Biography
Receiving his B.S. (summa cum laude), M.A., and Ph.D. in mathematics from The Pennsylvania State University, Dr. Sunderland rejoined the faculty at Juniata in 1982, following a temporary appointment in 1977-78.
In high school he was recognized for scoring 800 on the math section of the SAT during his junior year and graduated valedictorian of his class. He completed his undergraduate studies in three years, during which time he received the Freshman Book Award and the Evan Pugh Award and was elected a member of the Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi.
As a graduate student at Penn State he taught a wide range of mathematics courses from 1970-1977 and again from 1978 to 1982. In 1982, he was awarded the Hoover Prize for outstanding teaching by a graduate student in the Mathematics Department at Penn State. In addition to earning his degrees in mathematics, he simultaneously completed course work equivalent to a master's degree in computer science.
During his undergraduate and graduate days at Penn State he sang tenor in the 200-voice University Concert Choir and was privileged to sing a number of concerts with the Pittsburgh Symphony under such conductors as William Steinberg, Andre Previn, and Sarah Caldwell and to share the stage with soloists including Joanna Simon, John Shirley-Quirk, Jess Thomas, Donald Gramm, Hakan Hagegard, and Odetta.
His primary academic interest is number theory with secondary interests in abstract algebra, statistics, and complex analysis. He teaches courses in quantitative methods, calculus, probability and statistics, real analysis, and an occasional topics course in number theory, complex analysis, topology, etc. In 1994, he completed a four-year term as chair of the Department of Mathematics and Computer Science.
He has been a singing member of the Juniata College Choral Union since his arrival on campus, and he occasionally substitutes as rehearsal accompanist. He has sung in numerous madrigal dinner performances as a member of the Chamber Choir, and has participated in all six tours with the Juniata College Alumni Choir, which have included visits to Germany, Austria, Italy, England, Wales, Scotland, Rumania, Hungary, Czech Republic, France, Switzerland, Australia, Hawaii, and Ireland.
He is a member of the American Mathematical Society and the Mathematical Association of America.
Off campus he is active in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as organist for the Huntingdon Branch and Music Chairman for the Altoona Pennsylvania Stake; is president of the Mount Union Area Schools Alumni Association and chairs its Scholarship Committee; sings tenor with the local community chorus known as Music, Music, Music; and is a member of several local historical societies.
In his leisure time he enjoys genealogy, music, and gardening.