“At Juniata, each math professor has been entirely devoted to making sure that I have been thriving in all of my academic work—not just in their courses.”
—Steffi Ringer ’18
SECONDARY EDUCATION MATHEMATICS
A Distinct Experience
Click on the banners below and learn more about what makes a mathematics experience unique at Juniata College.
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Excel in a specific field of mathematics from pure math to applied math, or craft an individualized Program of Emphasis (POE) by combining mathematics with other subjects including, but not limited to, physics, business, information technology, art, religion, or biology. Design courses of independent study in an area that particularly interests you.
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Undertake a major research project as a capstone experience and present your work at Juniata’s Liberal Arts Symposium or other professional venues like the regional Mathematical Association of America conference.
Below is a synopsis of a student presentation from Juniata's Liberal Arts Symposium, an opportunity each spring to present research that students and professors have worked on throughout the year.
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Our math professors teach with the latest classroom technology. Juniata students use mathematical software such as Maple, Minitab, and more. Juniata classes are characterized by personal interaction between students and faculty. Small class sizes are the norm and Juniata’s community is strong and supportive.
Outcomes
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- Vickie Arthur ‘14
- is earning her doctorate in biostatistics at the University of Pennsylvania. Prior to that, Vickie completed a post-baccalaureate research fellowship at the National Institutes of Health. Her work at NIH mirrors her work at Juniata, where she blended math and biology to do research in the burgeoning field of bioinformatics.
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- Kelsey Barth ‘17
- is employed as an assistant research and development analyst by Mutual Benefit Group, an insurance company whose headquarters are in Huntingdon, Pa.
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- Kate Lorenzen ‘16
- is continuing her study of math in graduate school at Iowa State University.
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- Duncan Morgen-Westrick ‘15
- is employed as a software quality engineer at Northrop Grumman in Melbourne, Fla., doing “big picture” software engineering.
Faculty
In the math department, 100 percent of faculty have earned Ph.D.s, and they serve, first and foremost, as professors. One professor won the award for distinguished teaching from the Allegheny Mountain Section of the Mathematical Association of America. Another has published in scholarly journals such as Current Practices in Quantitative Literacy, Journal of Combinatorial Mathematics and Combinatorial Computing, Mathematica Bohemica, and Juniata’s own journal, Voices.
“At Juniata, students, professors, and alumni are active members of the community and are eager to help and support one another.”
—Sarah Roberts ’17
Additional Opportunities
Null Set: Juniata’s mathematics club promotes the appreciation and enjoyment of mathematics among the entire community. Help them co-sponsor mathematics colloquia and host math-related entertainment events. And, be part of Null Set delegations to mathematics conferences.
Study Abroad: Recently, math students have studied abroad in New Zealand, England, and Hungary. Juniata has programs on every continent except Antarctica.
Penn State's MASS Program: Held during the fall semester of each year, you can combine advanced learning with research initiation through the Mathematics Advanced Study Semester (MASS) at Penn State. A charged interactive environment where talented undergraduates, graduate students, and committed research faculty collaborate, the program sometimes serves as a stepping stone to graduate study for Juniata students.
Undergraduate Research: Conduct research in a topic of your choosing with the guidance of a faculty member. Then, present at conferences—like Juniata's Liberal Arts Symposium, the National Conferences for Undergraduate Research, or seminars/workshops specific to mathematics. Recent examples: Adam Anthony '17, “Fairness of Skewed Dice;” Anna Small ’17, “The Mathematics of the Flip and Horseshoe Shuffle.”