SONJA KOVALEVSKY MATHEMATICS DAY

UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA

April 12th, 2008

Speakers, Instructors and Coordinators

Lorena Bociu : Lorena is a fifth year PhD student at the University of Virginia. Her research interests are in the area of Control Theory of Partial Differential Equations. In recognition of her teaching abilities Lorena received teaching awards from the Department of Mathematics in the academic years 2005-2006, 2006-2007 and 2007-2008. Lorena's outreach activities include presentations on "Careers in the Mathematical Sciences" at the Undergraduate Math Club at UVa, at the Girls in Mathematics Summer Program, August 2006, and at the Mathematics and Science Day for the Young Women Leaders Program , January 2008.

Rafaela Guberovic: Rafaela is a first year PhD student in mathematics at the University of Virginia with research interests in analysis. Rafaela was one of the instructors at the Mathematics and Science Day for the Young Women Leaders Program , January 2008.

Katherine Heller: Katherine is a PhD student at the University of Virginia with research interests in Operator Theory. She was a 2006 finalist for the University-wide Seven Society Fellowship for Superb Teaching, and has been an instructor in the Girls in Mathematics Summer Program, August 2006, August 2007, for the 2007 Sonja Kovalevsky High School Mathematics Day at UVa, April 2007, and at the Mathematics and Science Day for the Young Women Leaders Program , January 2008.

Lesley Elisabeth Hogan: Lesley Hogan is a second year undergraduate at UVA. She is majoring in mathematics and is also in the five year teacher education program through the Curry school for elementary education.

Meredith Jennings: Meredith went to the J.R.Tucker High School in Richmond VA, and she is currently a fourth-year Math major in the 5-year BA/MT program in the Curry School. She plans to graduate in December and substitute for a semester before she finds a job for the following school year. Hopefully she will be moving out to Hawaii sometime in the Spring! Meredith has always loved mathematics, and she looks forward to instilling an interest in her students at a young age (she is in the elementary education program) and getting them excited about math.

Tai Melcher: Tai is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Mathematics at the University of Virginia with an expertise in Probability. Tai received her PhD degree in Mathematics from the University of California, San Diego and held a postdoctoral position in the Department of Statistics at the University of California, Berkeley, before joining UVa. Tai led a very succesful workshop at the 2007 edition of the Sonja Kovalevsky Day.

Irina Mitrea: Irina is an Associate Professor in the Department of Mathematics at the University of Virginia. She obtained her PhD degree from the University of Minnesota in 2000. Her research interests are in the general areas of Real and Harmonic Analysis and Partial Differential Equations.

Katharine Ott: Katy is a fourth year PhD student at the University of Virginia. She is the recipient of several awards, including a 2007-2008 UVa Faculty Senate Dissertation Year Fellowship for excellence in teaching and research, as well as one of the 14 nationally awarded 2006 AAAS Mass Media Science and Engineering Fellowship sponsored by the Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics. Katy was selected as one of 26 participants from the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences and the School of Engineering and Applied Science in the Tomorrow's Professor Today Program for the academic year 2006-2007.

Carly Simpson: Carly came to UVa from a small town outside of Lynchburg, VA and she is a 2nd year studying mathematics and computer science. Carly plans to attend graduate school for mathematics and hopefully do research in algebra.

Mengxuan (Cathy) Tu: Mengxuan (Cathy) Tu is a 3rd year Mathematics/Economics major student. She graduated from No.7 high school (most of you might don't know it) in Chengdu, a very charming city in China. Mengxuan loves mathematics because mathematics is FUN, and it is much more about doing than about reading. After graduation, she might go to graduate school or launch a job in the financial area.

Katie Quertermous: Katie is a PhD student at the University of Virginia with research interests in the area of Operator Theory. Katie was also selected as one of 26 participants from the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences and the School of Engineering and Applied Science in the Tomorrow's Professor Today Program for the academic year 2006-2007. Katie was an instructor for the Girls and Mathematics Summer Program, August 2007 and at the Mathematics and Science Day for the Young Women Leaders Program , January 2008.