A group of 10 Saint Michael’s College students and five faculty members from the mathematics and computer science departments recently participated in the 18thannual Hudson River Undergraduate Mathematics Conference, held this year at Skidmore College in Saratoga Springs, NY. The conference celebrates undergraduate mathematics research with students and faculty from across the Northeast. Students gave some 135 presentations in mathematics, computer science and statistics at the day-long conference. Saint Michael’s participation was supported by the SMC Office of the Vice President for Academic Affairs, as well as an S-STEM grant held by Professors Greta Pangborn and Joanna Ellis-Monaghan.
Three students, mentored in an innovative senior seminar, taught by statistician Dr. Philip Yates, focused on statistical and probabilistic aspects of game theory, in particular expected values in games of chance. These students are: Laura Backman, of New Jersey; Cody Rock of Milton; Jacqueline Tuthill of Belmont, N.H
Emily Pratt’s research began last summer as part of a NASA-VT Space Grant initiative to determine satellite positioning for the Lunar CubeSat Project. She is from Essex Junction.
Also presenting works directed by Drs. Ellis-Monaghan and Pangborn and supported by a National Science Foundation grant: Thomas Dickerson of Bristol; Jessica Adams of Underhill; and Kelsie King of Lyndonville, and Mary Spuches of North Syracuse, N.Y.
Faculty members attending the conference were Dr. Jim Hefferon of Jericho, Vt., Dr. Joanna Ellis-Monaghan of Grand Isle, Vt., and Dr. Zsuzsanna Kadas of Shelburne, Vt., professors of mathematics; Dr. Philip Yates, assistant professor of mathematics; Dr. Greta Pangborn of Winooski, Vt., associate professor of computer science. Professors Hefferon and Yates also chaired conference sessions.