Department of Mathematics
East Tennessee State University
Johnson City, Tennessee 37614-0663
(423) 439-6979
Education
I have a diverse educational background. I have three degrees in
mathematics. My area of concentration for my master's degree in math was
discrete math. I shifted gears for my Ph.D. and studied complex analysis.
Finally, while an assistant professor at Louisiana State University in Shreveport,
I completed work on a master's degree in population genetics.
I have the following degrees:
- Ph.D. in Mathematics (Complex Analysis) from Auburn University, 1991. Dissertation title: On the Zeros of Polynomials and Bernstein Type Inequalities for Polynomials and Related Entire Functions, directed by N. K. Govil.
- M.S. in Zoology and Wildlife (Population Genetics) from Auburn University, 1992.
Thesis title: The Application of DNA Fingerprints to the Reconstruction of
Genealogies within Populations, directed by M. C. Wooten.
- M.S. in Mathematics (Combinatorics) from Auburn University, 1987. Thesis title: Automorphisms of Steiner Triple
Systems, directed by D. Hoffman.
- B.S. in Mathematics from Auburn University in Montgomery, 1984.
Teaching Experience
I have decades of teaching experience.
I have taught in 4 different math departments at 3 different universities Auburn University, Louisiana State University in Shreveport, and East Tennessee State University), in the Physics Department of Auburn University, in the Physics Department of Northeast State Technical Community
College, and in the Department of Biological Sciences of East Tennessee State University. My teaching experience includes everything from freshman level service courses to graduate courses.
- 1993 to present: Assistant,
Associate, and Full Professor at East Tennessee State University. Numerous math classes taught including graduate/undergraduate Complex Variables, Analysis, Modern Algebra, and graduate-only level Real Analysis, Complex Analysis, Functional Analysis, Modern Algebra, Graph Theory, Differential Geometry, and Theory of Matrices. Chair of over 20 master's thesis committees. Graduate coordinator (circa 2000 to circa 2020). Math Honors-in-Discipline advisor (2007-2013).
- 1999: Adjunct Instructor at Northeast State Technical Community College. Taught 1 astronomy "telecourse."
- 1991 to 1993: Assistant Professor at Louisiana State University in Shreveport. 16 math classes taught ranging from introductory to
graduate/undergraduate level including Differential Equations, Advanced Differential Equations, and Statistics.
- 1984 to 1991: Graduate Teaching Assistant at Auburn University, Math Department. Over 40 classes taught including entire Calculus sequence.
- 1986 and 1990: Graduate Teaching Assistant at Auburn University, Physics Department. Taught the Astronomy labs in 1986 (during the
appearance of Halley's Comet) and the Astronomy class and lab in 1990 (when the Hubble Space Telescope was activated).
Additional Work Experience
- 1993 to present: Active member of the Mathematics Department of East Tennesssee State University. Deeply involved in the math graduate program and graduate student direction. Developer of the original webpage for the Math Department.
Kappa Mu Epsilon math honor society faculty advisor (2010-2016). Adjunct in biology, co-teaching Great Ideas in Science and freshman quantitative biology (2007-2008).
- 1991 to 1993: Committee member at the departmental, college and university levels at Louisiana State University in Shreveport. Statistical consultant for several individuals (mostly in the medical or biological sciences). Seminar Coordinator for the Department of Mathematics.
- 1983-1985: Student Aid with the Alabama Department of Environmental Management, Air Division. Duties included extensive computer work (in particular, software development) and statistical analysis of air data and acid rain data.
Research
I have remained active in research, producing over 70 research and teaching publications and several other works of "scholarly
activity." My primary areas of research are design theory and complex analysis. I have also produced works in applied probability and
statistics and in the area of math teaching. I have been involved in three books: (1) and edited anthology, (2) a graduate level math text, and (3) a book surveying an area of research. See my publications webpage for a list of my publications.
Abstracts
I have several published abstracts. See my abstracts webpage for details.
details.
Other Scholarly Activity
I have a number of works of "scholarly activity" which one shouldn't really classify as research. This "activity" includes solving problems
posed in the MAA journals, popular articles on astronomy, and popular articles on paleontology. See my scholarly activity webpage for details.
Presentations
I have given numerous professional presentations. See my presentations webpage for details.
Grants Received
- Louisiana State University in Shreveport Faculty Development
Grant with M. C. Lucas of the Biology Department of LSUS (1992). The grant was
awarded to cover travel to a mathematical genetics meeting. Total grant
amount: $945.
- East Tennessee State University internal Research Development
Grant (1994). The grant was awarded to study decompositions of complete digraphs
into orientations of cycles. Total grant amount: $3230.
- East Tennessee State University internal Research Development Grant
(1996).
The grant was awarded to study packing and covering problems of complete
digraphs into orientations of cycles. Total grant amount: $3230
- National Security Agency (1998). The grant was awarded to support the 11th Annual Cumberland Conference on Combinatorics, Graph Theory and
Computing. Total grant amount: $5000.
- East Tennessee State University internal Instructional
Development Committee Grant (1999). This grant was awarded to update the
ETSU Planetarium facility by adding an electronic projector and sound
system. Total grant amount: $3100.
- East Tennessee State University internal Honors Program Grant (2000). This
grant was awarded to support my undergraduate research project entitled "A
4-Cycle Covering of the Complete Graph with a Hole" with Scott Lavoie.
Total grant amount: $350.
Awards
- ETSU College of Arts and Sciences 1998 Teaching Award.
- ETSU 1998 University Teaching Award.
- Mace Bearer at ETSU Fall 1998 convocation.
- Granted a NonInstructional Assignment (i.e. a sabbatical) at ETSU
for Spring 1999.
- ETSU College of Arts and Sciences' "Basler Fellow" for 2007-08.
Professional Memberships
- American Mathematical Society.
- Institute for Combinatorics and Its Applications.
Graduate Students Directed to Completion
I have directed over 20 graduate student M.S. theses. The areas of concentration of my students include population genetics, differential equations, applied probability, complex analysis, and combinatorics. See my graduate students directed webpage for details.
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Last updated: March 22, 2024.