Program connects equations to real-world solutions

When it comes to putting what you learn into practice, senior Mathematics major Meredith Orton has firsthand experience after spending a summer in the Research Experience for Undergraduates program for Computational Mathematics in Data Science at Emory University.

“The overall theme for Emory’s programs this summer was Model Meets Data, and I was placed on the project titled Optimal Control and Inverse Problems for Data-Driven DecisionMaking,” she said. “In this project, we developed methods of approaching inverse problems that result in effective decision-making skills that can be used on real-world data.”

LC’s Math Coordinator Dr. Stacey Ernstberger said REUs, National Science Foundation-sponsored programs offered at research institutions nationwide, are beneficial for students wanting to pursue further education.

“It is an opportunity to get an understanding of what STEM research at the graduate level is like, while providing students with opportunities to engage with research mentors and practice giving formal research presentations,” she said.

Students in LC’s Mathematics program develop an analytical way of thinking that applies across disciplines and careers, according to Dr. Ernstberger.

“Graduates are highly sought after in many fields, including data science, actuarial science, finance, economics, engineering and technology,” she said.

Alumnus Kyle Gutowski ’17, reinsurance actuary at Waypoint Underwriting Management, said the Mathematics program prepared him for the six-year highly competitive process of becoming a Fellow of the Casualty Actuarial Society, a feat he accomplished in the summer of 2022.

“In order to become a fully credentialed actuary, there are 10 exams one must pass,” he said. “My calculus and probability courses had a direct impact on my profession, as the first few actuarial exams cover these topics or rely on things I learned in these classes. The Mathematics program set the foundations for the skill sets required in my career.”

Alumna Rachel Pickens ’10, senior product manager at Nutri-Link Technologies, said the best lesson she learned from her math courses was how to find solutions.

“My classes taught me how to start with the facts about the problem in question and then use those facts to take the next step until I figured out the answer,” she said. “In my profession, I get to design tools that people use in their everyday life. The ability to see a problem through to the end, especially when the answer doesn’t seem obvious at first, has been essential in succeeding in my career.”

FACULTY & STAFF ACCOMPLISHMENTS

Dr. Vicki Pheil, Associate Professor of Education, was inducted into Troup High School’s Hall of Fame.

Dr. John Tures, Professor of Political Science, had his short story “Hurricane Hunters” published in the 2024 anthology “Green Magic,” released by Gilbert & Hall Press.

Service awards were presented in May to the following faculty and staff members: five years – Colleena Collins, Dixie Powers, Richard Soash; 10 years – Nikkovia Sweet ’14; 15 years – David Kelton ’13; 20 years – Anthony Wilson; 25 years – Margaret Reneke, Sheila Scott; and 30 years –John Cook, William Paschal and William Yin.