Dr. Pat Costello Named KYMAA Teacher of the Year

Every year KYMAA (the Kentucky section of the Mathematical Association of America) recognizes one of its own for excellence in teaching mathematics.  This year’s recipient is EKU’s Department of Mathematics and Statistics professor, Dr. Patrick Costello.

Dr. Costello has taught at Eastern Kentucky University for 25 years.  Tom Richmond, president of the KYMAA presented the award to Costello at Western Kentucky University on March 28th.  Richmond commented, “He was a pioneer in his department for using Computer Algebra Systems in instruction, utilizing Derive, Mathematica, UBASIC, and other software. He was active in calculus reform and instrumental in getting his department to become a test site for Ostobee & Zorn's reform text, and is currently running an acclaimed lab course for calculus.”

Besides being active in the MAA, he has also served in the math honor society Kappa Mu Epsilon, coordinating a national KME meeting at his institution in 1983, and serving as national President of the KME from 1997 to 2001.  “As a member of KME,” says former student, Shannon Lockard, “I experienced first-hand the enthusiasm with which Dr. C introduces students to mathematics in the ‘real world’. He worked closely with the officers to plan activities for the club, even taking us to Florida to attend a national KME meeting.”   Current president of KME, Don Tosh, says that Dr. Costello “guided the organization through the transition to electronic media.”  Dr. Costello still serves the society as the editor of the Problems Corner for the national magazine, The Pentagon.

For seven summers, he has taught top high school Juniors from Kentucky in the Governor's Scholars Program.  “I had the good fortune along with a number of others to work with Pat on the EKU Campus of the Kentucky Governor’s Scholars Program,” says Charlie Myers, a student at Lexington Catholic.   “Pat had a creative mind and was able to involve students in such a way that they found mathematics to be exciting and useful.”

The KYMAA Teacher of the Year award was started in 1992 and Amy King from EKU was the first recipient.  Paul Bland was the 1999 recipient.

Congratulations, Dr. C!!

The Department of Mathematics and Statistics at EKU has been approved as a regional testing site for The American Mathematics Competition sponsored by The Mathematical Association of America and the Department of Mathematics and Statistics at EKU.

This year’s competition was held last month.

Mathematics Major Returns from NASA

(above) Felicia and Commander Frederick W. "Rick" Sturckow, the commander of the STS 117 (pictured right). (below) Felicia standing inside one of the main engines for the space shuttle.

Felicia Hall, a mathematics major, has returned from her student researcher position in the NASA Undergraduate Research Program (NASA-USRP). The session began June 4th and ended August 10, 2007 at the Kennedy Space Center. Felicia's project title was Mathematical Analysis of Particle Size Distributions from 3-D images. "I was fortunate to have had some experience using Mathematica before I arrived for my position at KSC with NASA. A lot of the research that I conducted while in the Applied Physics lab was done or verified using Mathematica." "Overall, it was the best summer of my life. I hope that other students from our university have an oppotunity to work with NASA in the future." For more information on this opportunity for undergraduates...

	For more information on EKU's programs in mathematics and statistics write: Dr. Dirk Schlingmann, Chair Department of Mathematics and Statistics 521 Lancaster Ave. 313 Wallace Building Eastern Kentucky University Richmond, KY 40475-3133 or Phone: (859) 622-5942    FAX: (859) 622-3051    E-Mail: Dirk.Schlingmann@eku.edu