From the Head
Greetings from Corvallis!
The past year has seen many changes. In the OSU math department, we experienced both the bittersweet moments of colleagues retiring and students graduating, as well as the excitement of welcoming new faculty and students.
As you’ve no doubt heard, it is a challenging time in the world of higher education and scientific research. When I find myself feeling glum about the news, I remember the advice of Fred Rogers: "Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.”
Here in the department, faculty and students alike continue to find ways to invest in our collective future. This includes world-class research, innovative teaching, impactful undergraduate and graduate student mentoring, service to the broader community, and a commitment to making math open to all.
The newsletter offers a snapshot of the year’s highlights. Let me mention a few. In the fall, Nathaniel Whitaker shared his journey from the segregated elementary schools of Virginia to his career studying how fluids flow in the human body, underground, and in clouds of Jupiter at one of the most prestigious universities in the country. In the spring, Matthew Foreman visited from UC Irvine to give the Lonseth lecture on the mathematics of impossibility, and Rachel Ward visited from UT Austin and Microsoft Research to give the Milne lecture on the foundations of artificial intelligence.
We’re tremendously proud that Elise Lockwood was selected for a PECASE award --- the highest honor bestowed by the United States government on outstanding scientists in the early stages of their careers. Likewise, Axel Saenz Rodriguez was one of eight scientists selected by the Simons Foundation for its prestigious Pivot Fellowship. He will use it to bridge the gap between theory and experiment in the quantum realm. Victory Obieke was the featured artist in the Whispers of Home exhibit. When you visit the department, you can now see her paintings in the lounge. Department members continued their impactful work with the Corvallis Math Circles, Pacific Math Alliance, and Math For All conference series. Faculty and graduate students also traveled around the world to present their research.
After reading through this summer’s newsletter, explore our News and Events for even more mathematics news. You can find details about faculty accomplishments, student awards, research grants, scholarships, and ongoing activities that shape our community. It also serves as your go-to resource for current department news and updates. For example, there you will be able to learn about the new faculty and graduate students joining us this fall.
All of this is only possible thanks to the generosity of our many friends and alumni. Two of our incoming graduate students are supported by Ramanujan-Hardy fellowships. Last year an anonymous donor established the Tom Dick scholarship in recognition of his decades-long support of mathematics education faculty, students, and research at OSU. Most recently, the estate of alumnus George Barr created the George Earl Barr Endowed Professorship in Mathematics to recognize the impact of Oregon State on Dr. Barr’s life. The contributions we receive, large and small, are crucial to our ability to support students and faculty in all they do. We deeply appreciate your commitment to our shared values.
Jonathan Kujawa
Department Head, Mathematics
Hartmann Faculty Scholar
