Mathematics, Computer Science and Physics
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Working one-on-one with award-winning faculty, creating unique research programs, chatting with students and faculty: our students are active, developing skills for industry and graduate school, and having fun!
Prospective students: please contact Department Chair Roland Minton (minton@roanoke.edu) for more information and to arrange to talk to our students and faculty and sit in on classes.
Department News
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Dr. Minton tries to bring Moneyball to golf with this analysis of golf statistics and various applications of mathematics to golf. The PGA Tour collects data on every shot taken, with distances measured to the inch. Dr. Minton used this data to develop rating systems for golfers for overall performance and individual categories such as putting and driving. Other topics include the role of luck in putting, and course strategies. |
Katie Thornton (left), a Math minor, was Senior Scholar in her two majors Economics and International Relations and will attend graduate school in Statistics. Ed Hrinya was Senior Scholar in his two majors of Physics and Philosophy. Phi Beta Kappa inductees include Anne Kyner, a double major in Math and Physics; April Saul, the Senior Scholar in Math; and Katie and Ed. Other MCSP award winners include T.J. Kemper, Senior Scholar in Computer Science, Jimmy Riggs, a Math major and future teacher doing his student teaching in China, and David Guynn, winner of the first Frank Munley Physics Award. Katie, Ed, and April tied for Salutatorian and Math minor Jeremy Johnson was Valedictorian. |
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Dr. Bala has continued her nanotube research and spoke on "Investigations on the role of nanocatalysts in the formation of nanotubes" in Austin, Texas. She also attended a meeting on STEM education in Kansas City. Dr. Fleenor spoke at the NRAO Astronomy meeting on "How multiwavelength datasets aid in galaxy evolution studies" and co-authored a published article. MCSP will be glad to welcome back Drs. Bala and Fleenor after productive semesters. |
Ed Hrinya '13, Jared Meadows '13, and Kat Jansen '14 teamed in the Mathematical Contest in Modeling and earned a Meritorius rating, placing them in the top 1% of 5636 teams from 17 countries! |
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Professor Jan Minton is co-coordinator of the Roanoke Valley Reef. This project combined beautiful crochet work from over 200 contributors with the mathematics of hyperbolic geometry and the ecology of coral reefs. The exhibit was on display in Olin Gallery through the first week of March and attracted thousands of visitors. Biology's Darwin Days, Chemistry's Fisher lecture and various biology and creative writing classes all connected to the Reef to create a college-wide series of events that also involved the community. Link here to the Roanoke Valley Reef web site. |
Physics majors David Guynn '13 and Greg Wise '15, and Math major April Saul '13 presented research at the Roanoke College Showcase. |
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We are committed to individual instruction and research, and have several excellent student research projects this summer. Computer scientists Dr. Durell Bouchard and Dr. Anil Shende will supervise multiple projects such as robotic mapping and the creation of Android apps. Physicist Dr. Dan Robb will supervise computational modeling of a region of the brain associated with respiratory regulation. Mathematician Dr. Karin Saoub will supervise research on the graph-theoretical properties of social networks. |
The day opened with media coverage from the local NBC affiliate. Teams of students then participated in a "Pi-athlon" of mathematical events, such as solving a Sudoku with only 18 clues (given, of course, by the first 18 digits of pi). The cafeteria served chicken pot pie for lunch. Then came the pie-ing of professors, students, and our man Chaplain Henrickson, who brought a special clean-up crew! Proceeds of the pie-ing go to charity. The day's pi-nultimate event was an entertaining talk by Dr. Taylor on "Magic, Mathemagic, and Mathematics." |
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Rama Balasubramanian and nanotechnology |
Jake Bennett Rossing Award; Goldwater Award |
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| Adam Childers and Jeff Spielman webinar Anil Shende and travel to Italy Jan Minton and Coral Reef Hannah Robbins and band Jeff Spielman and INQ Frank Munley and global warming research Jane Ingram retirement |
John McAfee commencement address Charlotte Fraser and Miss Virginia Alan Moore and baseball Jimmy Riggs and service abroad Scotty Smith and wireless networking Valedictorians: Laura Cassels; Paul Vines; Jake Bennett |
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Dr. Roland Minton's popular press book Golf By the Numbers was published by Johns Hopkins University Press.
Congratulations to the class of 2013!
Physics professors Dr. Matt Fleenor and Dr. Rama Balasubramanian are enjoying their sabbaticals . 
MCSP faculty are supervising student summer research projects. 
The annual student celebration of Pi Day (3/14) was a smashing success!The MCSP Conversation Series features popular talks from our faculty as well as talks by students, alumni and special speakers from outside the college. Join us for interesting conversations about our favorite topics!
Link to Conversation Series schedule; Link to descriptions of past talks
Find us on Facebook: join the group Roanoke College Math/CS/Physics Alumni and like the page Roanoke College Math/CS/Physics Dept.
And read our departmental newsletters:
Link to 2011 MCSP Times Link to 2012 MCSP Times Link to 2013 MCSP Times
Elvis the Calculus Dog
Elvis, the 6-year-old pet of Dr. Tim Pennings, has found his way into the hearts of calculus lovers across the country by ingratiating himself in the world of calculus. Dr. Roland Minton discusses how he discovered Elvis and the relationship he has developed with both Elvis and Dr. Tim Pennings.
