ӱֱ�� during the Fall 2019 semester. We wish John and Katherine all the best in their new positions.

As a result of John’s departure, the department undertook a national search in fall of 2022 to fill the open position. We searched for candidates with expertise in the area of algebra, broadly construed. We received over 150 applications for the position, and after bringing three finalists to campus, we were thrilled to be able to hire our top choice: Selvi Kara. In addition to her research in commutative algebras, is a co-founder of , a collection of short video interviews with mathematicians. She will start at ��Ӱֱ�� in fall 2023.

Undertaking a national search is a huge amount of work, and we want to give a special shout-out of thanks to the student representatives on the search committee: undergraduates Jo Amuso A.B./M.A. '24 and Alishia Nation '23 and graduate student Dalena Vien. Their representation of student views provided the committee with a valuable perspective.

At the end of year celebration, we also said goodbye to Visiting Assistant Professor Ziva Myer who had been a faculty member in the department since the fall of 2021. Ziva’s students made a beautiful, mega-sized thank card for her in appreciation for her engaging teaching and the support and encouragement she had given them. Ziva was a graduate student at ��Ӱֱ��, receiving her Ph.D. in symplectic topology in 2017 under the direction of Professor Lisa Traynor. It was wonderful having Ziva back with us as a faculty member.

After the semester ended, our new hire, Selvi Kara, visited Philadelphia for several days during which she met with students and faculty.

Student News in Brief

Established in 2018, the Community Building Honor Roll honors students who have made important contributions to creating a sense of belonging, inclusiveness, and community on campus. The following math majors were on the 2023 Community Building Honor Roll: Lisa Adanye '23, Jo Amuso '24, Catherine Fu '23, Li Gordon-Washington '23, Tova Just '23, Alishia Nation '23, Patriciah Ogombe '24, Lola Rodrigues '23, Katelyn Schlefke '23, Hayat Shibeshi '23, Chloe Shupe '24, Abhirami Suresh '24, Rosalie Tarsala '23, Veronica Wang '23, and Beza Wondwossen '23. Math graduate students Dalena Vien and Savannah Williams also received this honor.

Mathematics and physics double major made the 2023 Centennial Conference Academic Honor Roll. Riley was also recognized as a Four-Year Participant in Athletics at the 2023 Athletics Awards Banquet. She was a member of the ��Ӱֱ�� Lacrosse Team.

Math major and health studies minor , a member of the ��Ӱֱ�� Indoor and Outdoor Track and Field Team, made the 2023 Centennial Conference Academic Honor Roll.

Mathematics and psychology double major won Badminton’s Feathers Award.

Mathematics and computer science double major made the Mid-Atlantic Rowing Conference Academic Honor Roll. Tova was also recognized as a Four-Year Participant in Athletics at the 2023 Athletics Awards Banquet.

Mathematics major won ��Ӱֱ�� Soccer’s Neal Abraham MVP Award. Sarah also made the Centennial Conference Academic Honor Roll.

Mathematics major , a member of the ��Ӱֱ�� basketball team, made the Centennial Conference Academic Honor Roll.

Mathematics major , a member of ��Ӱֱ��’s Swimming Team and a 2022-2023 CSCAA (College Swimming Coaches Association of America) All-American Team Member, made the Centennial Conference Academic Honor Roll.

Two senior math majors Rosalie Tarsala '23 and Veronica Wang '23 were awarded the Anna Pell Wheeler Prize in Mathematics. Rosalie wrote an honors thesis on "Modeling Diabetes Using Symbolic Regression Techniques," while Veronica wrote an honors thesis on "Mathematics of Hedging."

A.B./M.A. student Avalon Vanis '23 was awarded the Charlotte Angas Scott Prize in Mathematics. Avalon successfully defended their A.B./M.A. thesis "On Slice Obstructions for Unknotting Number One Knots" on May 3, 2023.

Math major Alishia Nation '23 was awarded the Mary Louise Cookson Prize in Mathematics in recognition of her exceptional service that has contributed to the life of the department. This prize was established in 2007 in honor of Mary Louise Cookson's extraordinary contributions to mathematics at ��Ӱֱ��.

��Ӱֱ�� math major and Haverford economics major was awarded The Holland Hunter 1943 Economics Department Thesis Prize at Haverford College. This prize is awarded to the senior whose thesis displays the most outstanding empirical and/or theoretical applications of economics.

��Ӱֱ�� math major and Haverford economics major was awarded The Michael M. Weinstein Prize in Economics at Haverford College.

Prof. Selvi Kara meets with math faculty for dinner

New faculty member Selvi Kara meets with math faculty for dinner 1 / 4

Prof. Milicevic receives a card from Prof. Donnay

Associate Professor Djordje Milicevic receives a card from Professor Victor Donnay, Chair of the Math Department 2 / 4

Erica Graham receiving card at Spring 2023 Info Session

Associate Professor Erica Graham receives recognition at the Math Spring Info Session. 3 / 4

Prof. Ziva Myer receives a giant thank-you card from students

Visiting Assistant Professor Ziva Myer receives a giant thank you card from students. 4 / 4

Graduate students Dalena Vien and Savannah Williams after Community Building Honor Roll Dinner 1 / 9

Senior math majors Jashiry Ayala Pimentel and Beza Wondwossen getting ready for the Black Love formal 2 / 9

Math major Patriciah Ogombe '24, Alloyah Abobi, Winnie Muiru, math major Jashiry Ayala Pimentel '23, math major Beza Wondwossen '23, Breanna M. Brown, Bintou Dembele, and Coumba Dianka at Black Love formal 3 / 9

Senior math majors Lola Rodrigues, Li Gordon-Washington, and Veronica Wang after their thesis presentations 4 / 9

Math and psychology major Catherine Fu '23 at May Day 5 / 9

Math major Katherine Clemens '23 at May Day breakfast 6 / 9

Math and physics major Catie Robinson '23 and May Day breakfast 7 / 9

Math major Chloe Shupe A.B./M.A. '24 at the Maypole dance 8 / 9

Math majors Orli McGuire-Berk '25 and Sophia Midgley '25 on May Day 9 / 9

Math major Jashiry Ayala Pimentel and daughter Ayanna 1 / 14

Math and physics major Riley Alexander at Commencement 2 / 14

Math major Beza Wondwossen at Commencement 3 / 14

Math and physics major Catie Robinson '23 with family 4 / 14

Math major Cordelia Li at Commencement 5 / 14

Math and computer science major Foqia Shahid '23 (center) with math major Maham Hassan '22 (left) and friend at Commencement 6 / 14

Math and physics major Lily Li '23 at Commencement 7 / 14

Lola Rodrigues and Hayat Shibeshi at Commencement

Math majors Lola Rodrigues '23 (front) and Hayat Shibeshi '23 8 / 14

Math major Lydia Rockart '23 9 / 14

Math major Yesenia (Nia) Hernandez '23 with family member at Commencement 10 / 14

Math and computer science major Jenny Wang '21 (second from left) with Rachel Lee '21 (left), sister Judy Wang '23, and their mother 11 / 14

Math and computer science major Tova Just '23 12 / 14

Math major Veronica Wang '23 13 / 14

Zada Vera and Veronica Wang at Commencement

Math majors Zada Vera '23 (front) and Veronica Wang 14 / 14

Math major Jamie Fiore Higgins '98 and Helen Herrmann Professor Emeritus of Mathematics Rhonda Hughes after the "Proofs and Professional Practice: A Conversation with Jamie Fiore Higgins '98 and Professor Rhonda J. Hughes" event during Reunion weekend 1 / 23

Math majors Sunny Kang '13 and Yashaswini Singh '13 who also majored in economics and pursued a music minor. Yashaswini will join Brown University as an Assistant Professor of Health Services, Policy and Practice in the School of Public Health this fall. 2 / 23

Math major Sohini Maniar '18 (right) with Anita Ntem '18 and Professor of Africana Studies and History and Co-Director of Health Studies Kalala Ngalamulume 3 / 23

Math major Jill Li '18 applauding during Parade of Classes 4 / 23

Nuzhat Arif with Tasnim Aziz and Sadie Mahmoud

Math major Nuzhat Arif '13 (right) with Tasnim Aziz '13 and Sadie Mahmoud '13 5 / 23

Yolanda Shao A.B./M.A. '13 talking with Professor Leslie Cheng at Beer Garden during Reunion. Yolanda was a double major in math at ��Ӱֱ�� and economics at Haverford. 6 / 23

Math and computer science major Cristina Cabrera '13 at Beer Garden during Reunion 7 / 23

Math major Samantha Lopez '14 8 / 23

Math major Shuning Yan '13 (left) with Congwen Wang '13. Shuning also majored in economics at Haverford College and pursued a creative writing minor at ��Ӱֱ��.. 9 / 23

Math major Shrooti Singh '03 (second from left) with friends at Reunion 10 / 23

Math major Anita Kilambi '13 at Reunion. 11 / 23

Rachel Goldstein, Laura Gellert, Andi Gillentine, Nabine Chae

Math majors Rachel Goldstein, Laura Gellert, Andi Gillentine, and Nabin Chae from Class of 1993 12 / 23

Math major Moira McDermott '88 at the "Are We All Data Scientists?" Panel Discussion 13 / 23

Math major Claire Goldsmith '03 at the Bi-Co Dance Party during Reunion Weekend 14 / 23

Math and computer science major Kara Breeden '18 (left) at the "What's the Buzz in the Well?" event with friends 15 / 23

Math major Rachel Terry '18 (right) and Larissa de Paula '18 at the "What's the Buzz in the Well?" event 16 / 23

Math major Christine Calderon '13 (right) with Jenny Roth '13 17 / 23

Math majors Shuning Yan '13 (left) and Tran Hoang-Le '13 (middle) with Congwen Wang '13 18 / 23

Math major Maeve Siu '08 with daughter 19 / 23

Math minor and physics major Nishat Hasan '03 20 / 23

Math majors Yaena Park '08 (left) and Dena Feldman '08 (middle) with friend at Reunion 21 / 23

Math and physics major Ana Cordova '13 (in red) at the Bi-Co Dance Party 22 / 23

Math major Alice Erickson '13 (right) with Katherine Liu '82 (left) and Betty Wei Liu '53 (middle) 23 / 23

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