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University Sets STEM Fest for Weekend

Posted on: April 18th, 2018 by erabadie

Multiple open houses, demonstrations and lectures planned for Friday and Saturday

APRIL 17, 2018 BY EDWIN B. SMITH

In celebration of scientific investigation and its benefits and in support for publicly funded science, the University of Mississippi is hosting a two-day focus on science, technology, engineering and mathematics this weekend.

The university’s STEM Fest, scheduled for Friday (April 20) on the Oxford campus and Saturday (April 21) at the UM Field Station, is co-sponsored by several STEM entities on campus, the College of Liberal Arts, the Meek School of Journalism and New Media, and the Office of the Chancellor. All events are free to the public.

“The promotion of STEM education is at the forefront of plans for the future at the University of Mississippi,” said Marco Cavaglia, professor of physics and astronomy and one of the co-organizers of the weekend.

“This festival will celebrate achievements in all areas of STEM,” said Jan Murray, associate dean of liberal arts, professor of art, and another festival co-organizer. “The Oxford community and K-12 families are especially welcome.”

Scheduled activities begin at 2 p.m. Friday with a panel discussion on opioids at the Overby Center Auditorium. That will be followed by open houses at the departments of Physics and Astronomy, Mathematics, and Chemistry and Biochemistry; the School of Engineering; the National Center for Physical Acoustics; and Kennon Observatory.

The Society of Physics and Astronomy Students will showcase the “physics of baseball” from 3 to 5 p.m. at Swayze Field, before the evening Ole Miss vs. Georgia game. The presentation will include explanations of why curve balls curve, how to hit a perfect home run and more.

A screening of the movie “Hidden Figures” with an introduction by the UM Women in Physics group begins at 5 p.m. at the Overby Center Auditorium.

An astronomy open house concludes the day’s activities from 8 to 10 p.m. at Kennon Observatory. Faculty members from the Department of Physics and Astronomy will host viewings of the moon, Jupiter and interesting celestial objects, weather permitting.

Events scheduled Saturday at the field station include a science research conference with talks, poster presentations and more demonstrations. Tom Marshall, professor of physics and astronomy, will discuss his lightning research at 10:40 a.m., and science demonstrations are scheduled for 2:30-3:30 p.m.

University Museum will present a self-guided tour of the Millington-Barnard Collection of Scientific Instruments both days from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

The weekend’s events are designed to promote the core values and benefits of science.

“My hope is that people with similar interests will discuss possible areas of common interests and potential collaboration,” said Marjorie Holland, professor of biology and one of the organizers of Saturday’s events. “Anyone who is interested in learning what research is conducted at the field station is invited to attend.”

For more information and updates, visit https://www.facebook.com/UMSTEMFest.

UM Undergraduate Students Present Their Research at the Capitol

Posted on: March 23rd, 2018 by erabadie

Posters in the Rotunda showcases undergraduate projects at state universities

MARCH 23, 2018 BY SHEA STEWART

University of Mississippi students (left to right) Madison Savoy, Abigail Garrett, Cellas Hayes, Lindsey Miller and Brittany Brown present their undergraduate research during Posters in the Rotunda March 20 at the state Capitol. Photo by Shea Stewart/University Communications

Five University of Mississippi students displayed their undergraduate research on topics ranging from the Latino South to therapeutic treatments for cognitive disorders during Posters in the Rotunda Tuesday (March 20) at the Mississippi State Capitol.

They were among 33 students from Mississippi’s eight public universities at the event, which showcased to state legislators and leaders some of the undergraduate research and scholarly activity being conducted at public universities.

“Research experiences at the undergraduate level can be extremely impactful for our students, giving them the first thrill of defining and answering a question no one else ever has,” said Josh Gladden, UM interim vice chancellor of research and sponsored programs. “We have been expanding these experiential opportunities at UM and are excited for this opportunity for our leaders to learn more about the impressive work being produced by our students throughout the state.”

The event provided opportunities for state leaders to visit with students from their districts, allowed students to network with one other and showcased cutting-edge research conducted by undergraduates that benefits Mississippians.

“The work being done by undergraduates with their mentors at the eight state universities is quite impressive,” said Marie Danforth, chair of the steering committee for the Drapeau Center for Undergraduate Research at the University of Southern Mississippi and coordinator of the event, in a news release. “This event (helps) legislators appreciate the contributions that the students are making to the state in so many areas, including economics, health care and education.”

Ole Miss students presenting at the Posters in the Rotunda event were:

– Brittany Brown, a journalism major from Quitman. “The Latino South: Migration, Identity and Foodways” was the title of Brown’s poster abstract. According to Brown, her research “examines the demographic changes that result from the migration of Latinos to nontraditional settings in the American South.”

“It is important to understand how this increasing population will affect the idea of race and how Southern society views people of Hispanic descent in order to move forward as a region,” she wrote in her poster abstract.

– Abigail Garrett, a mathematics and computer science major from Mountain Brook, Alabama. Garrett’s research involves analyzing and sorting data with the mission of giving others “the ability to easily view and understand vast amounts of data provided about breast cancer patients and their treatments,” she wrote in her poster abstract.

“The research seeks to benefit Mississippi by helping its residents who are affected by breast cancer, and also benefit the University of Mississippi Medical Center’s research in regard to this terrible disease.”

– Cellas Hayes, a classics and biology major from Lena. As life expectancy has increased, so has diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias, Hayes wrote in his poster abstract. The purpose of his research is to “identify therapeutic treatments for these diseases.”

“Within the last 50 years, life expectancy in Mississippi has increased to almost 80 years of age,” he wrote in his poster abstract. “This increased life expectancy has come with more age-related problems such as increased rates of dementia. Our goal is to understand how cognitive disorders come about in order to find potential therapeutic treatments.”

– Lindsey Miller, a pre-pharmacy major from Corinth. Miller’s poster abstract was titled “Finding the Dimerization Interface of Skp1 from Dictyostelium.” The research is focused “on understanding the function of F-box proteins, which are key proteins in regulating a wide variety of cellular activities in organisms including humans, plants and fungi.”

“Dictyostelium is an amoeba that lives in soil and is a good model system for studying how cells react to their environment,” she wrote in her poster abstract. “We are studying the Skp1 protein from this amoeba to understand how it works with other proteins. This information may help advance medicine and agriculture in Mississippi.”

– Madison Savoy, a communication sciences and disorders major from Southaven. Savoy’s research involves examining “how verb transitivity impacts pronoun interpretation for adults with intellectual disabilities versus typically developing adults,” she wrote in her poster abstract.

“Approximately 14 percent of Mississippians have intellectual or developmental disabilities. Understanding strengths and weaknesses in their language can help identify areas for targeted intervention. These targeted interventions could ultimately save the state of Mississippi a significant amount of funds to help these individuals go on to live independent lives.”

Started in 2016 and modeled after the Posters on the Hill event at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., which includes students from around the country, Posters in the Rotunda is held in some format in 17 states.

Both chambers of the Mississippi Legislature proclaimed March 20 as Undergraduate Research Day.

“Outstanding students from across the state have dedicated their time and have worked tremendously hard on their research projects for Posters in the Rotunda, and these students demonstrate the positive impact that higher education appropriation brings to our state, and supporting students who participate in Posters in the Rotunda is an excellent way for Mississippi to invest in its future,” House Resolution No. 54 stated.

“Undergraduate research is critical in developing solutions to the needs of Mississippi’s future workforce because it cultivates the students’ goals and aspirations and it encourages students to specialize in the biomedical and (science, technology, engineering and mathematical) fields after graduation.”

Mathematics Mixes with Magic for Annual UM Dalrymple Lecture

Posted on: February 27th, 2018 by erabadie

Harvey Mudd College professor Arthur Benjamin speaks Thursday at Overby Center

FEBRUARY 27, 2018 BY EDWIN B. SMITH

Mathematics and magic will mix Thursday (Mar. 1) at the University of Mississippi as a renowned professor demonstrates that the human brain is still faster than a calculator.

“Mathemagics” is the focus of the 23rd Dalrymple Lecture in Mathematics, set for 7 p.m. the Overby Center Auditorium. The presenter is Arthur Benjamin, Smallwood Family Professor of Mathematics at Harvey Mudd College in Claremont, California, and a professional magician.

The event is free and open to the public.

“In his entertaining and fast-paced performance, Dr. Benjamin will demonstrate how to mentally add and multiply numbers faster than a calculator, how to figure out the day of the week of any date in history, and other amazing feats of mind,” said James Reid, chair and professor of mathematics. “For the last 30 years, he has presented his mixture of math and magic all over the world to thousands of groups.”

A renowned mathematician, Benjamin has appeared on many television and radio programs, including NBC’s “Today” show, several CNN programs and “The Colbert Report” on Comedy Central. He has been profiled in The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, USA Today, Scientific American, Discover, Omni, Esquire, People Magazine and Reader’s Digest.

Benjamin has given three TED talks, which collectively have been viewed more than 15 million times.

“In their ‘Best of America’ issue, Reader’s Digest recently called him ‘America’s Best Math Whiz,’” Reid said. “The Los Angeles Times wrote, ‘He talks like a performer, acts like a magician and multiplies faster than a calculator.’”

Established to bring distinguished speakers to campus to discuss mathematics and mathematics research, the Dalrymple Lecture series was endowed by Mr. and Mrs. Arch Dalrymple II of Amory. Dalrymple attended Cornell University, Amherst College and UM, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in 1947.

For more information on the Department of Mathematics, go to https://math.olemiss.edu/.

Award Recipients to be Recognized During Black Alumni Reunion Gala

Posted on: February 26th, 2018 by erabadie

Alumni Association to present slate of honors at sold-out event

FEBRUARY 24, 2018 BY MDIGGS

Donald Cole | Photo by Robert Jordan/ Communications

The Ole Miss Alumni Association is recognizing 13 distinguished alumni as part the University of Mississippi’s 2018 Black Alumni Reunion.

The awards include the Dr. Jeanette Jennings “Trailblazer” Award, The Rev. Wayne Johnson Community and Civic Award, the Alumni Achievement Award and the Celebrated Athlete Award.

The Alumni Association hosts a sold-out gala for the honorees at 6 p.m. Saturday (March 3) at The Inn at Ole Miss. Leadership, lifetime achievement and legacy awards also will be presented at the event.

“The Black Alumni Reunion, as well as the gala, have grown tremendously,” said Kirk Purdom, the association’s executive director. “The 2018 awards gala will be our largest ever, and it offers an opportunity to celebrate history and honor some outstanding alumni, in addition to providing classmates a great opportunity to reunite.”

The Dr. Jeanette Jennings “Trailblazer” Award recognizes Ole Miss alumni who served a vital role in the progress of black faculty, staff, alumni and/or students on the Ole Miss campus. Jennings came to UM in 1970 as the university’s first black faculty member.

Donald Cole (PhD mathematics 85) and Jacquline Vinson (BBA 01, MA 10) are the 2018 recipients.

As the university’s assistant provost and associate professor of mathematics, Cole plays an active leadership role in policymaking, teaching, research and diversification at UM. More than 40 minority doctoral degrees in a variety of disciplines are attributed to his grants, teaching and mentorship.

Vinson is project coordinator for the Louis Stokes Mississippi Alliance for Minority Participation IMAGE program and co-principal investigator of the Bridge STEM program. She was married to the late Theopolis P. Vinson and continues her husband’s legacy on the Ole Miss campus with a scholarship endowment in his name for minority students in the School of Education.

The Rev. Wayne Johnson Community and Civic Award recognizes exceptional service by Ole Miss alumni through commitment to their community in a civic, ministerial or volunteer capacity. An Oxford native, Johnson was instrumental in founding the Oxford Development Association.

Dr. Rashad Ali

This year’s recipients are Dr. Rashad Ali (BA chemistry and zoology 81, MD 85), Barbara L. Howard (BA biological science 92, MEd 94) and Reginald H. Turner (BBA 92).

Ali, who has more than 27 years of experience as an OB-GYN physician and is a highly regarded surgeon, is chief executive officer of the Family Health Center of Laurel. He continues to show his concerns for health care in Mississippi by collaborating with the nonprofit housing organization Community Connections Inc., and has contributed more than $250,000 to ensure that quality housing is available to qualified residents of south central Mississippi.

Barbara L. Howard

Howard is founder and director of Hearts Desire Foundation, a nonprofit organization that provides educational resources to the community. One of her major projects is the Books to Prisons Ministry, where she provides Christian literature to prison libraries for incarcerated men and women. She is an assistant professor at Jackson State University and author of the books “Wounded Sheep: How to Calm a Storm” and “Wounded Sheep: How to Heal Church Hurt.”

Turner has more than two decades of experience in academia as a professor, academic dean, chief academic officer, chief student affairs officer and, ultimately, as president of Westwood College-Northlake in Atlanta. He has earned numerous awards including Adjunct Faculty of the Year, Staff Member of the Year and Administrator of Year. Turner has been inducted into Morehouse College’s Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. International Collegium of Scholars and awarded a congressional medal for Outstanding Community Service.

The Alumni Achievement Award recognizes Ole Miss alumni for exceptional achievement in their chosen professional field. This award acknowledges the entrepreneurial spirit, corporate prowess and dedication to succeed exemplified by alumni or former students.

Rose Jackson Flenorl (BAEd 79) and Markeeva Morgan (BSEE 01) are recipients of this award.

Morgan is a senior manager for avionics, guidance, navigation and control, and software at the Boeing Co. after serving nearly two decades in military and federal civil service. He is a PMI-certified project management professional who teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in management, leadership and organizational theory at the University of Alabama at Huntsville. Morgan is pursuing a doctorate in systems engineering from George Washington University.

The Celebrated Athlete Award recognizes former Ole Miss student-athletes or coaches for success in the field of athletics after their UM tenure. This year’s recipients are Peggie Gillom-Granderson (BSW 80), Terrence Metcalf (BBA 16) and Robert “Ben” Williams (BBA 76).

Gillom-Granderson led the Ole Miss women’s basketball team to the Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women State Tournament Championships in 1978 and ’79. She is Ole Miss’ all-time leading scorer with 2,486 points and rebounder with 1,271 rebounds, and also served 16 seasons as an assistant coach to Van Chancellor. As an assistant coach for USA Basketball, she helped guide the 1999 U.S. Pan American Games team to a bronze medal and the 2000 U.S. Olympic team to a gold medal. She was inducted into the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame in 2013.

Metcalf, a fan favorite on the Ole Miss Rebel football team from 1997 to 2001, is assistant head coach and offensive line coach at Pearl River Community College. He was selected the 2001 SEC Most Valuable Lineman and was recognized as a consensus first-team All-American in 2001. Metcalf was inducted in the Class of 2017 SEC Legends. After playing seven seasons with the Chicago Bears, he finished his pro career in 2010 with the Super Bowl champion New Orleans Saints.

Usefulness of Math Topic of February Science Cafe

Posted on: February 15th, 2018 by erabadie

UM professor Sandra Spiroff to discuss applications of mathematics

FEBRUARY 14, 2018 BY EDWIN B. SMITH

UM mathematics professor Sandra Spiroff explains complex mathematical equations in the classroom. Photo by Robert Jordan/Ole Miss Communications

Practical uses for mathematical concepts is the topic for a monthly public science forum organized by the University of Mississippi Department of Physics and Astronomy.

The spring semester’s second meeting of the Oxford Science Cafe is set for 6 p.m. Tuesday (Feb. 20) at Lusa Pastry Cafe, 2305 West Jackson Ave. Sandra Spiroff, UM associate professor of mathematics, will discuss “When are we ever going to use this? Some applications of mathematics.” Admission is free.

“In 1623, Galileo Galilei wrote, ‘Philosophy is written in this grand book (meaning the universe), which stands continually open to our gaze, but cannot be understood unless one first learns to comprehend the language and interpret the characters in which it is written,’” Spiroff said. “‘It is written in the language of mathematics, without which it is humanly impossible to understand a single word of it.’”

Spiroff’s 40-minute presentation will explore the mathematics behind some of our everyday experiences.

“In addition, we will use technology to model the behavior we wish to understand,” she said.

Spiroff earned her doctorate at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Her research area is commutative algebra, which includes the study of rings, modules, fields, groups, and the maps and invariants associated to these constructions.

She holds a five-year grant from the Simons Foundation and is an advocate for underrepresented groups in the study of mathematics, including women and minorities. Spiroff is organizing a research conference at the Banff International Research Station in Canada for the former and participating in national and regional conferences in support of the latter.

Active in the university’s globalization efforts, Spiroff will be traveling to China with a UM delegation to pursue partnerships with universities in Beijing and beyond. She is vice president of the UM Chapter of Phi Beta Kappa and faculty adviser of the American Mathematical Society Graduate Student Chapter.

For more information about Oxford Science Cafe programs, go to https://www.phy.olemiss.edu/oxfordsciencecafe. For more information about the Department of Physics and Astronomy, visit https://www.olemiss.edu/depts/physics_and_astronomy or call 662-915-5311.

UM Alumna Receives Prestigious Teaching Award

Posted on: February 15th, 2018 by erabadie

February 15, 2018 | By Nathan Towery for the University of Mississippi Graduate School

Torina Lewis teaches a class during her time at the University of Mississippi. Photo by Kevin Bain

Torina Lewis. Photo by Kevin Bain/Ole Miss Communications

Torina D. Lewis, Ph.D., received the Vulcan Teaching Excellence Award earlier this year. Lewis is a University of Mississippi alumna and an assistant professor in the Department of Mathematical Sciences at Clark Atlanta University.

The prestigious award is given every year by Vulcan Materials Co. through the Georgia Independent College Association. It is given to the faculty member in Georgia who demonstrates the highest levels of leadership and scholarship inside and outside the classroom.

“Dr. Lewis’ effectiveness in the classroom is a shining example of the caliber of instruction and the level of challenge that students can expect at Clark Atlanta,” said Ronald A. Johnson, Clark Atlanta University’s president. “Her passion and enthusiasm give depth and hue to the university’s culture and are an essential building block in creating our global pipeline of scholarship, discovery, innovation and entrepreneurship.”

Lewis started off her academic career at Southern University in New Orleans, where she received a B.A. in general studies in 2003. She followed that with an M.S. in mathematics at Southern University in Baton Rouge in 2006. In 2010, she received her Ph.D. in mathematics from UM.

She joined the Bethune-Cookman University’s staff as a tenure-track assistant professor in mathematics after completion of her doctorate in 2010. She then became a visiting professor at UM. In 2013, she joined the faculty at Clark Atlanta as a tenure-track assistant professor in mathematics.

Lewis mentored the student winner of CAU’s 2017 Undergraduate Research Symposium and is also the recipient of CAU’s Aldridge-McMillan Award for Excellence in Teaching.

Her publications include “Bicircular Matroid Designs” (with McNulty, Neudauer, Reid and Shepardson) in Ars Combinatoria, 2013); “Square Functions as a Dynamic System” (with Ronald Mickens, Ph.D.) in Proceedings of Dynamic Systems and Applications, 2015) and her current work, “The Construction of the Inscribed Polygonal Periodic Functions,” which is funded by the National Science Foundation. She is collaborating with Mickens of Clark Atlanta University and Nancy Neudauer of Pacific University on this work.

Lewis is a member of the Phi Kappa Phi, Gamma Beta Phi and Pi Mu Epsilon honor societies; the National Association of Mathematicians; and Enhancing Diversity in Graduate Education.

ALUMNI PROFILE: Chris Presley

Posted on: December 13th, 2017 by erabadie

December 13, 2017 By Bethany Fitts for the Ole Miss Alumni Association

Chris Presley

When Chris Presley (BA biology ’12) needs encouragement and inspiration to face life’s obstacles, he listens to songs like Andra Day’s “Rise Up” in which Day sings, “I’ll rise up. I’ll rise like the day. I’ll rise up. I’ll rise unafraid.” Presley’s recent placement on the St. Louis Business Journal’s “30 Under 30” list, which recognizes top people within any profession who are considered rising leaders within the community, is a testament that Presley took Day’s lyrics to heart.

“That was a big highlight—knowing that I’ve only been in St. Louis for about three and a half years [while] most of the people on that list were from St. Louis. That let me know that I had made contributions to St. Louis that people were starting to see,” Presley said.

After moving to St. Louis, he was moved by the tragedies within Ferguson and joined the Urban League Young Professionals (ULYP) to join the movement for social change. Moreover, Presley served the St. Louis area on community boards as vice president of finance for Urban League Young Professionals of Metropolitan and is past president of the St. Louis Ole Miss Alumni Club. Presley was also the youngest employee in the business school at St. Louis’s Washington University where he helped lead the undergraduate business program from a number four to a number one ranking.

Now in his second year as a Ph.D. student at Saint Louis University, he is well on his way to becoming a senior-level administrator in higher education with a goal of improving access, retention and success for students regardless of their background.

“This may sound weird, but a lot of what’s inspired me is the chaos that’s going on around America and knowing that I can make a positive impact not only on people that I’m around but also on future generations to kind of mold and shape them,” Presley said.

Presley’s success is no surprise, because he was a hard worker during his years at Ole Miss. He didn’t initially think he would attend the university due to its proximity to home, but he eventually came around due to the influence of Dr. Donald Cole (PhD ’85), an assistant provost and associate professor of mathematics, who encouraged him to pursue a degree in biology and who opened his eyes to the opportunities he had access to at the university.

Another selling point for Presley was the university’s marching band. He loved the Pride of the South and became a drum major during his junior year.

“I knew that I wanted to be in the marching band, “Presley said. “I auditioned and got a scholarship, and from the first day I fell in love with the Pride of the South. It was a great experience to lead the band and conduct the band at the football games and to be among 60,000 fans.”

Outside of the marching band Presley was a 2012 Campus Favorite, an Ole Miss Women’s Council scholar and an IMATE scholar. The IMATE program, which is an acronym for Increasing Minority Access to Graduate Education, serves underrepresented minorities who are interested in STEM fields.

“As a biology student I was part of [the IMATE] program,” Presley said. “It really helped me gain leadership skills but also exposed me to different areas to do research and to think about pursuing the next level of my education.”

The IMATE program’s dedication to promoting minority access impacted Presley beyond his years as an Ole Miss undergraduate. In fact, his commitment to diversity and inclusion led him to be chosen as one of only five employees at Washington University to participate in the 2015 Global Diversity Overseas Seminar, a nine-month professional development opportunity.

Since Presley’s trip to Seoul, South Korea, he has been a strong advocate for international and minority students, leading to his recognition as Advisor of the Year and a teaching role for an Identity Literacy course. Moreover, he recently launched the Olin Fleischer Scholars Program, a summer program for underrepresented students in high school to gain exposure to business majors and professions.

“I’m always very fulfilled when I’m talking to someone who never knew that one of the programs I established was an option for them,” Presley said. “And then once they go through the programs, being able to see how their attitude has changed when they continue to keep in contact with me and ask even more questions and when I see them reaching the goals they set for themselves–it’s very rewarding.”

Presley’s mission is to eliminate any obstacles people might face in pursuing their education and to help create a reality for people who may have never envisioned the opportunities available to them.

“I want to let people know that regardless of their background, whether it be socioeconomic status or race or religion or sexual orientation, they can achieve whatever goals they set for themselves,” Presley said.

Presley currently leads the operations team and manages the enrollment aspects for prospective MBA students at the Consortium for Graduate Study in Management, an alliance of 19 top-tier MBA programs across the country. The Consortium’s mission is to enhance diversity and inclusion in global business education and leadership. In the future, he would like the option to teach and be a senior level administrator and, “maybe return to Mississippi.”

UM Museum Unveils 2017 Keepsake Ornament

Posted on: November 27th, 2017 by erabadie

This year’s design features popular 19th century scientific instrument

NOVEMBER 16, 2017 BY STAFF REPORT

The UM Museum’s 2017 keepsake ornament featuring Barlow’s Planetarium is available for purchase. Submitted photo

The University of Mississippi Museum has unveiled its 17th annual keepsake ornament, a design featuring the Barlow’s Planetarium, part of the collection of antique scientific instruments on display at the museum.

The planetarium, also known as an orrery, has a storied history with Ole Miss. Designer Thomas H. Barlow of Lexington, Kentucky, who created and sold several of these instruments to universities and museums throughout the United States, made the university’s orrery in 1854.

The ornaments alternate annually between highlights of the museum’s 20,000-object permanent collection, campus landmarks and sites around Oxford, said Robert Saarnio, museum director.

“This mid-19th century astronomical model occupies a place of great prominence in the museum’s exhibition galleries and is a much-beloved historical artifact of countless museum visitors,” Saarnio said. “All ornament sales proceeds directly support programs of the University Museum, and we are very grateful to those campus and community members for whom these collectibles are eagerly-awaited annual Museum Store offerings.”

In the late 1850s, Chancellor F.A.P. Barnard, who also served as chair and professor of mathematics, astronomy and natural philosophy, purchased the orrery for the university. The orrery and other scientific instruments were used in classrooms and laboratories until they became obsolete in the 1870s.

The planetarium aligns the planets based on a specific date. At the museum, the date is set to Nov. 7 1848, the day the university first opened its doors to students.

The Barlow’s Planetarium commemorative ornament is available for $25, plus tax. It can be purchased in the Museum Store or by phone with a credit card at 662-915-7073. A flat $7 shipping and handling fee will be added to all orders to be shipped within the 48 contiguous states, and all sales are final.

Orders must be placed by Dec. 13 to arrive in time for Christmas Day.

Collectible ornaments from previous years still available in the Museum Store include the Old Skipwith House, Brandt Memory House, Ventress Hall, Lafayette County Courthouse, Oxford City Hall, the Ole Miss Women’s Basketball Jersey, Theora Hamblett House, Theora Hamblett’s “Christmas Trees,” Walk of Champions, Oxford’s Double Decker Bus and the Herakles Neck Amphora. All previous year’s ornaments are $20, plus tax.

Museum members and Friends of the Museum receive a 10 percent discount on all merchandise in the Museum Store.

The University Museum is at the corner of University Avenue and Fifth Street. Holiday Hours for the Museum Store are 8 a.m.-6 p.m. Mondays-Fridays, and 10a.m.-6p.m. Saturdays.
Museum gallery visiting hours are 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Tuesdays-Saturdays.

For information about events and exhibits, visit https://museum.olemiss.edu/.

Two UM Faculty Win Inaugural National Science Foundation Fellowships

Posted on: September 20th, 2017 by erabadie

Ryan Garrick and Saša Kocić among 30 nationwide selected for competitive research program

SEPTEMBER 20, 2017 BY EDWIN SMITH

Ryan Garrick, UM assistant professor of biology, examines insects as part of his research on the effects of environmental change. Photo by Robert Jordan/UM Communications

Two University of Mississippi professors have been honored for innovative research in their respective fields by being selected for fellowships in a competitive new National Science Foundation program.

Ryan Garrick, assistant professor of biology, and Saša Kocić, assistant professor of mathematics, have been chosen for funding under NSF’s Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research. The Research Infrastructure Improvement Track 4 program is designed to help junior investigators in EPSCoR-eligible states develop career-spanning collaborations through extended visits to other premiere research institutions around the nation.

Garrick will conduct his fellowship at Ohio State University, while Kocić will visit the University of California at Irvine.

Of 136 proposals considered by NSF in this competition, only 30 awards were made across 27 universities, for a funding rate of 22 percent. UM was among only three institutions receiving two fellowship awards in the competition.

Both recipients said they were pleasantly surprised by their selection.

“After many attempts to secure federal funding to support research and career development, during a time that appears to be a particularly difficult period for faculty doing basic research, finally having some success was a relief,” Garrick said.

“This award is certainly very special to me,” Kocić said. “Many people at University of Mississippi and beyond have helped me in that process. I am extremely grateful to all of them and glad that all that effort was not in vain.”

Chancellor Jeffrey Vitter congratulated Garrick and Kocić for their achievements.

“We are so pleased to see the success of our researchers in this highly competitive program,” Vitter said. “Their tremendous achievements help drive discovery and creativity on our campus and enhance our undergraduate and graduate education.

“I congratulate Drs. Garrick and Kocić for how their innovation, collaboration and research bolster UM’s role as a Carnegie R1 highest research activity institution.”

The awards reflect the promise shown by both researchers’ work, said Josh Gladden, interim vice chancellor for research and sponsored programs.

“That the university received not just one, but two awards in this crowded competition is especially gratifying and shows that the National Science Foundation sees the same great potential that we do in the research careers of both Dr. Garrick and Dr. Kocić,” Gladden said.

“NSF EPSCoR funding has helped to launch the careers of many successful researchers at Ole Miss and across the state, with more than $80 million in research infrastructure investments in Mississippi over the last 25 years.”

Each institution was allowed to submit only three applications. Garrick and Kocić each discussed the scope and goals of his particular research project.

Saša Kocić, UM assistant professor of mathematics, is continuing his study of dynamic systems and mathematical physics, which promises to help scientists better understand such diverse phenomena as heart function and stock market fluctuations. Photo by Thomas Graining/UM Communications

“Biodiversity, or the variety of species in an ecosystem, is declining in many areas of the world due to environmental change,” said Garrick, principal investigator on a project examining “Enhancement of technical and analytical skills for the application of genomics to research in molecular ecology and comparative phylogeography.”

With $110,413 over the next two years, he will collaborate with colleagues at Ohio State to understand how the numbers and genetic variability of four invertebrate species found in southern Appalachian forests change as their environment changes.

“This fellowship will enable research using genetic techniques to study how organisms have responded to past and present environmental change,” he said. “It will also generate new opportunities for sustained collaboration with the host institution.

“Findings will advance understanding of whether whole communities have the ability to respond to environmental change together, or as individual species. This information will aid in conservation and management of U.S. forest fauna.”

Kocić is the principal investigator on a project focusing on “Sharp arithmetic transitions and universality in one-frequency quasiperiodic systems.”

With his $161,681 two-year grant, he and a graduate student will initiate a new collaboration between the university and UC-Irvine, in particular with Svetlana Jitomirskaya, one of the top experts in dynamical systems and mathematical physics. The project will develop and apply state-of-the-art tools for studying dynamical systems, which will allow mathematicians to obtain new results by looking at systems at different spatial and time scales, revealing shared properties.

“Dynamical systems is a large area of mathematics that concerns the evolution of different systems and phenomena, ranging from the motion of celestial bodies to heart function to fluctuations in the stock market,” Kocić said. “The project is centered around a powerful tool called renormalization that acts as a ‘microscope’ and allows one to look at systems at different spatial and time scales, revealing properties of the systems that are universal, that is, shared by a large class of systems.”

There is a broad range of phenomena where these tools have led to an explanation. The transition between the liquid and gas phases – boiling and evaporation – is one familiar example.

A particular focus of this project will be on sharp transitions and universality in two types of systems: relatively simple systems that underlie more complicated systems, and systems arising from quantum physics, Kocić said.

“This project will lead to advancement of both areas, strengthen the research program in dynamical systems and mathematical physics at UM, and enhance its undergraduate and graduate education,” he said.

“This collaboration will be very important not only for my career and the field of research, but also for my current and future students, our dynamical systems group, the mathematics department and the whole of the University of Mississippi.”

Garrick’s fellowship is funded by NSF grant 1738817; Kocic’s by NSF grant 1738834.

The mission of EPSCoR is to enhance research competitiveness of targeted jurisdictions – states, territories or commonwealths – by strengthening STEM capacity and capability. EPSCoR envisions its targeted jurisdictions as being recognized as strong contributors to the national and global STEM research enterprise.

Mathematics Professor Awarded Prestigious Ralph E. Powe Grant

Posted on: September 1st, 2017 by erabadie

Thái Hoàng Lê will use funds to study prime numbers

AUGUST 31, 2017 BY EDWIN SMITH

Thái Hoàng Lê, assistant professor of mathematics

A University of Mississippi faculty member has been selected for a prestigious Ralph E. Powe Junior Faculty Enhancement Award from Oak Ridge Associated Universities.

Thái Hoàng Lê, assistant professor of mathematics, is the third UM faculty member to win the honor. The awards, which run for one year, provide seed money for research by junior faculty at ORAU member institutions with the goal of enriching the research and professional growth of young faculty and resulting in new funding opportunities.

ORAU provides $5,000 for the award, and the winner’s institution is required to match it with at least an additional $5,000.

“I was excited and felt that I was lucky because the award is very competitive, with applicants from many universities and across multiple disciplines,” Lê said. “I am happy because the award is a recognition for my potential to do interesting work. I will use the award for summer support and travel to attend conferences and visit collaborators.”

Lê’s research involves finding patterns in prime numbers, numbers divisible only by themselves and 1.

“For example, can we find an infinite number of pairs of primes which differ by 2?” he said. “Questions like this have been studied since the ancient Greeks, mostly for aesthetic reasons, but since several decades ago, number theory and prime numbers have found practical applications in computer science, such as in coding theory and cryptography.

“As such, prime numbers are ubiquitous in real life, as in cryptosystems to encode messages sent over the internet.”

Research project must be in one of five disciplines to qualify: engineering and applied science, life sciences, mathematics/computer sciences, physical sciences, and policy, management or education.

Previous UM recipients were Davita Watkins, assistant professor of chemistry and biochemistry in 2015, and Nathan Jones, assistant professor of math and computer information science, in 2011.

Originally from Vietnam, Lê earned his undergraduate degree at École Polytechnique in France and his doctorate at the University of California at Los Angeles. He received a gold medal in the 40th International Mathematical Olympiad, an event for high school students, in 1999.

A faculty member at the University of Mississippi since 2015, he teaches several courses, including calculus and analytic geometry.

Lê has been a member of the Institute for Advanced Study and has held post-doctoral positions at the University of Texas at Austin and at École Polytechnique. His research on problems in combinatorial number theory is of interest to some of the very best mathematicians in the world.

“While I view myself as a pure mathematician, I also use my expertise to collaborate with computer scientists and work on applications of number theory and combinatorics to computer science,” he said.

“One of our papers is on randomness extractors; that is, how to convert a source of weak randomness into strong randomness. Of course, randomness is ubiquitous in real life, and we desire perfect, or unbiased, randomness.”

Lê deserves his recognition, said James Reid, chair and professor of mathematics.

“Dr. Lê has an impressive research pedigree for a young mathematician,” Reid said. “He has 17 publications in some of the best mathematics journals in the world, such as the Proceedings of the American Mathematical Society and the Journal of Number Theory.

“Dr. Lê recently received a prestigious research award from the National Science Foundation. The Department of Mathematics is very proud that Dr. Lê’s cutting edge research in additive number theory has been nationally recognized.”

For more about the Department of Mathematics, visit http://math.olemiss.edu. For more about ORAU, visit http://orau.org.