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Departmental events

Mathematics and Statistics Department Colloquium:
Rainbow numbers of equations and graphs

Presented by Dr. Zhanar Berikkyzy, Associate Professor of Mathematics at Fairfield University

4:15-5:15 p.m. Monday, March 24, 2025

Palamountain 202

Abstract: The rainbow number of a set of integers X for a given equation eq is the smallest number of colors r such that every exact r-coloring of X admits a rainbow solution to the equation eq. During this talk, we will discuss this number for several important equations, including Schur's and Sidon equations. We will then consider this parameter in graph setting and connect it to the anti-van der Waerden number of a graph, the fewest number of colors needed to guarantee a rainbow 3-term arithmetic progression. We will survey recent results for various classes of graphs, including trees and products of trees.

Most of this talk will be accessible to students who have taken an introductory proofs course.

Mathematics and Statistics Department Colloquium: 
Dynamics and Persistence of a Generalized Multi-strain SIS Model

Presented by Dr. Scott Greenhalgh, Associate Professor of Mathematics, Siena College

4:15-5:15 p.m. Monday, February 24, 2025

Palamountain 202

Abstract: Autonomous differential equation compartmental models hold broad utility in epidemiology and public health. However, such models typically cannot account explicitly for myriad factors that affect the trajectory of infectious diseases, with seasonal variations in host behavior and environmental conditions as noteworthy examples. Fortunately, using non-autonomous differential equation compartmental models can mitigate some of these deficiencies, as the inclusion of time-varying parameters can account for factors that vary temporally. The inclusion of these factors does come at a cost though, as many analysis techniques, such as Poincare maps and Floquet theory, are typically only tractable numerically. 

Speaker Bio: Scott Greenhalgh is an Associate Professor of Mathematics at Siena College. Scott has been selected as an MAA Project NEXT fellow, a Biomedical Data Science Innovation Lab innovator, an REUF fellow, and a GBD collaborator at the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation. Previously, Scott worked as a postdoctoral scholar at both Queen's University in Canada and at Yale University's School of Public Health. Scott's current research program centers on applying mathematics to evaluate the impact of disease interventions, public health policy, and virulence evolution on both the health and economic burdens of disease.

Summer Research Information Session

3-4 p.m. Thursday, December 12, 2024

BTCIS 328

In this information session, we will discuss REUs, internships, and other mathe

matics and statistics research opportunities. Take a break from studying for your finals, come have a cookie and a cup of coffee, and learn about how to get paid for doing math or stats over the summer! We'll share lots of resources, hear from some of your classmates about their research experiences, and answer any questions you might have.

All Skidmore students are welcome.

Mathematics and Statistics Department Colloquium: 
Seven Introductions to Alan Turing

Presented by Dr. Suraj Uttamchandani, Assistant Professor of the Learning Sciences, Adephi University

3:30-4:30 p.m. Friday, October 4, 2024

Palamountain 202

Abstract: Alan Turing was a British (choose: Mathematician / Computer Scientist / Codebreaker / Philosopher / Gay Person). You might know him as the person Benedict Cumberbatch portrayed in the movie The Imitation Game. At age 24, Turing solved a major problem in math logic and proof (the “entscheidungsproblem,” isn’t that a great name). At age 27, he was crucial in breaking Nazi codes and ciphers, contributing to the end of WWII. And at age 38, he created the “Turing Test,” which we still use to examine how good artificial intelligence is (and some argue, ChatGPT has finally passed this test). Despite these accomplishments, Turing was still arrested and prosecuted for being gay, leading to his death by suicide at age 41. In this interdisciplinary talk, I will lead us on a guided tour of Turing’s life and his work. In the process, I will discuss my own experiences with mathematics, the learning sciences, and LGBTQ+ education, and so highlight how math, history, and social sciences are intertwined. This talk is introductory and will be accessible to all; no prior knowledge in math or computer science is necessary. 

Speaker Bio: Dr. Suraj Uttamchandani (he/him/his) is an Assistant Professor of Learning Sciences at Adelphi University. His work centers on political and relational dimensions of equitable learning, in learning environments as diverse as undergraduate STEM education, LGBTQ+ education, and technology-mediated instruction. He previously was a Visiting Research Scientist at the Center for Research on Learning and Technology at Indiana University, where he also completed his Ph.D. in the learning sciences. Prior to that, he earned a bachelor’s degree in mathematics from SUNY Geneseo. His work has been funded by SUNY and the Mozilla Foundation, and his research has appeared in venues such as  Journal of the Learning Sciences, International Journal of Computer-Supported Collaborative Learning, and Discourse, Context, & Media. 

Departmental news

Welcome, Christopher Seaton!

We are pleased to welcome Professor Christopher Seaton to the Department of Mathematics and Statistics at Skidmore College. Professor Seaton earned his Ph.D. from the University of Colorado, Boulder in 2004. He joins us this fall after 20 years on the faculty in the Mathematics and Statistics Department at Rhodes College in Memphis, Tennessee.

Professor Seaton’s research focuses on the geometry and topology of singular spaces, particularly orbifolds, singular symplectic quotients, and orbit spaces of Lie and topological groupoids. He enjoys mentoring undergraduate research and related projects in symplectic geometry, differential topology, computational invariant theory, and related areas. He has published nearly 40 mathematics papers in peer-reviewed journals, including 11 he has coauthored with his undergraduate students.  

Professor Seaton has extensive experience teaching courses on a variety of topics at all levels of the undergraduate mathematics curriculum. This fall, he will be teaching Linear Algebra (MA 200) and Abstract Algebra I (MA 319). Please extend a warm welcome to him when you see him in the department!

Welcome, Sam Hawke!

Professor Hawke joined the department in fall 2025 as an Assistant Professor of Statistics. He completed his Ph.D. in Biostatistics at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2025 with a dissertation titled “Innovations in Dimension Reduction: Contrastive, Sufficient, and Fair Approaches.” His research focuses on pre-processing high-dimensional data, fairness in machine learning, statistical consulting, and statistics pedagogy. Professor Hawke cares deeply about using statistics to communicate clearly, and he strives to nurture that ability in his students. In his free time, he enjoys swimming, playing the piano, and spending time with his dog, Lola.

Welcome, Alec Mertin!

Professor Mertin joined the department in Fall 2025. He completed his Ph.D. in mathematical sciences at Clemson University, where he also holds a master's degree. He has a bachelor's degree in mathematics from the University of the Ozarks in Clarksville, AR. He enjoys working in the area of dynamical algebraic combinatorics, a field of math concerned with studying how structures from algebraic combinatorics behave when maps are repeatedly applied to them. When not doing math, he can be found at concerts, playing games, and spending time with his wife and cat.

Welcome, Kaifeng Yang!

Professor Yang joins the Mathematics and Statistics Department at Skidmore in fall 2025 after completing his Ph.D. in Biostatistics at the University of Minnesota. He also holds a Bachelor's degree in Mathematics and a minor in Statistics from Skidmore College. His research interests include biclustering methods, which simultaneously identifies distinct patterns among samples and variables, and biomarker identification. He enjoys challenging problems and encourages students to embrace them as opportunities to develop their skills.

Welcome, Benjamin York!

Professor York joined the department in fall 2025 as a Visiting Assistant Professor of Mathematics. He received his Ph.D. in Mathematics from the University of Connecticut and received his undergraduate degree from Bowdoin College in Maine, his home state. Professor York specializes in computational arithmetic geometry, an area of math which uses computational methods to study questions in number theory and algebraic geometry. As an instructor, he enjoys teaching introductory courses like Quantitative Reasoning and Calculus. In his free time, Professor York enjoys playing chess and trading card games, and enjoys hiking.