Project Directors: Laura Gross, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Mathematics
Linda Saliga, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Mathematics
Ethel Wheland, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Mathematics

The University and program
The University of Akron is a metropolitan university serving a large area of northeast Ohio. We work closely with local industry, and many of our students maintain heavy work schedules apart from their academic life. We sense that success in mathematics requires a commitment to diligent work and can be enhanced by interaction among students. Women who are isolated from peers or mentors are easily discouraged. Since our university is overwhelmingly a commuter campus, women find difficulty in forming study or interest groups. We intend to build a community of women in mathematics and to give our female students a forum for building relationships that will strengthen their study of mathematics. A goal of this project is to retain more women mathematics students at all levels, from undergraduate through graduate, and to provide them with a strong network of support. Even though opportunities for women in mathematics have never been greater, many undergraduate women are unaware of career opportunities in mathematics. We are committed to making careers in all areas of science and mathematics attractive and accessible to female students.

Funding History In the spring of 1998 the women faculty members in the Department of Mathematics and Computer Science (now the Department of Theoretical and Applied Mathematics) were awarded a grant from the Tensor Foundation for the program "Mentoring Women in Mathematics". The Tensor Foundation, working through the Mathematical Association of America, awards grants for projects designed to encourage college and university women to study mathematics. With their seed money, the UA Women in Mathematics program was started in the fall of 1998. The grant was renewed at a higher level for the following year and allowed us to expand the program. Currently, the Women in Mathematics program is generously funded by friends and graduates of our program.

History of Activities
In the fall of 1998, we established a monthly "Mathematics afternoon for women." Women faculty members have lunch with women students, providing valuable role models and increased communication between faculty members and students. Each month one woman graduate of our program is invited from a local industry to join us for lunch and to address the women about careers in mathematical fields and the role mathematics plays in their specific jobs. Our guests have included

• Stephanie Morman from Americhem,
• Mary Westerman from Lockheed Martin
• Jennifer Fisher from First Energy Corporation
• Nancy Kulk Knudsen from Timken Company
• Brenda Krager Reppa from Goodyear Tire and Rubber
• Siobhan Vamosi who works in the insurance industry
• Amy Masters Terry from William M. Mercer
• Terrian Nowden from NASA Glenn
• Vickie Van Dresar in mathematics education from Ashland University

Another phase of the present project was to invite a well-known woman in mathematics to present a colloquium on her research interests. We invited mathematicians whose mathematical interests complement those in our department (both in mathematics and applied mathematics). Thus far, we welcomed

• Dr. Irene Fonseca from Carnegie Mellon University,
• Dr. Elizabeth Wilmer from Oberlin College
• Dr. Marian Barry from the National Security Agency
• Dr. Florence Fasanelli from National Research Institutes
• Dr. Kathleen Hoffman from University of Maryland, Baltimore.

In addition, Dr. Sheryl Patrick Grace, an aeronautical engineer from Boston University, spent two days with us in April, 2000. Sheryl is a graduate of our applied mathematics program who completed her graduate work at Notre Dame. During her visit, we sponsored several activities in conjunction with the Women in Engineering program.

Expanding our influence

In the fall of 1999 we decided to enlarge our program to an exchange with nearby universities. For the October meeting, we invited women mathematics majors from Youngstown State University and Cleveland State University to join us for the luncheon. Dr. Florence Fasanelli was our guest speaker.

In the fall of 2001, we organized a two-day seminar with applied mathematician Kathleen Hoffman of the University of Maryland.Women students and faculty from John Carroll University and Youngstown State were our guests for the lunchtime presentation.In addition to giving a technical colloquium, Dr. Hoffman gave a presentation for local high school girls from the Akron area.

For several years we have participated in Kid’s Career Day at UA.The event draws about 300 elementary-aged girls from the community.Our mathematical lessons with M&Ms and lollipop graphs were among the most popular presentations.The days have been full of energy and excitement.

Travel grants for women
The Women in Mathematics program was able to offer small travel grants to women students to present papers and posters at professional meetings. Graduate students, Rebecca Brown and Sara Hagey, gave poster presentations of their research projects on fractal geometry at the joint meetings of the MAA/AMS in San Antonio in January, 1999. Carrie Dugan presented some number theory results at Marshall University in Spring, 2000.
Undergraduate students also have opportunities to present projects that they have completed. Mira Vukelic gave a presentation on "Wallpaper Tilings" at the University of Dayton in Spring, 1999. Holly Dragomir and Angela Williams both gave history of mathematics talks at Marshall University in Spring, 2000. At the joint meetings in New Orleans (January, 2001) Deena Schmidt gave a poster presentation of research she conducted at Cornell University during the summer of 2000. At the Spring 2001 MAA meeting at Bowling Green, Angela Williams gave an abstract algebra talk, and Miyuki Breen presented results of a research project she did at Carnegie-Mellon in the summer of 2000. Katie Jones, Isabel Averill, Coral Wheeler and Miyuki Breen all presented at the spring MAA meeting at Xavier University in April 2002. Isabel Averill and Coral Wheeler presented results of current research projects at the regional Pi Mu Epsilon meeting in February, 2003. Isabel and Coral presented again at the MAA meeting at Ohio State in April. We also encouraged these students to share those presentations on the University of Akron campus to provide motivation to other women in science.

Report of activities for WOMEN IN MATH, 2002--2003:
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September 19, 2002: We brainstormed and planned activities for the fall at a pizza lunch.

October 17, 2002: We had a (Chinese-food) luncheon. Terrian Nowden spoke with us informally afterward. Terrian is a math graduate from Akron U. She discussed her career at NASA and the role mathematics plays in her job.

February 6, 2003: We had another Chinese-food luncheon, this time featuring speaker Dr. Vickie Van Dresar, who brought three of her
students from Ashland University. She obtained her MS in mathematics here at Akron and has been teaching at Ashland University since 1996.
Her research interests include teaching mathematics and teachers' beliefs about mathematics and the teaching of mathematics. She
discussed her career with us.

March 1, 2003 (8:30 a.m.--noon): Women in Mathematics supervised activities that we devised for the Fourth Annual Kids' Career Day,
sponsored jointly with Women in Engineering and Women's Studies. Various lively stations taught girls about aspects of math, science, engineering, and technology to open their eyes to related academic and career choices.

March 20, 2003: Recent University of Akron math grad Sara Hagey hosted Women in Mathematics on an informative field trip to Philips Medical Systems in Cleveland. We toured of the Computed Tomography, Nuclear Medicine, and Magnetic Resonance Divisions. Among other activities, we saw a live scan of a volunteer (not one of us), a demonstration of what can get pulled into the powerful magnets if you aren't careful, and a short presentation on mathematical modeling of radio frequencies in a subject's body.

April 15, 2003: Women in Mathematics joined the Women in Engineering Program in attending a luncheon featuring a keynote address by one of NASA's top female astronauts, Dr. Bonnie J. Dunbar. Dr. Dunbar is a member of several engineering and technology societies, including the
Society of Women Engineers. In addition to numerous awards and honors, she was inducted into the Women in Technology International
Hall of Fame in 2000. In 2002, Dr. Dunbar became the 67th out of 71 total females inducted into the National Academy of Engineering (NAE), joining NAE's 2,229 other living members.

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Accomplishments
Report of Women in Mathematics members' accomplishments in academics, honor societies, professional organizations, and outreach activities,
2002--2003:

ISABEL AVERILL served as Vice-President of Pi Mu Epsilon, presented a talk at the Regional Pi Mu Epsilon meeting and at the MAA Ohio Section meeting, scored near the top half on the competitive Putnam examination, and got admitted with assistantship to graduate school at Ohio State. Isabel participated in a 2002 summer REU program at Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology.

INES BUSULADZIC served as Vice President of Golden Key International Honors Society 2002--2003. Next year she will be Vice President of Special Affairs for Golden Key, Membership Chairman of Mortar Board honor society, and a member of Pi Mu Epsilon.

MICHELLE CROSS won a Department of Theoretical and Applied Mathematics Selby Scholarship.

NAOMI CUMMINGS won a Department of Theoretical and Applied Mathematics Maxwell Scholarship.

CHRISTY DIEFFENBAUGHER served as Secretary of Pi Mu Epsilon.

SANDRA DJURKOVIC worked with faculty from The University of Akron and Kent State University on a web-based tutorial for Green's Functions, in addition to doing her thesis research, teaching prep math, and taking classes. She has also been working on an analysis paper with Dr. Saliga.

JULIE DOWDELL was initiated into Pi Mu Epsilon.

JODI FINEFROCK was initiated into Pi Mu Epsilon.

DR. LAURA GROSS presented two talks to the Mathematics Department and Mathematics Club at Case Western Reserve University and participated in both women faculty and women in science activities there.

SARAH HODEL won The University of Akron Outstanding Graduate Teaching Assistant Award.

KATIE JONES served as ASG Representative for Pi Mu Epsilon.

MARY KNUST won the mathematics Outstanding Woman Student Award, given by Women in Higher Education and presented a talk at the MAA Ohio Section meeting.

LISA LACKNEY won a Buckingham Scholarship and a Maxwell Scholarship from the Department of Theoretical and Applied Mathematics.

BARBARA MILLER won a Department of Theoretical and Applied Mathematics Maxwell Scholarship.

LORI MCDONNELL won the Department of Theoretical and Applied Mathematics King Scholarship and was initiated into Pi Mu Epsilon.

MRS. DONNA MCNATT obtained a mini grant from the Center for Excellence in Math and Science Education. She was also selected by students to serve as Faculty Advisor for Kappa Kappa Iota, a professional organization for educators.

JAMIE MYERS was admitted with assistantship to the graduate program at the University of North Florida.

SARAH NIEMAN served as Treasurer of Pi Mu Epsilon.

ANA NINO won the Golden Key National Honor Society Outstanding Student Award. The prize recognizes superior academic achievement,
leadership, and service of a junior student at The University of Akron.

DR. JUDY PALAGALLO had a productive sabbatical at Cornell University in the fall.

HEIDI ROBINSON aught college algebra for the first time and has been actively involved in the Greater Akron Mathematics Educators' Society. She will teach precalculus for the first time this summer,

DR. LINDA SALIGA presented a talk at the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics meeting in San Antonio, TX.

JAN VON SPIEGEL presented a talk at the MAA Ohio Section meeting.

CORAL WHEELER won a Department of Theoretical and Applied Mathematics Selby Scholarship and served as President of Pi Mu Epsilon. As a result of a summer REU program at Central Michigan University, Coral published a paper in the Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology Undergraduate Mathematics Journal. A .pdf version of her paper is at
http://www.rose-hulman.edu/mathjournal/2003/vol4-n1/paper6/v4n1-6pd.pdf.

DR. ETHEL WHELAND won The Buchtel College of Arts and Sciences 2003 Service Award.

MRS. PAM POLCOVER, LISA SCAVONE, MIRA VUKELIC and others designed activities for Kids' Career Day.

Many students presented posters at The University of Akron TEACHING AND LEARNING DAY, April 11, 2003.