Past Events
Math Awareness Week consists of exciting presenters, games, art contests, daily math problems of the week, and more.
2023 Math Awareness Week: Mathematics + Culture
April 3 - 6, 2023
Monday, April 3
Presentation: Patterns, Numbers, and Sequences - We will explore and discover patterns, numbers, and sequences related to Mathematics and real-world application.
Presenter: Dr. Terri Speights - Professor Speights is a full-time faculty member at the Lake Worth Campus. She has over 25 years of experience teaching Mathematics. In grade school, Math was always her favorite subject. What Professor Speights enjoys most about Mathematics is exploring the various methods and strategies for problem-solving.
Presentation: Rubik's Cube Demonstration & Competition - This presentation will explore the Rubik’s cube and students will be able to engage in a competition.
Presenter: Dr. Laura Heath - Professor Heath is a full-time math faculty member at PBSC’s Boca Raton campus.
Presentation: Damage Calculation in Personal Injury and Wrongful Death Lawsuits - A discussion of statistical modeling to calculate damages based on projected future earnings and earning potential.
Presenter: Jeff Van Treese - Professor Van Treese is the Paralegal/Business Law Chair. He also teaches environmental science and horticulture.
Presentation: Ethnomathematics: The Intersections of Mathematics and Culture - This presentation includes a brief introduction to the fascinating study of ethnomathematics as well as how culture impacts the teaching and learning of mathematics.
Presenter: Nikki Lineham - Nikki is a math teacher, math education consultant, co-founder of Educating Now, and a Ph.D. candidate. Nikki is passionate about making mathematics accessible for all people and strives to support teachers, students, and parents in developing numeracy skills. She created Educating Now an online resource for teachers, as a way to support teachers in learning to use manipulatives, visuals, and language to help their students develop deeper math understanding. Nikki completed a postgraduate certificate in ethnomathematics at the University of Hawaii in 2019 and is currently working on her Ph.D. at the University of Victoria focusing on culturally responsive and sustaining math pedagogy and spatial reasoning.
Tuesday, April 4
Presentation: A “Classy” Technique to Construct New Mathematical Structures - This presentation will explain what Equivalent Classes are and how Equivalent Classes can be used to construct new mathematical structures.
Presenter: Joseph Pick - “When I was young, I viewed math as a collection of cute tricks. Often, I did not pay attention to why I was able to implement these cute tricks. I just enjoyed accumulating and playing with cute math tricks. While attending university I learned about the deep theoretical concepts that explained why I was allowed to implement the math tricks of my youth. The proofs of these theoretical concepts contained many wonderful, deep, and ingenious tricks that I added to my “bag of cute math tricks”. After university, I worked in the industry as a programmer and wrote software for radar systems and hardware simulations. My math background came in handy because the applications that I wrote programs for required a deep understanding of math (calculus, linear algebra, statistics, and Boolean logic). For the last 10 years, I have used my experiences with cute math tricks, theoretical math, and industrial applications to make math more meaningful and enjoyable for Palm Beach State College students.”
Presentation: Uncovering the Unseen: Exploring the World from Above with Drone Mapping - The presentation highlights the use of unmanned aerial systems (UAS) for geospatial data collection. This technology has numerous applications in fields such as agriculture, urban planning, environmental monitoring, and disaster management.
Presenter: Youssef O. Kaddoura - Dr. Kaddoura is the Academic Program Specialist II in the Fort Lauderdale Research and Education Center at the University of Florida (UF). He graduated from the University of Florida with a doctoral degree in Geomatics Science. As a member of ASPRS, he served as a Board Member for the period from March 2020 to March 2021. He holds an M.S. in Computer Engineering from the University of Florida, which resulted in a US Patent titled “Remote surveillance and assisted care using a mobile communication device”, and served as a catalyst to further pursue remote sensing and photogrammetry. Previously, Youssef worked at Geospatial Consultancy Company, an ESRI partner in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
Presentation: The Human Side of Mathematics - The Human Side of Mathematics explores a wide variety of problems and personalities that have shaped the mathematical landscape. Some of the problems are still unsolved and some of the colorful characters you will meet prove that mathematicians are real people too!
Presenter: Dr. Anthony Piccolino - Dr. Piccolino is a professor of mathematics at Palm Beach State College since 2009. Prior to his tenure at Palm Beach State, he taught undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral courses in mathematics and mathematics education for 17 years at Montclair State University in New Jersey and served on several dissertation committees. In addition to his years in higher education, he also served for 25 years as a mathematics teacher and supervisor in public schools in New York State. Tony’s educational background includes a B.S. in mathematics from Iona College, a Master’s Degree from Yeshiva University and Fordham University, and a doctorate in mathematics education from Columbia University (Teachers College).
Presentation: Robots Helping Customers - Talk with BOB as he goes through the challenges and successes of being one first public libraries to have a robot independently on the floor helping customers. A discussion on the pros and cons as well as demonstrating the robot in action.
Presenter: Robert “BOB” Anstett - BOB is the Coordinator for Digital Initiatives for Broward County Libraries. Bob is in charge of the Creation Station at Main Library in Fort Lauderdale as well as Creation Station Business and other creative spaces around the County. Bob likes to say that he “lives in the future” where he gets to work with 3D printing, creative design, hands-on maker projects, and robotics. He is currently organizing and running a robotics track for the public to learn coding and building robots, as well as a Virtual Reality (VR) track & Augmented Reality (AR) gear such as a Microsoft HoloLens and Magic Leap available for the public to try out and develop on. Bob works at building connections with the local community and the library, along with fostering cooperation between libraries around the State of Florida and beyond.
Wednesday, April 5
Presentation: Beating Las Vegas Blackjack - This presentation will examine how art, gambling, and math came together in Las Vegas.
Presenter: Mark McKay - Professor McKay is a founding member of the Ophthalmic Medical Technologist program at Palm Beach State. He loves teaching and lectures nationally about eye care. He is a board-certified optician.
Presentation: Artificial Intelligence and the Future of Higher Education - This panel discussion will center on the impact of artificial intelligence on higher education. The discussion will touch upon various aspects of higher education including ethics and academic integrity, integration of artificial intelligence into the curriculum, and the impact of artificial intelligence on careers and occupations.
Moderator: Emmanuel Alvarado, Professor of Spanish and Sociology
Panelists
- Nelson Daniel, Professor of Chemistry
- Jesse Rogers, Learning Lab Coordinator
- Robin Fiedler, Professor of English
Presentation: Subtraction Games or 3+5=6 - This talk will discuss some basics of Combinatorial Games, also called games of No Chance. The level for much of the talk should be appropriate for students with high school mathematics - but, unsolved problems will appear at the end of the talk.
Presenter: Professor Locke - Dr. Locke earned his Ph.D. in 1982 from the University of Waterloo. As an undergraduate, he was on the 1974 William Lowell Putnam winning team. He has approximately 40 papers in Graph Theory and another half-dozen in Game Theory. He is serving as Chair of Mathematical Sciences at FAU until June 30, 2023. His hobbies include Judo (7th degree black belt) and Ju Jitsu (5th degree black belt).
Presentation: Mathematics in the Mayan Culture - This talk will discuss the use of a Vigesimal base system and the use of zero in its positional system.
Presenter: Dr. Warren McGovern - Dr. McGovern is a Professor of Mathematics at FAU’s Wilkes Honors College.
Thursday, April 6
Presentation: Chemistry and Culture - Chemistry is in all aspects of our life. I will present cases and incidences where you may not even think that chemistry is present.
Presenter: Sapna Gupta - “I am a chemistry professor at the Lake Worth campus of Palm Beach State College. I graduated with Ph.D.in organic chemistry and have been a professor in higher education for over 25 years. I love teaching chemistry and enjoy learning from my students. In addition to teaching chemistry, I love traveling and my newest interest is in sewing. I am originally from India, and I love both my birth country and country of citizenship – the USA.”
Presentation: Learn to Program Through the Math You Already Know - Have you ever thought about being a computer programmer? Maybe you want to do some other career, but still, think it might be useful to know a computer language? This talk explains how the speaker was able to learn programming by starting with familiar experiences like computer games and math.
Presenter: Jesse Rogers - Jesse is the Math Lab Coordinator for the Gardens campus. In the past year, he taught himself to program in languages such as Scratch and Python. He's now the advisor of Code Club and also provides tutorials on YouTube about how you can take your existing knowledge of math and use it to learn to program. Email him for links, or just come visit the SLC in BB207.
Presentation: How Big Is Infinity? - This talk will explore the different perceptions of infinity down through the ages and we will also discover that Infinity comes in different sizes! The concept of infinity has bewildered great minds for almost three millennia. Come join us on this journey in the world of infinity.
Presenter: Dr. Anthony Piccolino - Dr. Piccolino is a math professor at PBSC since 2009. Prior to his tenure at PBSC, he taught undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral courses in mathematics and mathematics education for 17 years at Montclair State University in New Jersey and served on several dissertation committees. In addition to his years in higher education, he also served for 25 years as a mathematics teacher and supervisor in public schools in New York State. Dr. Piccolino received his doctorate in mathematics education from Columbia University.
Presentation: Careers in Math Panel Discussion - Professionals from a variety of occupations will speak about how they use math in their work, and discuss ways that math is connected to the 'real world'.
Panel Moderator: David Jenks - Mr. Jenks is the Career Center Manager at PBSC. He has worked for almost 20 years in college career development. Mr. Jenks has been with PBSC since Fall of 2017 and has also worked at the FAU and UCF Career Centers. His previous career was in sales and marketing in the finance and travel industries.
2022 Math Awareness Week: Mathematics + Artificial Intelligence
April 4 - 7, 2022
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Presenters
Robert Anstett
BOB from the Future is the Coordinator for Digital Initiatives at the Broward County
Library. BOB works to obtain cutting edge technology for the public and staff so they
can see what possibilities there are!
M. Emre Celebi
M. Emre Celebi received his Ph.D. degree in Computer Science and Engineering from
the University of Texas at Arlington in 2006. He is currently a Professor and the
Chair of the Department of Computer Science and Engineering at the University of Central
Arkansas. Dr. Celebi has actively pursued research in image processing/analysis and
data mining with an emphasis on medical image analysis, color image processing, and
partitional clustering. He is a senior member of the IEEE (since 2011) and a fellow
of the SPIE (since 2021).
Callie J. Daniels
Callie Daniels is a Professor of Mathematics at St. Charles Community College. She
holds a Master of Science Degree in Applied Mathematics from the Missouri University
of Science & Technology, a Master's Degree in Adult Education from the University
of Missouri-St. Louis, and a Bachelor's Degree in Secondary Mathematics Education
from the University of the Ozarks. Her teaching interests include motivating students
to achieve their potential, finding new ways to use technology to help students learn,
and providing support materials for faculty. She is a Pearson author and writes for
the Lial College Series which includes College Algebra, Trigonometry, and Precalculus.
Callie’s other interests include riding horses, riding motorcycles, and shooting
action photography.
Louis Guccione
Education: MS and Ph.D. in Mathematics. Thesis topic is in the area of spectral theory
of differential operator.
Earned graduate certificate in wireless and digital communications. Worked in various
technology areas (radar, sonar, telecommunications, etc.) in industry over a period
of thirty years. Co-inventor of numerous patents in cellular security. Have been teaching
statistics (STA2023) at PBSC since 2014.
Madiha Jamal
I am Madiha Jamal, aka Maddy J. I am the of The Content Unlimited, an inclusive boutique
copywriting agency. I create branding and marketing copies from scratch and helps
businesses to thrive on content marketing with a 100% success rate. On the first instinct,
my educational background that’s a Master’s degree in applied mathematics seems different
from my career but I know that it’s connected because I see the world from a mathematician's
eye where everything falls under the universal language - mathematics. I simplify
complex concepts and explain them in an easy-to-understand, pleasant way - that’s
what all mathematicians do. I influence people with my capacity to concoct connections
with words that demonstrate affections, simplicity, epiphany, and some pizazz. I am
passionate about exploring the tech world with mathematics - one awesome technology
adventure at a time. I am a crazy fan of AI and Robotics.
David Jenks
David Jenks is the Career Center Manager at Palm Beach State College. He has been
with PBSC 4 years and has previously worked in Career Services at FAU, UCF and Stetson
University.
Andras Juhasz
Andras Juhasz obtained his PhD from Princeton University. After a postdoctoral position
at the University of Cambridge, he held a faculty position at Imperial College London,
and is currently Professor of Mathematics at the University of Oxford. His research
interests include differential and low-dimensional topology, and applications of machine
learning to knot theory.
Youssef Kaddoura
Youssef O. Kaddoura is the Academic Program Specialist II in the Fort Lauderdale Research
and Education Center at the University of Florida (UF), and an ABD Geomatics Ph.D.
candidate (exp. graduation 5/2022) in the UF School of Forest, Fisheries, and Geomatics
Sciences. His research investigates establishing a reproducible methodology to georeference
oblique tower-mounted (PhenoCam) images, through applying a multidisciplinary approach
that encompasses the fields of photogrammetry, ecology, lidar, conventional surveying
techniques and theories. As a member of ASPRS, he served as a Board Member for the
period of March 2020 till March 2021. He holds a MS in Computer Information Science
and Engineering (CISE) from the University of Florida, which included deploying innovative
use of technology towards enabling aging seniors to live independently for a longer
period of time. This work resulted in a US Patent titled “Remote surveillance and
assisted care using a mobile communication device”, which served as a catalyst to
further pursue remote sensing and photogrammetry. Previously, Youssef worked at Geospatial
Consultancy Company, an ESRI partner in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
Craig Kruempel
Craig has a BS in Biology, and a MS in Coastal Zone Management with an emphasis on
marine biology. With more than 35 years of experience, he provides clients with coastal
zone resource planning, permitting, and monitoring support. A major part of his responsibilities
include working on comprehensive characterization, monitoring, and mitigation program
development with an emphasis on natural hardbottom, artificial reefs, and living shorelines.
During his career, Craig has worked on projects that require a comprehensive understanding
of State and Federal coastal resource permitting and National Environmental Policy
Act compliance. He has served as principal scientist on numerous field investigations
throughout the Gulf of Mexico and East Coast of the United States. Craig’s recent
project experience includes implementation of a comprehensive water quality monitoring
program at Port Everglades and support of a marine resource monitoring program in
the United Arab Emirates.
Elayn Martin-Gay
Author of numerous Developmental Math textbooks by Pearson, Inc. University of New
Orleans retired faculty member. Recipient of Numerous Teaching Awards. Advocate of
Increased Student Success via Positive Mindset, Equity and Equality.
Mark McKay
Professor of Ophthalmic Medical Technology, National Speaker for Continuing Education
for Dispensing Opticians, Board Certified Optician, Professional Blackjack Player.
Anthony Piccolino
Dr. Tony Piccolino is a professor of mathematics at Palm Beach State College since
2009. He also serves as Coordinator of Continuing Contract Coaches. Prior to his tenure
at Palm Beach State, he taught undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral courses in mathematics
and mathematics education for 17 years at Montclair State University in New Jersey
and served on several dissertation committees. In addition to his years in higher
education, he also served for 25 years as a mathematics teacher and supervisor in
public schools in New York State. Tony’s educational background includes an B.S. in
mathematics from Iona College, Master’s Degrees from Yeshiva University and Fordham
University, and a doctorate in mathematics education from Columbia University (Teachers
College).
Joseph Pick
When I was young, I viewed math as a collection of cute tricks. Often, I did not pay
attention to why I was able to implement these cute tricks. I just enjoyed playing
with cute math tricks. While attending university I learned about the deep theoretical
concepts that explained why I was allowed to implement the math tricks of my youth.
The proofs of these theoretical concepts contained many wonderful, deep, and ingenious
tricks that I added to my “bag of cute math tricks”. After university I worked in
industry as a programmer and wrote software for radar systems and hardware simulations.
My math background came in handy because the real-world applications that I wrote
programs for required a deep understanding of math (calculus, linear algebra, statistics,
and Boolean logic). For the last 9 years I have used my experiences with cute math
tricks, theoretical math, and industrial applications to make math more meaningful
and enjoyable for Palm Beach State College students both in the classroom and during
my Math Awareness Week presentations.
Jesse Rogers
Jesse Rogers has been a Math Learning Specialist for PBSC since 2006. He's been a
regular presenter at Math Awareness Week throughout that time, presenting on how math
relates to everything from politics to game theory. He's currently studying the intersection
of AI, economics, programming, and blockchain technology, with plans to create a play-to-earn
game (Google "Axie Infinity") in the next five years. Jesse frequently writes for
the Geek Culture publication on Medium. You can subscribe to be emailed his articles
at https://medium.com/@jessejrogers
Merey Sarsengeldin
Research scholar in Mathematical Physics and Machine Learning at University of Central
Florida, PhD in Mathematics with background in Electrical Engineering.
Leanne T. Schmitt
Leanna Schmitt is responsible for providing investment solutions to current and prospective
intermediary relationships. Ms. Schmitt spent her first seven years at Intech in Portfolio
Management where she was responsible for the day-to-day portfolio management and trading
process for client portfolios. Prior to joining Intech, Ms. Schmitt worked at Salomon
Smith Barney (now Citi Prime Finance) Global Prime Brokerage Technology Group located
in downtown Manhattan, working on application development for internet/intranet systems
and was also head of their Disaster Recovery Team. Ms. Schmitt worked in New York
City as a web developer for Kiwibox.com and as a teacher’s assistant in the Computer
Science Department at Fordham University while earning her undergraduate degree. Ms.
Schmitt holds FINRA Series 7 and 63 licenses.
Terri Speights
Dr. Speights has over 20 years of teaching experience. Professor Speights has always
been committed to developing and implementing learning strategies which promote “student
success and retention.” In her spare time, Professor Speights loves to spend time
at the beach, traveling or hanging out with family and friends.
Dr. Eva Suarez
Dr. Suarez has served as the Engineering Technology Department Chair at Palm Beach
State College since Summer 2018. Dr. Suarez was previously a Senior Engineer at Florida
Turbine Technologies.
2021 Math Awareness Week: The Art & History of Mathematics
Monday, April 5 - Thursday, April 8, 2021
Monday
| Topic | Presenter | Description | Time | Recording Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beating Las Vegas Blackjack | Mark McKay | This presentation will examine how art, gambling, and math came together in Las Vegas. |
10 AM |
Watch Now |
| The Art of Patterns, Numbers, and Sequences | Dr. Terri Speights | This presentation is designed to develop student’s critical thinking skills by providing them with an opportunity to understand, identify, and describe patterns, numbers and sequences. An interactive approach will be utilized using technology through gaming making learning fun and engaging. | 11 AM | N/A |
| A Very Unorthodox History of Statistics | Marty Triola |
My "Very Unorthodox History of Statistics" is so unorthodox that it is not much about history at all. Instead, it is a forward-looking presentation designed to help prepare for the future! |
12 PM | Watch Now |
| Art of Wealth | Jesse Rogers |
One of the earliest and most important applications of mathematics has been to facilitate trade and measure wealth. But what is money, really? How did it start? What gives little scraps of dirty paper so much value? This talk gives a historical overview of wealth, and an introduction to the 21st century techniques that you can use to build it. |
1 PM |
Accompanying Materials:
|
| The Beauty of the Cross Product | Dr. Andrew Trupin |
Dr. Trupin will perform a cross product using a determinant of two three dimensional vectors and determine the angle between them. Then, using a dot product he will verify the angle. If time allows, he will also solve a differential equation using cross products. |
2 PM |
Tuesday
| Topic | Prsenter | Description | Time | Recording Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Statistical Approaches in the Evaluation of HIV Risk Reduction Interventions | Dr. Alisa Stephens | In conducting randomized trials to evaluate the impact of a novel intervention or drug prior to authorization and widespread use, several complementary measures of effect are of interest. We present two studies in which we use mediation analysis to explicate observed treatment differences of two interventions designed to prevent HIV transmission. In Being Responsible for Ourselves (BRO), a longitudinal, randomized trial of a behavioral intervention to increase condom usage, we estimate indirect effects through two-stage regression to determine reasons for lack of intervention efficacy and inform the design of future interventions. In the Phambili study, a double-blind, randomized trial of an experimental vaccine to reduce HIV infection, we identify a framework to explore the rationale for elevated infection rates among participants randomized to the active vaccine compared with placebo post unblinding. | 11 AM | Watch Now |
| How cool is that? 10 Applications From Math Class that Highlight the Beauty of Mathematics | Dennis Runde | This presentation will present 10 interesting, and beautiful, topics from the first two years of college mathematics. This presentation will focus on applications from Algebra and Liberal Arts courses. | 12 PM | Watch Now |
| The Human Side of Mathematics | Dr. Anthony Piccolino |
The Human Side of Mathematics explores a wide variety of problems and personalities that have shaped the mathematical landscape. Some of the problems are still unsolved and some of the colorful characters you will meet prove that mathematicians are real people too! |
1 PM | Watch Now |
| The Foundations of Mathematics and Art | Dr. Lynn Gamwell |
This lecture will present David Hilbert’s The Foundation of Geometry (1899) and the art styles it inspired, including Russian Constructivism, Polish Unism, Swiss Concrete Art, Japanese Mono Ha, and several more. |
2 PM | Watch Now |
Wednesday
| Topic | Presenter | Description | Time | Recording Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Career Panel of Community Professionals |
Moderator: David Jenks Panelists:
|
The Careers in Math Panel is a great way for students to learn about how mathematics is applied in the professional world. This year’s panel will feature four accomplished professionals from a variety of industries who will share how they use math in their careers. Students will also have the opportunity to ask the panelists questions. | 11 AM | Watch Now |
| A boy genius, a witch, a drunk pet moose walk into a bar… | Anurag Katyal | Real stories about real mathematicians. | 1 PM | Watch Now |
| The History, Art and Stimulation of Hyperbolic Geometry | Joseph Pick | This presentation explores the historical (and philosophical) implications of Hyperbolic Geometry. A simulation model for Hyperbolic Geometry will be introduced and some of the non-intuitive properties of Hyperbolic Geometry will be illustrated using this simulation model. Examples of Hyperbolic Geometry in various art forms will also be shown. | 2 PM | Watch Now |
| Math and Music | Carrie McDonald | Attend this presentation to enjoy learning about some of the intriguing connections between math and music. | 3 PM | Watch Now |
Thursday
| Topic | Presenter | Description | Time | Recording Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| What to do with Alexa, math skills, and more | Bob Anstett | This presentation will talk about how to use Alexa to help with everyday math and beyond. As a bonus you will learn how to create your own Alexa skill to help with studying. | 1 PM | Watch Now |
| Baking…it’s as easy as Pi | Lauren Culligan | Math and baking go hand in hand. Join me to discuss how fractions, ratios, timing, and temperature all play an important role when creating the perfect cookie. | 2 PM | Watch Now |
Presenters
Mark McKay
Mark McKay is a founding member of the Ophthalmic Medical Technologist program at
Palm Beach State. He loves teaching and lecturers nationally about eye care. He is
a board-certified optician.
Dr. Terri Speights
Dr. Speights’ teaching experience spans over 20 years. She received a Master’s in
Mathematics Education in 2006 at Nova Southeastern University and a Doctorate in Leadership
Education at Valdosta State University in 2018.
In 2013, Dr. Speights received a special recognition from the Vice President of Academic Affairs for her role in the redesign of the Developmental Mathematics courses which lead to improvements in student success and retention. Professor Speights joined PBSC in 2015 as a Professor of Mathematics. Her research has focused on “The Effects of Developmental Math Courses on Student Success Outcomes at Community Colleges.” Professor Speights has always been committed to developing and implementing learning strategies which promote “student success and retention.”
In her spare time, Professor Speights loves to spend time at the beach, traveling or hanging out with family and friends.
Marty Triola
Mario F. Triola a Professor Emeritus of Mathematics at Dutchess Community College,
where he has taught statistics for over 30 years. He is the author of Elementary Statistics
-- the #1 best-selling statistics text in the market for the last 25 years. Marty
is a firm believer that “real data brings statistics to life,” and that is the foundation
on which he writes his texts. Marty also designed the original Statdisk statistical
software, which is incorporated into his texts along with other software packages.
Marty’s interest in applying statistics to real-world situations comes from his own work experiences. Marty’s consulting work includes the design of casino slot machines and fishing rods. He has worked with attorneys in determining probabilities in paternity lawsuits, analyzing data in medical malpractice lawsuits, identifying salary inequities based on gender, and analyzing disputed election results. He has also used statistical methods in analyzing medical school surveys, in analyzing survey results for the New York City Transit Authority, and analyzing COVID-19 virus data for government officials. Marty has testified as an expert witness in the New York State Supreme Court. The Text and Academic Authors Association has awarded Marty a “Texty” for Excellence for his work on Elementary Statistics.
Jesse Rogers
Jesse Rogers has been a Learning Specialist at PBSC since 2006.
Since the pandemic he has written around 75 Medium articles, become a REALTOR, a podcaster, and a cryptocurrency investor. He’s interested in developing an entrepreneurship club so connect with him at rogersjj@palmbeachstate.edu if interested.
His Compounding Interest Podcast link is https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLcRrlkjedROcFDdwr8ANwg
Read his Medium posts at https://jessejrogers.medium.com/
Dr. Andrew Trupin
Professor Trupin received his Ph.D. in Physics from the University of Colorado.
Professor Trupin teaches science courses at PBSC such as Descriptive Astronomy, Earth Science and Applied Physics.
Professor Trupin has published science articles relating to global tide gauge sea level data, the effect of melting glaciers on the Earth’s rotation and gravitational field, plus more.
Dr. Alisa Stephens
Alisa J. Stephens-Shields, Ph.D., is an Assistant Professor of Biostatistics at the
University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine. Her research focuses on extensions
and innovative applications of causal inference to enhance the design and analysis
of clinical trials.
She also works on the development of patient-reported outcomes to inform population-appropriate trial endpoints. Dr. Stephens-Shields collaborates in several clinical areas, including pediatrics, chronic pain, pharmacoepidemiology, and behavioral economics.
She is a recipient of the inaugural Committee of Presidents of Statistical Societies Leadership Academy award and has held elected positions in the American Statistical Association Section on Statistics in Epidemiology and the Eastern North American Region of the International Biometrics Society. Dr. Stephens-Shields serves as associate editor for the journals Biostatistics and Pharmacoepidemiology and Drug Safety.
She is a proud native of Teaneck, New Jersey, and holds Ph.D. and A.M. degrees in biostatistics from Harvard University and a B.S. in mathematics with minor in Spanish from the University of Maryland, College Park. She is a member of Phi Beta Kappa and Omicron Delta Kappa national honor societies.
Dennis Runde
Dennis Runde is in his 31st year of teaching mathematics at State College of Florida
in Bradenton. He earned his BS and MS in Mathematics from the Universities of Wisconsin
at Platteville and Milwaukee, respectively and his PhD in Mathematics Education from
the University of South Florida. He is lead author on a Liberal Arts Mathematics textbook
and on a series of Algebra for College Students textbooks. Dennis and his wife, Kristin,
are the proud parents of three adult sons.
Dr. Anthony Piccolino
Dr. Tony Piccolino is a professor of mathematics at Palm Beach State College since
2009. He also serves as Honors College Faculty Coordinator. Prior to his tenure at
Palm Beach State, he taught undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral courses in mathematics
and mathematics education for 17 years at Montclair State University in New Jersey
and served on several dissertation committees. In addition to his years in higher
education, he also served for 25 years as a mathematics teacher and supervisor in
public schools in New York State. Tony’s educational background includes an B.S. in
mathematics from Iona College, Master’s Degrees from Yeshiva University and Fordham
University, and a doctorate in mathematics education from Columbia University (Teachers
College).
Dr. Lynn Gamwell
Lynn Gamwell is a lecturer in the history of art, science, and mathematics at the
School of Visual Arts in New York. She is the author of Mathematics and Art: A Cultural
History (Princeton, 2018) and Exploding the Invisible: Art, Science, and Spiritual
(Princeton, 2020).
David Jenks
Career Center Manger, Palm Beach Gardens Campus Panel Moderator
David has worked almost 20 years in college career development. Mr. Jenks has been with PBSC since Fall 2017 and has also worked at the FAU and UCF Career Centers. His previous career was sales and marketing in the finance and travel industries.
Dr. Eva Suarez - Panelist
Originally from Puerto Rico, Dr. Suarez made studying her passion. Dr. Suarez has
degrees in Chemistry, Statistics, Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering,
and Civil/Environmental Engineering, yes 5 degrees!
Dr. Suarez Worked at Pratt & Whitney for 17 years, and taught while working as an adjunct. Two and a half years ago, she accepted the position of Engineering Technology Department Chair, and since then expanded the ET program to all four campuses.
Camille Zerfas (Next Era Energy) - Panelist
I went to North Dakota State University for my undergraduate degree, where I majored
in math & economics. I attended graduate school right after because I enjoyed the
upper-level math classes and wanted to learn more. I earned my PhD in computational
mathematics from Clemson University in 2019. I am now working for NextEra Energy as
a Data Scientist. I’ve had a lot of fun in this role because it’s allowed me to apply
my mathematical knowledge to completely different situations and help build data-driven
solutions for engineers at NextEra.
Craig Kruempel (GHD) - Panelist
Craig has a BS in Biology, and a MS in Coastal Zone Management with an emphasis on
marine biology. With more than 35 years of experience, he provides clients with coastal
zone resource planning, permitting, and monitoring support. A major part of his responsibilities
include working on comprehensive characterization, monitoring, and mitigation program
development with an emphasis on natural hardbottom, artificial reefs, and living shorelines.
During his career, Craig has worked on projects that require a comprehensive understanding of State and Federal coastal resource permitting and National Environmental Policy Act compliance. He has served as principal scientist on numerous field investigations throughout the Gulf of Mexico and East Coast of the United States. Craig’s recent project experience includes implementation of a comprehensive water quality monitoring program at Port Everglades and support of a marine resource monitoring program in the United Arab Emirates.
Leanne T. Schmitt - Panelist
Ms. Schmitt is a Managing Director and Investment Specialist at Intech. She has been
with Intech for 18 years. Ms. Schmitt is responsible for providing investment solutions
to current and prospective intermediary relationships.
Ms. Schmitt earned her MBA in International Business from Keller Graduate School of Business Administration. She earned her BS in Computer Science from Fordham University.
Ms. Schmitt spent her first seven years at Intech in Portfolio Management where she was responsible for the day-to-day portfolio management and trading process for client portfolios. Prior to joining Intech, Ms. Schmitt worked at Salomon Smith Barney (now Citi Prime Finance) Global Prime Brokerage Technology Group located in downtown Manhattan, working on application development for internet/intranet systems and was also head of their Disaster Recovery Team.
Ms. Schmitt worked in New York City as a web developer for Kiwibox.com and as a teacher’s assistant in the Computer Science Department at Fordham University while earning her undergraduate degree. Ms. Schmitt holds FINRA Series 7 and 63 licenses.
Anurag Katyal
Professor Katyal has been teaching Mathematics at PBSC since 2010. Professor Katyal
was selected as a fellow in a Scholarship of Teaching and Learning which was piloted
by the American Mathematical Association of Two-Year Colleges. Professor Katyal teaches
his courses using an inquiry-based learning format, choosing not to lecture to students
but instead engage them in solving math problems on their own at the onset of class
sessions.
Joseph Pick
When Professor Pick was young, he viewed math as a collection of cute tricks. “Often,
I did not pay attention to why I was able to implement these cute tricks. I just enjoyed
playing with cute math tricks. While attending university I learned about the deep
theoretical concepts that explained why I was allowed to implement the math tricks
of my youth. The proofs of these theoretical concepts contained many wonderful, deep,
and ingenious tricks that I added to my “bag of cute math tricks”. After university
I worked in industry as a programmer and wrote software for radar systems and hardware
simulations My math background came in handy because the applications that I wrote
programs for required a deep understanding of math (calculus, linear algebra, statistics,
and Boolean logic). For the last 8 years I have used my experiences with cute math
tricks, theoretical math, and industrial applications to make math more meaningful
and enjoyable for Palm Beach State College students both in the classroom and during
my Math Awareness Week presentations.”
Carrie McDonald
Professor McDonald is a Mathematics Professor at PBSC. She earned a Bachelor of Science
in Mathematics with Minor in Statistics from Florida Atlantic University and she earned
a Master of Science in Mathematics from Florida Atlantic University. Professor McDonald
serves on the College Affordability Task Force and works hard to lower textbook costs
(plus more) for PBSC Students.
Bob Anstett
Robert “BOB” Anstett is the Coordinator for Digital Initiatives for Broward County
Libraries. Bob is in charge of the Creation Station at Main Library in Fort Lauderdale
as well as Creation Station Business and other creative spaces around the County.
Bob likes to say that he “lives in the future” where he gets to work with 3D printing,
creative design, hands on maker projects and robotics. He is currently organizing
and running a robotics track for the public to learn coding and building robots, as
well as a Virtual Reality (VR) track with an Oculus Rift & HTC Vive along with other
VR & Augmented Reality (AR) gear such as a Microsoft HoloLens and Magic Leap available
for the public to try out and develop on. Bob works at building connections with the
local community and the library along with fostering cooperation between libraries
around the State of Florida and beyond.
Lauren Culligan
I am currently a student at Palm Beach State College and will be transferring to FAU
in the Summer to pursue a degree in Mathematics. Prior to studying at PBSC I was a
linguist in the U.S. Air Force. When I am not doing my math homework I enjoy cooking
and baking as well as hiking and fishing.
2019 Math Awareness Week: Discovering Patterns
Monday, April 1 - Thursday, April 4, 2019
Monday
| Event Name | Presenter | Time | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
|
MAW Kick Off |
9:00 a.m. | HT 103 | |
|
Activate Your Creative Power |
Dana Hamadeh | 9:30 a.m. | HT 103 |
| Locating Outliers Using Regression Analysis and Technology | Jim Graziose | 11:00 a.m | HT 103 |
| Lunch | 12:30 p.m. | HT 103 | |
| So You Think You Can't Math? |
Carrie Stevens | 2:00 p.m. | BT 146 |
| Movie: "Hidden Figures" |
3:30 p.m. | HT 103 | |
| Environment...Give me a Sine! | Environmental Leaders Alliance | 5:30 p.m. | HT 103 |
Tuesday
| Event Name | Presenter | Time | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3D Chalk Painting: Chalk on the Wild Side |
Krystal Boyers | 9:30 a.m. | Outside HT Bldg. |
| How Does it Grow? |
Lawanna McCoy | 11:00 a.m. | HT 103 |
| Reception: Meet & Greet the Artists | 12:00 p.m. | HT 103 | |
| Lunch | 12:30 p.m. | HT 103 | |
| Factoring Polynomials | Tomas Pena SLC | 2:00 p.m. | HT 103 |
| What Do Fibonacci and Donald Duck Have in Common? | Elayne Martin Gay | 3:30 p.m. | HT 103 |
| Movie: Fermat's Room | 5:00 p.m. | HT 103 |
Wednesday
| Event Name | Presenter | Time | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mathematics in Biology: Becoming Aware of the Hidden Math | Nathaniel King | 9:30 a.m. | HT 103 |
| Origami | Ernesto Rivera | 11:00 a.m. | HT 103 |
| Lunch | 12:30 p.m. | HT 103 | |
| Rubik’s Cube Presentation and Competition | Laura Heath | 2:00 p.m. | HT 103 |
| Tessellations with MC Esher |
STEAM Club | 3:30 p.m. | HT 103 |
| M3: Mystery, Magic and Mindreading |
Anurag Katyal | 5:00 p.m. | HT 103 |
Thursday
| Event Name | Presenter | Time | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Digital Signal Processing in Engineering Applications *Limited Seating |
Massoud Talebi | 9:00 a.m. | HT 102 |
| Luncheon | Career Panel | 11 a.m. | HT 103 |
| Turning Numbers into Knowledge: Numerical Literacy and Its Importance in Business Analysis | Jonathan Pernick | 2:00 p.m. | HT 103 |
| Movie - Fractals: Hunting the Hidden Dimension |
3:30 p.m. | HT 103 | |
| Creating Fractals from a SQUARE | Donna Numeroff | 5:00 p.m. | HT 103 |
Monday
| Event Name | Presenter | Time | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Series | Prof. Jermain Gordon | 9:30 a.m. | CE 119 |
| Movie: Fractals - Hunting the Hidden Dimension | 11:00 a.m. | CE 119 | |
| The Human Side of Mathematics | Dr. Anthony Piccolino | 1:00 p.m. | CE 119 |
| Math Wheel of Fortune |
Prof. Eileen Doran & Prof. Alex Opritsa | 2:30 p.m. | CE 119 |
Tuesday
| Event Name | Presenter | Time | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Some Considerations about the Structure of the Universe |
Prof. Carlos Ramos | 9:30 a.m. | NS 129 |
| What do Fibonacci and Donald Duck Have in Common? | Elayn Martin-Gay (Book Author) | 11:00 a.m. | NS 129 |
| Stop Predicting, Start Forecasting | Prof. William Davis | 1:00 p.m. | NS 129 |
| Does God not play with dice after all? The hidden symmetry of the Bose Einstein Condensate | Dr. Andrew Trupin | 2:30 p.m. | NS 129 |
Wednesday
| Event Name | Presenter | Time | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Why? | Prof. Donald Keller | 9:30 a.m. | CE 119 |
| The Maths of Luxers' Multiverse and Beyond | John Charmant | 11:00 a.m. | CE 119 |
| How Big is Infinity? | Dr. Anthony Piccolino | 1:00 p.m. | CE 119 |
| Math Wheel of Fortune |
Prof. Eileen Doran & Prof. Alex Opritsa | 2:30 p.m. | CE 119 |
Thursday
| Event Name | Presenter | Time | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breaking Solution Patterns | Prof. Joseph Pick | 9:30 a.m. | NS 129 |
| Patterns in Chemistry and Nature | Dr. Sapna Gupta | 11:00 a.m. | NS 129 |
| Logic and Other Math Functions in Excel | Prof. Alan Haller | 1:00 p.m. | CE 119 |
| Movie: The Great Math Mystery | 2:30 - 3:30 p.m. | CE 119 |
Monday
| Event Name | Presenter | Description | Time | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flatland – Movie and Discussion | Prof. Tim Siniscalchi | Prof. Siniscalchi will be discussing, “Flatland,” an exciting half-hour animated film adapted from Edwin Abbott's classic novel, “Flatland: A Romance of Many Dimensions”. The movie stars the voices of Martin Sheen, Kristen Bell, Tony Hale, Michael York, and Joe Estevez. The DVD includes interviews with the stars of the movie. | 9:30 - 10:30 a.m. | BB 111 |
| Math and Politics | Mathematics Learning Specialist Jesse Rogers | In every physical science from chemistry, to physics, to optics, mathematics provides the foundation and framework which allows us to evaluate what is true and false. Our feelings and intuition are vulnerable to being fooled and tricked by illusions, but math is reliable. Can mathematics be a tool for solving our most important political problems - and if so how? | 11 a.m. - Noon | BB 111 |
| Number Prediction Routines | Dr. Simon J. Carmel | Dr. Simon J. Carmel was born deaf into a “hearing” family. He is an anthropologist, award winning magician, world-traveler, lecturer and author. At the end of different mathematical tricks such as Classical 1089, Fibonacci Series, 4 x 4 Magic Squares, Pascal’s Triangle, Quick Addition and Calendar Magic, Dr. Simon J. Carmel will demonstrate how mathematical methods related to the concept of “mathemagic” produce the number predictions. Please bring your calculator, paper and pencil or pen. | 12:30 - 1:30 p.m. | BB 111 |
| Meet the Author! | Author Elayne Martin Gaye | Elayn Martin-Gay has taught mathematics at the University of New Orleans for more than 25 years. Her numerous teaching awards include the local University Alumni Association’s Award for Excellence in Teaching, and Outstanding Developmental Educator at University of New Orleans, presented by the Louisiana Association of Developmental Educators. Elayn is the author of 13 published textbooks, all specializing in developmental mathematics courses. | 2 - 3 p.m. | BB 111 |
| Brain Bowl – Beginning and Intermediate Level | Prof. Brown and Prof. Brownlee | Join in the fun and fast-paced math competition with questions drawn from all math topics. Bring your phone, connect to Wi-Fi, and go to www.kahoot.it. Prizes will be awarded to the top scorers. Only development, intermediate, and quantitative reasoning students are eligible to win. | 3:30 - 4:30 p.m. | BB 111 |
Tuesday
| Event Name | Presenter | Description | Time | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Introduction to Virtual and Augmented Reality | Mr. Robert Anstett, Broward County Library Creation Station (hosted by the Entertainment Club) | Come learn all about Virtual Reality and have a chance to try out some of the latest equipment with the Creation Station. An interactive talk about what is happening in the field of Virtual Reality, Augmented Reality, and Voice Recognition equipment. | 9:30 - 10:30 a.m. | BB 111 |
| Lifetime Lessons to Financial Success | Prof. Gary Thomasson | It’s not how much you earn but rather how much you save. Come learn the two most important lifetime lessons to financial success in later life. Bring your calculator! | 11 a.m. - Noon | AA 229 |
| The Numbers Behind Social Media | Ms. Alex Stark, Social Circuit, Business owner, and PBSC Alumnus | Data and statistics from different social media sources may provide impact marketing strategies for your business. | 12:30 - 1:30 p.m. | BB 111 |
| Movie and Discussion: Hidden Figures | Mathematics Learning Specialist Karen White | A 2016 American biographical film based on the non-fiction book of the same name by Margot Lee Shetterly about black female mathematicians who worked at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) during the Space Race. | 2 - 4 p.m. | BB 111 |
Wednesday
| Event Name | Presenter | Description | Time | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Art of Math | Matt Merlo, Honors College | Come learn about the beauty of mathematics from the perspective of a fellow student! He will also share his experience in the honors college. | 9:30 - 10:30 a.m. | BB 111 |
| Casino Games and Math | Prof. McKay | Learn how six MIT students who were trained in card counting took Vegas casinos for millions using simple math: adding, subtracting, multiplying and dividing. | 11 a.m. - Noon | BB 111 |
| Brain Bowl – Intermediate Level | Prof. Brownlee | Join in the fun and fast-paced math competition with questions drawn from all math topics. Bring your phone, connect to Wi-Fi, and go to www.kahoot.it. Prizes will be awarded to the top scorers. Only developmental, intermediate, and quantitative reasoning students are eligible to win. | 12:30 - 1:30 p.m. | BB 111 |
| Why is the Golden Ratio referred to as the Divine Proportion? | Prof. Zatto | This presentation will reveal the uniqueness of this special ratio. You'll learn the value of the golden ratio as well as the construction of the golden ratio. You'll also learn about its connection to the famous Fibonacci sequence. | 2 - 3 p.m. | BB 111 |
| Brain Bowl – Advanced Level | Prof. Boulware and Prof. Rosenthal | Join in the fun and fast-paced math competition with questions drawn from all math topics. Bring your phone, connect to Wi-Fi, and go to www.kahoot.it. Prizes will be awarded to the top scorers. | 3:30 - 4:30 p.m. | BB 111 |
Thursday
| Event Name | Presenter | Description | Time | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Math, Energy and Powerful Careers | Prof. Oleg Andric, Electrical Power Tech. | With so much talk about STEM education and STEM careers, the talk focuses on local and global energy industry as well as possible careers. We will discuss careers options as well as math behind the costs and benefits of these career choices. | 9:30 - 10:30 a.m. | BB 111 |
| Career Panel of Community Professionals | Mr. David Jenks, Career Center Manager | Join us for a Q and A! The panel will consist of local community professional with careers in STEM. | 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. | BB 111 |
| The Absolute Value of Math in Current Events | Dr. Magdala Ray | Come join the fun as Dr. Ray uses current events in media to reveal how often math is intertwined in our day- to-day activities. Bring a partner to compete for prizes in identifying 1) the most math facts discovered in a news story, 2) the best math-related suggestion for a solution to the problem in the news story, and 3) the best “catch” of a math error in a news story. | 2 - 3 p.m. | LL 213 |
| Sudoku – “How to” and Strategy | Prof. Miller | The popular game of sudoku requires critical thinking and strategy. Learn how to play sudoku and compete to win! | 3:30 - 4:30 p.m. | BB 111 |
