Mathematical Sciences Blog

Category: Awards

Mathematical Sciences Department Students Taking Research to the Next Level

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The Mathematical Sciences (MS) Department proudly announces that Aili Toyli and Sean Phelan have been selected for the Undergraduate Research Internship Program (URIP)*. Toyli and Phelan will spend the academic year working on individual research projects under the guidance of a Michigan Tech faculty mentor.

Additionally, Sean Phelan was awarded a Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF)**. Research is conducted over the summer semester.

Both SURF and URIP are high-caliber undergraduate research opportunities that create a unique collaboration with professors and hone a student’s skills to distinguish themselves. 

Phelan’s SURF project title is, “Discovering Genetic Markers for Alzheimer’s Disease Using Genome-Wide Association and Rare Variant Association for Risk Prediction.” He is a dual major in Statistics and Mathematics–Business Analytics, under the advisory of Weihua Zhou—Applied Computing. We conducted an email exchange to find out more about Sean.

MS: What do you hope to do with your degree?

SP: “Work as a data scientist where I draw insights from large company data sets. I am interested in the operations and supply chain side of business where I can optimize the flow of resources.”

MS:  What piqued your interest in doing research?

SP: “I want to apply my statistical knowledge from MTU to real-world data and explore the world of deep learning. Research at the MTU bioinformatics lab is a perfect fit, where I learn about medical deep-learning models and develop statistical risk scores. My research also draws from an elective science course I took, Intro to Biotechnology with Dr. Busov.”

MS:  What do you enjoy most about the research you do?

PS: “Learning about new measures and models that I can apply in the future and keeping on top of cutting-edge machine learning methods are important for a budding data scientist.”

MS: What do you like to do outside of school?

PS: “I like to camp and backpack while exploring the outdoors. I also mountain bike and snowboard depending on the season.”

MS:  Why did you choose to study here at Michigan Tech?

SP: “I like the UP, I received a solid scholarship, and the math program is great.”

MS:  What do you like the most about Michigan Tech?

SP: “It’s a double-edged sword, but I like being in the middle of nowhere—so much outdoors and the air is so fresh. Also, the small-town energy here is very safe and friendly, which is much nicer than a large city like New York.”

Toyli is pursuing a B.S. in Statistics—under the advisory of Qiuying Sha— that she anticipates will open the door to a graduate degree in biostatistics, and a career as a statistical consultant for medical research. She has always been interested in both medical sciences and statistics, and knew she wanted to be in research. We asked Aili a bit about herself.

MS: What piqued your interest in research?

AT: “I attended the undergraduate research forum last fall and reached out to Dr. Zhou because I was intrigued by his work.”

MS: What do you enjoy most about research?

AT: “I enjoy applying what I’ve learned in class to real-world problems. I’m excited to contribute to research that could lead to improvements in medical treatments.”

MS: What have you learned most about yourself by doing research?

AT: “I’ve learned about my ability to learn independently. Research topics can seem daunting at first, but I’ve learned to create a plan and tackle it one step at a time.”

MS: What do you like to do outside of school?

AT: “I love to spend time with friends and family, especially outside. I enjoy hiking, skiing, and spending time on the lake!”

MS: Why did you choose to study here at Michigan Tech?

AT: “I chose to come to Michigan Tech because I really love both the area and the school’s STEM focus.”

MS: What do you like the most about Michigan Tech?

AT: “The people I’ve met are my favorite part of Michigan Tech. I’ve made so many wonderful friends!”

Selfie photograph of Alil Toyli on the Keweenaw Peninsula winter ski trails
Aili Toyli out on the Keweenaw Trails

We, in the Mathematical Science’s Department, applaud our student’s success! Congratulations Aili and Sean!

*The URIP is open to all Tech undergraduates interested in joining a research project under the guidance of a Michigan Tech faculty mentor during the regular academic year (September-March). Student researchers showcase their findings at Michigan Tech’s annual Undergraduate Research and Scholarship Symposium, national conferences, and contribute to peer-reviewed journal articles graduation.

**SURFs are open to all Michigan Tech undergraduates who have at least one semester remaining after the summer term. Fellowship recipients conduct a research project under the guidance of a Michigan Tech faculty mentor, during the summer semester. SURF Fellowship recipients are required to:

About the Mathematical Sciences Department

Mathematicians at Michigan Technological University conduct research and guide students, applying concepts to fields like business, engineering, healthcare, and government. The Mathematical Sciences Department offers undergraduate and graduate programs with degrees in mathematical sciences, applied statistics, and statistics. Students supercharge their math skills at Michigan’s premier technological university. They graduate prepared for successful careers in academia, research, and tomorrow’s high-tech business environment.

Questions? Contact us at mathdept@mtu.edu. Follow us on Facebook or read the Mathematical Sciences news blog for the latest happenings.

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Math’s McFall Makes Deans’ Teaching Showcase Finals

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Patrick McFall
When he’s not in the classroom in Fisher, you can find McFall canoeing on Portage Lake

College of Sciences and Arts Dean Ravindra Pandey has selected Patrick McFall as this week’s featured instructor in the Deans’ Teaching Showcase.

McFall, assistant teaching professor in the department of mathematical sciences, will be recognized at an end-of-term event with other showcase members. Recognition qualifies him as a candidate for the CTL Instructional Award Series.

McFall served as the Director of the Math Learning Center from 2020-2023. He co-directed the center in 2023. McFall teaches many large sections of fundamental math courses for the department, going back to spring 2021. He’s appeared in the top 10% of Michigan Tech instructors based on the “Average of 7 Dimensions” for student evaluation scores in three different semesters.

McFall’s Teaching Experience Helps Reduce DFW Rate

In the spring of 2023, McFall took on the coordinator role for MA 1160/1161 Calculus 1. He co-developed the department’s proposal to address the DFW rate for this class. McFall was instrumental in implementing the project. He piloted weekly algebra reviews, and developed pre-class videos and quizzes for a blended learning structure. McFall provided handouts for all instructors to increase student engagement. McFall met weekly with the instructors to ensure consistency in instruction. As a result, the Spring 2023 DFW rate for MA 1160/1161 showed a significant decrease from previous spring semesters. The rate for Spring 2023 declined 25-30 percentage points lower than Spring 2022 and Spring 2021. McFall’s work continued this fall, with similar results.

McFall’s Teaching Garners Praise in the College

Jiguang Sun, Chair of the Mathematical Sciences department, praised McFall. “He is enthusiastic about teaching and promotes a positive and engaging environment in the classroom. Dr. McFall cares for his students, and provides motivation for learning.”

Maria Bergstrom, Associate Dean for Undergraduate Education in the College of Sciences and Arts highlighted the significance of McFall’s contributions as an outstanding instructor. “Patrick McFall’s work to reduce DFW rates in Calculus I through innovations in pedagogy and curriculum has had a tremendous impact,” she said. “The impact is not just in his department but also for undergraduate education as a whole at Michigan Tech. A solid understanding of calculus is fundamental to most of the science and engineering programs on campus. And thus student success efforts in these key courses have a ripple effect across campus. We are pleased to showcase his instructional achievements.”

About the Mathematical Sciences Department

Mathematicians at Michigan Technological University conduct research and guide students, applying concepts to fields like business, engineering, healthcare, and government. The Mathematical Sciences Department offers undergraduate and graduate programs with degrees in mathematical sciences, applied statistics, and statistics. Students supercharge their math skills at Michigan’s premier technological university. They graduate prepared for successful careers in academia, research, and tomorrow’s high-tech business environment.

Questions? Contact us at mathdept@mtu.edu. Follow us on Facebook or read the Mathematical Sciences news blog for the latest happenings.

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Meiling Zhou Receives Outstanding Graduate Student Teaching Award

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The Department of Mathematical Sciences is pleased to announce that Meiling Zhou has been selected to receive the Outstanding Graduate Student Teaching Award. Meiling was nominated by the department and recognized for her accomplishments by the Graduate School at Michigan Tech.

Meiling is a PhD Candidate in Statistics who is studying under the supervision of her advisor, Dr. Kui Zhang.

To learn more about the Dean’s Outstanding Graduate Student Teaching award, please visit the following link: https://www.mtu.edu/gradschool/about/dean/awards-honors/outstanding-graduate-teaching-award-procedure.htm

Meiling indicated that the time spent with her students is truly quite enjoyable. We are very proud of her and her accomplishment.

An exceptionally touching student comment from Zhou’s most recent teaching evaluation reads as follows:

“Genuinely the sweetest human I’ve ever met, you can tell she deeply cares about her students and their success. She supports us no matter if we struggle with a concept or excel at it and interacts with students even if it’s just asking about our days. [She is] just an amazing teacher because you can tell she cared about us as well as understood how to teach us”.

Student evaluation quote

It is the dedication, compassion and professionalism demonstrated by Meiling that pointed to her being an ideal candidate and recipient of this distinguished award.

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Xiaoqing Gao 3-Minute Thesis 2022

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Xiaoqing Gao
Michigan Tech PhD student Xiaoqing Gao

We are honored in the Mathematical Sciences Department to have one of our PhD students Xiaoqing Gao compete in the 2022 3-Minute Thesis Competition. This is such awe-inspiring experience and accomplishment for our students.

What is 3MT?

The 3MT is an important international competition that aims at celebrating research conducted by doctoral and masters students. According to the University of Queensland, founder of the event, the 3MT “cultivates students’ academic, presentation, and research communication skills”.

Participants have three minutes and a single static slide to effectively explain their research in a language that is appropriate to a non-specialist audience.

Xiaoqing Gao Awarded 1st Place

I am a PhD student majoring in Biostatistics under the supervision of Dr. Kui Zhang. The current research is focused on ‘Using LSTM machine learning method to do HLA imputation.’

Presented research is about using viral genomic sequences to predict human-infecting viruses.

Abstract: Covid-19 pandemic results in crucial modification in our lives. To prevent outburst of a new virus, it is essential to understand if a virus is capable of infecting humans. As the technology of genomic sequence detection is getting mature, it is efficient and consequential if we could analyze the virus characteristics and perform the prediction based on the given sequences. The goal of her paper is to predict if a virus is a zoonotic virus and evaluate the extent of the zoonotic virus.

Also, I would like to appreciate my advisor Dr. Kui Zhang for the guidance of this paper and my career. It is a great pleasure to study in this department.

-Xiaoqing Gao

Xiaoqing was awarded First Place in the competition. Such an amazing experience and so very impressive to do this in just 3-minutes.

If you see Xiaoqing please join me in congratulating on such a huge accomplishment! We are so proud of you.

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Applied and Computational Mathematics Major Anthony Palmer Wins Best Poster at Computing [MTU] Showcase

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Michigan Tech double major in applied and computational mathematics and physics, Anthony Palmer, along with computer science PhD candidate Elijah Cobb, won the best poster recently in the Computing [MTU] Showcase for “Universal Sensor Description Schema: An extensible metalanguage to support heterogenous, evolving sensor data.”

Learn more about their accomplishment.

Image of Anthony Palmer and Elijah Cobb with their poster at Michigan Tech’s Computing Showcase
Anthony Palmer (left) and Elijah Cobb present their poster at Michigan Tech’s Computing [MTU] Showcase
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2022 Summer Undergraduate Research Award (SURF)

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Join me in congratulating Maxwell James on receiving the 2022 SURF Award. Maxwell is a Statistics major mentored by Dr. Qiuying Sha.

The Pavlis Honor College selects a student whom they feel is best fit. The award grants the student a fellowship during summer semester. The student conducts a research project under the guidance of a Michigan Tech faculty mentor. Per the Pavlis Honor College this was a very competitive group of applicants. The selection of Maxwell is evidence to the preparation that went into his application materials.

We wish Maxwell the very best of luck on his research and future endeavors.

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Let it Shine! 3-Minute Thesis Competition

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Hello everyone!

We were honored to have two of our PhD students Yasasya Batugedara Mohottalalage and Yue(Emily) Kang compete in the 3-Minute Thesis Competition on November 4, 2021. This is such awe-inspiring experience and accomplishment for our students.

Yue(Emily) Kang

PhD student majoring in Applied Math under the supervision of Dr. Yang. Yue(Emily) current research focus is on developing Bound-preserving discontinuous Galerkin (DG) methods for the coupled system of compressible miscible displacement problems.

Presented research was ‘Designing Numerical Solvers for Simulating Flows in Fractured Porous Media’.

Abstract: Numerical simulation of fluid flow in fractured porous media is of great significance for improving oil recovery in naturally fractured reservoirs, contaminant transport in fractured rocks and underground radioactive waste reservoirs. One more application is carbon capture and storage. Fractures have always been regarded as potential storage space for CO2. Since fractures have low storage and high permeability values which could allow CO2 to migrate quickly through the cap rock to the surface or to neighboring aquifers. The increasing pressure can lead to hydro fracturing in the vicinity of wells. Referring to the numerical experiment results from Dr. Yang, the concentration of flows shows very good performance with some given speeds. Her further research is aimed at developing more efficient and robust numerical solvers for simulating flows in fractured porous media.

Yue(Emily) would like state her appreciation to Dr. Yang and Mr. Jacob Blazejewski for their efforts in helping her prepare the presentation.

She made it to the finals and was awarded the People’s Choice Award. Such an amazing experience and so very impressive to do this in just 3-minutes.

Yasasya Batugedara Mohottalalage

PhD student majoring in Applied Math under the supervision of Dr. Labovsky. Presented research which was published with Dr. Labovsky and Kyle Schwiebert. The topic was “Higher Temporal Accuracy for LES-C Turbulent Models”.

Abstract: Large Eddy Simulations(LES) are widely used in modeling turbulent flows. In Labovsky(2020), a method called Large Eddy Simulation with Correction (LES-C) was proposed to reduce the modeling error. However, there was a need to reduce the Time discretization error of the LES-C models. Therefore, we propose a method that uses a predictor-corrector scheme called Deferred correction to reduce the Time discretization error.

“Mathematics is an area which is hard to present to general public without any technical jargon. Therefore, it is a challenge to present any math topic to general public in three minutes. Even though I was unable to get selected to the finals, I gained a wonderful experience by participating. Therefore, I would like to thank my advisor Dr. Labovsky for constant advice and support, Mr. Jacob Blazejewski for guiding and mentoring me for the 3-Minute Thesis Competition, as well as Emily Kang and Zazil Santiso Huerta for their help.”

Yasasya Batugedara

If you see these two please join me in congratulating them both on such a huge accomplishment! We are so proud of them both.

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Dean’s Teaching Showcase: Beth Reed

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Math09232013021Bruce Seely, Dean of the College of Sciences and Arts, has chosen to recognize Beth Reed, senior lecturer and assistant to the chair in mathematical sciences as our first Spring 2017 Dean’s Teaching Showcase member.

Seely’s nomination was influenced by Brent Baltus, a senior on the hockey team, who singled Reed at the Faculty Appreciation event during a game on December 2nd.

Baltus, a senior major in Finance who started this year with a 3.73 GPA, named Reed as “the best professor he had encountered” at Michigan Tech. Baltus had taken a couple of classes from her during his first two years in statistics and math and added she was “an unbelievable professor.”

Seely asked Reed what she does that would lead a good student (and athlete) like Brent to value her efforts. She answered with several points from the recently submitted students teaching evaluations for Fall 2016 and offered several points. Reed knows every student’s name, signaling that they are individuals to her. This makes her approachable and shows she cares about them as people. She prepares a handout for every class session containing the concepts, problems, formulas and so on covered that day. This allows students to actually listen in class rather than struggling to write everything down. Her handout adds structure to the notes taken by the students while eliminating transcription errors. Reed dedicates some class periods to worksheet days, devoted to working problems while she walks around and answers questions from students.

Finally, she asks a lot of questions of the students during class sessions. Students report this makes them pay attention (especially at 8 a.m.). When a student offers an incorrect answer, she talks them through the process until they get to the correct answer. Seely also asked Reed if there was something she did that specifically helps student athletes, who must miss classes due to travel.

In addition to her willingness to meet with them outside of class, she noted the most important thing was to ask them to introduce themselves on the first day of class. That allows her to work with them and their schedules. From this initial discussion, it is much easier to ensure Reed has a heads-up when an assignment and/or exam might conflict with games and travel. Such communication allows her and the student to work around any conflicts.

These are the kinds of effort — small steps in some respects, but large in the aggregate — that make a difference in how well students do. While a student-athlete recognized Reed’s efforts, the more important fact is that she makes these attempts for any student.

Reed will be recognized at an end-of-term luncheon with 11 other showcase members, and is now eligible for one of three new teaching awards to be given by the William G. Jackson Center for Teaching and Learning this summer recognizing introductory or large class teaching, innovative teaching methods or work in curriculum and assessment.

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