Student Accomplishments - December 2012
December 17, 2012
Julia Brennan '13 had her essay "Of Sound Mind" published in Stepping Stones Magazine. The essay was written last spring in Associate Professor of English Mary Beth Pope's Advanced Prose Writing class.
Eliza Kosoy '14 has been accepted to participate in the Budapest Semesters in Mathematics during the Spring 2013 semester. The program gives mathematics students the opportunity to study with eminent Hungarian professors. The classes are taught in English and considerable time is devoted to problem solving and creativity.
"I had always hoped to study abroad during my undergraduate experience, however, I was struggling to find a program in which the math classes would still count towards my major in mathematics," Kosoy said. "Luckily I found one that provided rigorous mathematical computing and a cultural European experience all in one! I will be studying mathematics at a school founded by Paul Erdős, an eccentric and legendary mathematician."
Daniel Helkey '13 has had a poster accepted for the National Joint Mathematics Meetings in San Diego, January 9-12, 2013. Daniel will present the research he completed during the summer at the Research Experience for Undergraduates program at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI). Along with three undergraduates and a WPI professor, the group modified classical portfolio theory to compensate for periods of time when stocks tend to interact differently from normal conditions, as in a market crash. When testing their method, which they called ACTIVE (Asset Covariance Through Implied Volatility Estimation), they found that it obtained improved returns over standard portfolio optimization.
"Conducting research at WPI this summer was a great experience," Helkey said. "I learned a lot about a new area of mathematics, and got to meet fellow math and science majors from across the country."
Kosoy and Helkey, along with Joe Horgan '13, also organized a FIRST LEGO League for local middle school students. The team met every Saturday during the fall semester. Lecturer in Mathematics Maia Kelley, Associate Professor of Mathematics and Department Chair Yulia Dementieva and Assistant Professor of Mathematics Christine Sample served as mentors for the league and the team successfully completed their first competition on Saturday, November 17th at Newton North High School. The project is sponsored by the Center for Science Education at Emmanuel College.
Karissa Annichiarico '14 and Simon Pilecki '14 were awarded Gilman Scholarships for study abroad in the Spring 2013 semester. The Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program, funded by the U.S. Department of State, offers grants for U.S. citizen undergraduate students to pursue academic studies abroad with the intention of better preparing U.S. students to assume significant roles in an increasingly global economy and interdependent world.
Annichiarico will travel to Morocco to study how local college students viewed the Arab Spring.
Pilecki will travel to India and will focus on political and cultural courses during his semester. The International Relations major plans to study Islamic culture in India, as well as religious integration in the political system. He also hopes to take some courses in the Urdu language.
