College of Letters and Sciences

DEPARTMENT OF MATHEMATICS

Throughout history the mathematical sciences have been admired for their intrinsic beauty and interdisciplinary applications that contribute to economic advancement, scientific understanding, and world cultures. Our mission is to create a climate that nurtures curiosity, inspires creativity, promotes collaboration, and drives the learning and expansion of mathematical and statistical knowledge within our university, our profession, and our community.

In support of this mission we are committed to:

  • Fostering the personal and professional growth of our students by offering challenging and relevant mathematics and statistics courses through the general education program, specialized and career oriented majors and minors, and collaborative programs with other departments and colleges.
  • Developing innovative pedagogy to promote mathematical and statistical reasoning, thinking and literacy.
  • Building a collaborative professional community of faculty, instructional academic staff, and students by supporting scholarship in the mathematical sciences.
  • Providing mathematical and statistical assistance to the surrounding community.
  • Recruiting and retaining high quality faculty and instructional academic staff.
  • Connecting academic knowledge with experiences such as international study, undergraduate research, and internships.
  • Maintaining a high level of personal and professional integrity and instilling these ideals in our students.
  • Enriching the lives of students, faculty, and the university by sharing the beauty, insights, history, and culture of the mathematical sciences.

Contact us

Geethamali Samaranayake
Department Chair & Professor
Phone: 262-472-5162
Location: Laurentide Hall 2219

Bailey Ellefson
Department Assistant
Phone: 262-472-1313
Location: Laurentide Hall 2205

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Mission Statement

Throughout history the mathematical sciences have been admired for their intrinsic beauty and interdisciplinary applications that contribute to economic advancement, scientific understanding, and world cultures. Our mission is to create a climate that nurtures curiosity, inspires creativity, promotes collaboration, and drives the learning and expansion of mathematical and statistical knowledge within our university, our profession, and our community.

In support of this mission we are committed to:

  • Fostering the personal and professional growth of our students by offering challenging and relevant mathematics and statistics courses through the general education program, specialized and career oriented majors and minors, and collaborative programs with other departments and colleges.
  • Developing innovative pedagogy to promote mathematical and statistical reasoning, thinking and literacy.
  • Building a collaborative professional community of faculty, instructional academic staff, and students by supporting scholarship in the mathematical sciences.
  • Providing mathematical and statistical assistance to the surrounding community.
  • Recruiting and retaining high quality faculty and instructional academic staff.
  • Connecting academic knowledge with experiences such as international study, undergraduate research, and internships.
  • Maintaining a high level of personal and professional integrity and instilling these ideals in our students.
  • Enriching the lives of students, faculty, and the university by sharing the beauty, insights, history, and culture of the mathematical sciences.

The Mathematics Department offers a liberal arts major, leading to a bachelor of science or bachelor of arts in mathematics from the College of Letters and Sciences; or a teaching major, leading to a bachelor of science in education from the College of Education and Professional Studies.

Each emphasis of the major requires 38-40 units in mathematics consisting of 6 core courses and additional specialized courses in the student's area of concentration. Both BA and BS degree choices provide students with a strong background for advanced study at the graduate level. In addition, the department offers several minors/emphases for students who would like a stronger background in mathematics to complement their chosen major.

Leon M Arriola

Leon M Arriola

Associate Professor

Department(s): MATHEMATICS

arriolal@uww.edu

Laurentide Hall 2233 |

(262) 472-5163

Hayley  Bertrand

Hayley Bertrand

Assistant Professor, Addl Pay Instructional

Department(s): MATHEMATICS

bertranh@uww.edu

Laurentide Hall 2219 |

(262) 472-5175

Corey T Bruns

Corey T Bruns

Senior Lecturer

Department(s): MATHEMATICS

brunsc@uww.edu

Laurentide Hall 2215 |

(262) 472-2856

Maddillon F Brus

Maddillon F Brus

Lecturer 1

Department(s): MATHEMATICS

brusm@uww.edu

Laurentide Hall 2241 |

Nate J Burchell

Nate J Burchell

Lecturer, Addl Pay Instructional

Department(s): MATHEMATICS

burcheln@uww.edu

Laurentide Hall 2244 |

(262) 472-1539

Rachel M Chaphalkar

Rachel M Chaphalkar

Associate Professor

Department(s): MATHEMATICS

chaphalr@uww.edu

Laurentide Hall 2231 |

(262) 472-2764

Xueqing  Chen

Xueqing Chen

Professor

Department(s): MATHEMATICS

chenx@uww.edu

Laurentide Hall 2229 |

(262) 472-5171

Heather L Conte

Heather L Conte

Lecturer 2

Department(s): MATHEMATICS

conteh@uww.edu

Laurentide Hall 2226 |

(262) 472-5737

Dulanjalee Dk DEVAGE DONA

Dulanjalee Dk DEVAGE DONA

Assistant Professor

Department(s): MATHEMATICS

devagedd@uww.edu

Laurentide Hall 2209 |

(262) 472-5169

Bailey  Ellefson

Bailey Ellefson

Department Assistant

Department(s): MATHEMATICS

ellefsob@uww.edu

Laurentide Hall |

(262) 472-1313

Pawel  Felcyn

Pawel Felcyn

Adjunct Instructor

Department(s): MATHEMATICS

felcynp@uww.edu

Laurentide Hall 2245 |

(262) 472-3583

Morgan  Gauvin

Morgan Gauvin

Lecturer 1

Department(s): MATHEMATICS

gauvinm@uww.edu

Laurentide Hall 2205 |

(262) 472-7396

Mike D Guyer

Mike D Guyer

Assistant Professor

Department(s): MATHEMATICS

guyerm@uww.edu

Laurentide Hall 2212 |

(262) 472-1504

Angela Kopf Harlan

Angela Kopf Harlan

Assoc Dean, Associate Professor

Department(s): College Of Letters & Sciences, MATHEMATICS

harrisak@uww.edu

Laurentide Hall 4101 |

(262) 472-5181

Wesley K Hough

Wesley K Hough

Associate Professor, Add'l Pay Non-Instructional

Department(s): MATHEMATICS

houghw@uww.edu

Laurentide Hall 2217 |

(262) 472-5176

Peter H Lampe

Peter H Lampe

Lecturer 2

Department(s): MATHEMATICS

lampep@uww.edu

Laurentide Hall 2213 |

(262) 472-5168

Ki-Bong  Nam

Ki-Bong Nam

Professor

Department(s): MATHEMATICS

namk@uww.edu

Laurentide Hall 2211 |

(262) 472-5164

Balamurugan  Pandiyan

Balamurugan Pandiyan

Senior Lecturer

Department(s): MATHEMATICS

pandiyab@uww.edu

Laurentide Hall 2240 |

(262) 472-1737

Huckleberry  Rahr

Huckleberry Rahr

Lecturer 2

Department(s): MATHEMATICS

rahrh@uww.edu

Laurentide Hall 2242 |

(262) 472-5159

Charu  RAJAPAKSHA PATHIRANAGE DONA

Charu RAJAPAKSHA PATHIRANAGE DONA

Assistant Professor

Department(s): MATHEMATICS

rajapakc@uww.edu

Laurentide Hall 2210 |

(262) 472-1104

John T Reilly

John T Reilly

Senior Lecturer

Department(s): MATHEMATICS

reillyj@uww.edu

Laurentide Hall 2243 |

(262) 472-7174

Geethamali G Samaranayake

Geethamali G Samaranayake

Professor

Department(s): MATHEMATICS

samarang@uww.edu

Laurentide Hall 2207 |

(262) 472-5162

Dylan  Spence

Dylan Spence

Assistant Professor

Department(s): MATHEMATICS

spenced@uww.edu

Laurentide Hall 2235 |

(262) 472-1716

Tamas  Szabo

Tamas Szabo

Associate Professor

Department(s): MATHEMATICS

szabot@uww.edu

Laurentide Hall 2223 |

(262) 472-5165

Charlotte R Toboyek

Charlotte R Toboyek

Senior Lecturer

Department(s): MATHEMATICS

toboyekc@uww.edu

Laurentide Hall 2218 |

(262) 472-5694

Tom  Yerger

Tom Yerger

Lecturer 1

Department(s): MATHEMATICS

yergera@uww.edu

Laurentide Hall 2214 |

(262) 472-1399

There are numerous scholarship opportunities available to students, both through the university, the College of Letters and Sciences and the Mathematics Department. To make life a little easier, all of the university's scholarship applications and requirement listings are available online.

  • C/K Flanagan Scholarship
  • Clayton Droullard Mathematics Scholarship
  • Marion B Schlicher
  • Mark & Dianne Fiebrink
  • William C Beck Scholarship
  • Stephen Lewandowski Mathematics Scholarship
  • The Goldwater Scholarship
  • UW System Regent Scholarship

Student Math Association (SMA)

SMA is a club for anyone interested in things both fun and math-y! We hold several meetings each semester (many with snacks); and past activities included board games, game shows, mathematical crafts, interesting problems, presentations about graduate school, undergraduate research, and internships.

Contact Dr. Chaphalkar (LT 2215) or Dr. Hough (LT 2218) to get added to our e-mail list.

Pi Mu Epsilon

Pi Mu Epsilon is the National Mathematics Honorary Society that serves to promote scholarly activity in mathematics among the students in academic institutions.  For more information, contact Dr. Lampe (LT 2213).

Bridge Club

The Bridge Club is a great place to learn or expand upon your Bridge-playing skills and meet others who enjoy a good game of cards. For more information, contact Dr. Lampe (LT 2213).

Dr. Leon Arriola

My current interests are merging quantum mechanics with epidemiological models, and sensitivity analysis finite state automata with applications to gene regulatory networks.

Recent publications include:

  • A Cost-Effective Analysis of Treatment Strategies for the Control of HSV-2 Infection in the U.S.: A Mathematical Modeling - Based Case Study
  • Coarse, Medium or Fine? A Quantum Mechanics Approach to Single Species Population Dynamics
  • Data Scarcity and Ecological Complexity: The Cutaneous Leishmaniasis Dynamics in Ecuador

 

Dr. Xueqing Chen

Representation Theory of Quivers and Related Topics

Quivers are very simple mathematical objects: finite directed graphs. A representation of a quiver assigns a vector space to each vertex, and a linear map to each arrow. Quiver representations were originally introduced to treat problems of linear algebra. But it soon turned out that quivers and their representations play an important role in representation theory of finite-dimensional algebras; they also occur in less expected domains of mathematics including Kac-Moody Lie algebras, quantum groups, Coxeter groups, cluster algebras and geometric invariant theory.

Research topics for undergraduate students are: 1) to find connection between representation theory of quivers and Lie algebras; 2) to link representation theory of quivers with cluster algebras.

 

Dr. Pawel Felcyn

My interest is, in general, around areas of symplectic, algebraic, and differential geometry and differential topology. Currently I am working on periodic orbits of Hamiltonian systems and part of the work is being done on the testing stage. So I would like to cooperate with a student on this testing level in one of the two possible areas:

  • Using software like sagemath to generate interesting examples in the area. This would require some self-study of basic geometrical and topological notions so that using sagemath will be understood from a mathematical point of
  • Finding an interesting example of Maslov index in various

Student employment opportunities are available within the department and include: learning assistant, researcher, grader, and office support. If interested, visit the Math Department office at LT2205 for current openings.

Mathematics majors have a wide variety of courses to choose from to design a program of study that meets their particular career paths. Careers may be found in the following areas:

  • Management, operations research, quality control, research and development, computer-related activities in business, industry, banking, and government
  • Entry-level positions in statistics or actuarial departments of insurance companies; business or governmental agencies, space science research, and applications
  • Mathematics teaching in secondary education, technical and vocational schools, colleges and universities
  • Graduate study in mathematics or mathematics education

A set of resources for students who would like to review algebraic skills.  This is especially helpful for students who have been placed into Math 041 and would like to retake the math placement test.  The resources  can also benefit students who were placed into Math 141 or anyone who would like to refresh their math skills.  

Math Resources Online - Password: UWWMath

You will have ONE opportunity to retake the test and improve your score.  It is preferred the test be taken at UW-Whitewater on July 18 or August 18.   NOTE:  there is a $25 fee to retake the test.  Sign up to retake the test by calling the UW-Whitewater Testing Office at (262) 472-5613.  

Mathematics
Mathematics Major/Emphasis, Minor, Online Graduate Certificate
A faculty member teaches at a whiteboard.
Mathematics (Actuarial Mathematics) Minor
A class builds a bridge demonstration out of weights and toothpicks.
Mathematics (Actuarial Science) Major/Emphasis
A student teacher kneels beside a young student sitting at a desk as they both look at a laptop.
Mathematics (Middle Grades) Certificate (Undergraduate)
Two people look at a graph.
Mathematics (Statistics) Major/Emphasis, Minor
Major/Emphasis, Minor, Online Graduate Certificate

As a math student, you’ll gain an excellent foundation for all areas of science and engineering, and be able to solve problems from the ordinary to the sophisticated and technical. Mathematics is the language that expresses scientific and quantitative relationships and, at the same time, is a discipline with a structure and beauty of its own.

Minor

Students who major in another discipline, such as business or finance, and are interested in becoming an actuary, take the Actuarial Mathematics minor to gain the necessary background in calculus, probability, and statistics to prepare for the Society of Actuaries exam.

Major/Emphasis

Actuaries use mathematics and statistics to assess risk and measure uncertainty in various industries, especially insurance and finance. Students who pursue the Mathematics - Actuarial Science major emphasis or Actuarial Mathematics minor will take courses in calculus, probability, statistics, and financial mathematics to prepare for the Society of Actuaries exams.

Certificate (Undergraduate)

Developing strong mathematic skills at an early age is immensely important as children grow up in a world full of finances and statistics. By earning a certificate in Mathematics - Middle Grades, students will be trained to eventually become the educators that help youth strengthen these skills, through taking courses on modern algebra for elementary teachers, geometry, precalculus, and more.

Major/Emphasis, Minor

Statisticians collect, analyze, and interpret real-world data to make informed decisions. Students who pursue the Mathematics - Statistics major emphasis or Statistics minor take courses in mathematics and statistics. They use industry-standard software and techniques to conduct independent statistical projects.