Mathematics

Student Profiles

Profiles of some current Simpson Mathematics students appear below.  If you are a Simpson Mathematics student and would like to have your profile listed below or would like your profile to be updated, please contact Bill Schellhorn.

Class of 2010

Erin Vinnedge:  Erin will double major in Honors in Mathematics and Economics and she is currently considering attending graduate school for Financial Mathematics or Economics.  Erin has been a member of two Mathematical Contest in Modeling teams that both earned Honorable Mention rankings.  Last summer Erin attended an REU at the Worcester Polytechnic Institute where she worked on modeling brain tumors as part of a research project for IBM.  This summer Erin has an internship in the Northwestern Mutual Financial Network.  NMFN is ranked in the top ten of internship programs for the United States.  Erin is a member of the Simpson College women's soccer team.

Andrew Dau:  Andrew's current plans are to major in Mathematics and major or minor in a business related field.  For the second summer in a row, Andrew is interning at the National Agricultural Statistical Service (NASS) regional office in Des Moines.  Andrew is planning on a career with the NASS after graduation.  Andrew is a member of the Simpson College men's basketball team.

Eric Smith:  Eric's current plans are to double major in Mathematics and Computer Science and he intends to pursue a career in Actuary Science.  Eric has been a member of two Mathematical Contest in Modeling teams that both earned Honorable Mention rankings.  Eric passed the Society of Actuaries (SOA) Financial Mathematics Exam FM as a freshmen and last May passed Exam P.  For the second summer in a row, Eric is an actuarial intern with The Principal Financial Group in Des Moines.

Andi Werger:  Last fall Andi participated in the Capital Hill Internship Program (CHIP) where she spent the semester as an intern at the NASS national office in Washington D.C.  Andi's current plans are to major in Mathematics and minor in Secondary Education with the intention of teaching high school mathematics or starting a business related career.  Andi has been a member of two Mathematical Contest in Modeling teams that both received Successful Participant rankings.

Emily Wagoner:  Emily will double major in Mathematics and Economics and is considering attending graduate school.  Last summer Emily participated in the Dr. Albert H. and Greta A. Bryan Summer Research Program in Mathematics studying Auction Theory and she presented results with her research team at MathFest 2008 in Madison, Wisconsin.  Emily has been a member of  two Mathematical Contest in Modeling teams that both received Successful Participant rankings.

Heather Scott:  Heather is majoring in Mathematics and minoring in Secondary Education with the intention of teaching high school mathematics.  She has been an undergraduate assistant through the Hawley Academic Center many times and has provided Supplemental Instruction for Elementary Statistics classes through Student Support Services.  Heather has been a member of two Mathematical Contest in Modeling teams, the most recent of which earned the award of Meritorious.

Bobbi Pogge:  Bobbi is majoring in Mathematics and will either minor or major in a business related field.  Bobbi has been a member of two Mathematical Contest in Modeling teams that both received Successful Participant rankings.  During the past two summers, Bobbie has interned at financial institutions and is considering career options in the finance industry. 

Jeremy Ward:  Jeremy is double majoring in Mathematics and Physics and is considering graduate school options.  Jeremy has been a member of two Mathematical Contest in Modeling teams, the most recent of which earned the award of Meritorious.  Last summer Jeremy participated in the Dr. Albert H. and Greta A. Bryan Summer Research Program in Mathematics studying Graph Labeling.  He presented results with his research team at MathFest 2008 in Madison, Wisconsin, for which his team won an award.  The research paper produced by the team has been published in the Rose-Hulman Undergraduate Journal in Mathematics.  This summer Jeremy is conducting undergraduate research in Physics on the electrochemistry of thin metal films under the direction of Dr. Frank Curti at Simpson College.  Jeremy is also a member of the Simpson College men's soccer team.

Class of 2011

Chad Onstot:  Chad plans to double major in Mathematics and Economics.  Last summer Chad participated in the Dr. Albert H. and Greta A. Bryan Summer Research Program in Mathematics studying Auction Theory and presented results with his research team at MathFest 2008 in Madison, Wisconsin.  Chad has passed the SOA Exams P and FM and will be an actuarial intern with AEGON in Cedar Rapids this summer.  Chad is a member of the Simpson College football team. 

Alonzo Barkley:  Alonzo is double majoring in Mathematics and Physics and is planning on attending graduate school.  Alonzo has been a member of two Mathematical Contest in Modeling teams, the most recent of which earned the award of Meritorious.  Last summer Alonzo attended an REU at Coe College where he studied the physical nature of glass.  This summer Alonzo will participate in the Dr. Albert H. and Greta A. Bryan Summer Research Program in Mathematics looking at applications of Knot Theory to the study of DNA under the direction of Dr. Bill Schellhorn.

Kiersten Ruff:  Kiersten plans to double major in Mathematics and Physics and minor in History.  Kiersten has been a member of two Mathematical Contest in Modeling teams, the most recent of which earned the award of Meritororious.  Last summer Kiersten participated in the Dr. Albert H. and Greta A. Bryan Summer Research Program in Mathematics studying Graph Labeling.  She presented results with her research team at MathFest 2008 in Madison, Wisconsin, for which her team won an award.  The research paper produced by the team has been published in the Rose-Hulman Undergraduate Journal in Mathematics.  Kiersten used her work to submit a paper to the Mathematics and Statistics Student Paper Competition and her
paper tied for first place.  This competition is open to undergraduate and masters students
in Missouri and surrounding states and is hosted by the Missouri University of Science and
Technology at Rolla.  This summer Kiersten is conducting undergraduate research in Physics on the electrochemistry of thin metal films under the direction of Dr. Frank Curti at Simpson College.  Kiersten is also a member of the Simpson women's softball team.

Katrina Housholder:  Katrina is majoring in Mathematics with a minor in Secondary Education with the intention of teaching high school mathematics.  Last summer Katrina participated in the Dr. Albert H. and Greta A. Bryan Summer Research Program in Mathematics studying Auction Theory and presented results with his research team at MathFest 2008 in Madison, Wisconsin.  Katrina has been a member two Mathematical Contest in Modeling teams that both received Successful Participant rankings. 

Michelle Lingsheit:  Michelle is majoring in Mathematics and Chemistry.  Last summer Michelle participated in the Dr. Albert H. and Greta A. Bryan Summer Research Program in Mathematics studying Graph Labeling.  She presented results with her research team at MathFest 2008 in Madison, Wisconsin, for which her team won an award.  The research paper produced by the team has been published in the Rose-Hulman Undergraduate Journal in Mathematics.  Michelle has been a member two Mathematical Contest in Modeling teams that both received Successful Participant rankings.  This summer Michelle is attending an REU in Chemistry at Colorado State University.

Molly Peterson:  Molly is double majoring in Mathematics and Philosophy.  Molly has been a member of two Mathematical Contest in Modeling teams that both earned the award of Honorable Mention.  This summer Molly will participate in the Dr. Albert H. and Greta A. Bryan Summer Research Program in Mathematics and work under the direction of Dr. Heidi Berger.  Her group will investigate using a logistic time scale model to predict devastation on ash trees by emerald ash borers.

Macy Koch:  Macy is double majoring in Mathematics and Psychology.  Macy has been a member of two Mathematical Contest in Modeling teams that both earned the award of Honorable Mention.  Macy has been very involved in student government and has served as a student ambassador for the Admissions Office.

Jennifer Griffiths:  Jennifer is majoring in Mathematics and minoring in Biology.  Jennifer has been a member two Mathematical Contest in Modeling teams that both received Successful Participant rankings.  This summer Jennifer will participate in the Dr. Albert H. and Greta A. Bryan Summer Research Program in Mathematics looking at applications of Knot Theory to the study of DNA under the direction of Dr. Bill Schellhorn.

Jessica Keeton:  Jessica is double majoring in Mathematics and Computer Science.  In the spring of 2009, Jessica was a member of a Mathematical Contest in Modeling team that received a Successful Participation ranking.  She participated in the Wabash Summer Institute in Mathematics during the summer of 2009, which is an REU in Mathematics and Computer Science at Wabash College. 

Class of 2012

Kraig Thomas:  Kraig is majoring in Mathematics and is considering graduate school.  This spring Kraig was a member of a Mathematical Contest in Modeling team that received a Successful Participant ranking.  This summer Kraig will participate in the Dr. Albert H. and Greta A. Bryan Summer Research Program in Mathematics and work under the direction of Dr. Heidi Berger.  His group will investigate using a logistic time scale model to predict devastation on ash trees by emerald ash borers.

Hannah Patrick:  Hannah is majoring in Mathematics and plans on majoring or minoring in a business-related field.  This spring Hannah was a member of a Mathematical Contest in Modeling team that received a Successful Participant ranking.  During her sophomore year Hannah will complete the course work necessary to take SOA Exam P and plans on taking this actuarial exam during May Term.

Jacki Mathenge:  Jacki is majoring in Mathematics and plans on majoring or minoring in a business-related field.  This spring Jacki was a member of a Mathematical Contest in Modeling team that received a Successful Participant ranking.  During her sophomore year Jacki will complete the course work necessary to take SOA Exam P and plans on taking this actuarial exam during May Term. 

Blaise Mikels:  Blaise is majoring in Mathematics and plans on majoring or minoring in a related field.  Last fall Blaise participated in Midwest Mathematical Modeling Competition hosted by the University of Iowa.  This spring Blaise was a member of a Mathematical Contest in Modeling team that received a Successful Participant ranking.  Next year Blaise will complete the course work necessary to take SOA Exam P and plans on taking this actuarial exam during May Term. 

Last Updated: 8/19/09