Linda McGuire Truman Koehler Professor, Mathematics |
Education
Teaching Interests
I am originally from a small, historically-designated lake community in New Jersey, replete with gingerbread houses, an adorable little library and a community tabernacle. Growing up there I developed an appreciation for what it means to be a member of a community. Seeking such a situation in my adult life, I consider myself lucky to have become a member of the Muhlenberg College community.
Coming from a “blue collar” family and being a first-generation college student, absolutely everything about navigating college was foreign to me when I was an undergraduate.
I am a mathematician interested in how mathematics helps us understand our world and ourselves. While I advocate studying mathematics for its own sake (it really is super fun when you get to know it), I fully appreciate how mathematics enlightens and facilitates progress in areas such as business, medicine, science, engineering and industry. I am also a mathematics educator interested in understanding how mathematical concepts are best communicated and how the study of mathematics helps students develop their abilities to think and communicate clearly and creatively. I enjoy teaching a broad spectrum of courses across the mathematics curriculum. It has also been fun to develop first-year seminar and cluster courses that emphasize analytical thinking and writing.
Research, Scholarship or Creative/Artistic Interests
My mathematical interests are in combinatorics and graph theory, especially applied problems that require graphical models. I enjoy working on questions of optimal design for structures such as mass transit systems, communication systems and computer networks. I have growing interests in applied statistics, mathematical modeling and applied linear algebra. I enjoy putting energy into undergraduate problem-solving, undergraduate research and games and puzzles with mathematical connections. Teaching is what I love doing most, so I also focus research and writing efforts on mathematical pedagogy.
Another important thread in my scholarly life is working on issues related to equity, inclusion, and social justice, both in academia and in our broader society. In particular, I am interested in developing and promoting inclusive practices in STEM education. I serve as faculty advisor to two student groups: the Association for Women in Mathematics (AWM) and the Women in Stem (WiSTEM) student chapter. I am always pleased to collaborate with students and colleagues on grassroots initiatives that can lead to systemic change.
In my spare time I enjoy reading, writing, hiking, yoga, dancing, old movies, concerts and theater, experimental cooking and spontaneous travel adventures. My activities are always enhanced when they include spending time with friends and family.