NetMath

06/23/2022

From The New York Times]:
Shakuntala Devi (1929-2013) was best known as “the human computer” for her ability to perform lengthy calculations in her head, swiftly. In 1977, at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, where she extracted the 23rd root of a 201-digit number in 50 seconds. It took a Univac computer 62 seconds to do the same. Also, in 1977, she wrote “The World of Homosexuals,” which featured her research findings, including interviews with same-sex couples in India and abroad.
1. Devi holds the Guinness World Record for “Fastest Human Computation”
2. She was an ally of L.G.B.T.Q. people.
3. She applied her mathematical strength to a pursuit of astrology.
4. She wrote a novel.
5. She once tried to forge a path into politics.
- Priya Arora (The New York Times])

04/22/2022

We all have one place to call home. Let's take care of our home for future generations to celebrate in its beauty.

04/15/2022

Looking to get ahead this summer? Registration for Math 490: Mathematics of Machine Learning is now open. Enroll today!

04/06/2022

Summertime is coming! ☀️

02/24/2022

Katherine Johnson was born August 26, 1918 and died on this day, February 24, 2020. She attended the HBCU West Virginia State College and was one of the first three Black students to integrate the graduate school at West Virginia. She began working for NASA (named NACA at the time) in June 1953. It was in 1962 when Katherine Johnson did the calculations by hand verifying the computer work in preparation of John Glenn’s Friendship 7 mission. She was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2015 by President Barack Obama at the age of 97. (credit: https://www.nasa.gov/content/katherine-johnson-biography)

02/23/2022

Here's a short video highlight Dr. David H. Blackwell

David BlackwellUniversity of California, BerkeleyFor fundamental contributions to probability theory, mathematical statistics, information theory, mathematic...

02/22/2022

The Department of Statistics is extremely fortunate to have as alumnus, the inimitable, internationally recognized African American scholar of statistics, Professor David H. Blackwell. His illustrious accomplishments have inspired the Department to initiate several important programmatic efforts in his name, which will be partly supported by contributions to the David H. Blackwell Diversity Fund. With support from our friends and alumni, we will be able to continue our graduate scholarship program for diversity, establish an undergraduate summer research program aimed to create opportunities for underrepresented minority populations in statistics, and support a distinguished lecture series.

The Department of Statistics at the University of Illinois is well poised to fulfill these programmatic efforts that are exemplary of Professor Blackwell’s name.
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02/22/2022

The Department of Statistics () and Department of Mathematics () are currently accepting applications through February 28, 2022 for the David H. Blackwell Summer Scholars Program.
The Blackwell Summer Scholars program is open to rising junior and seniors in the mathematical sciences interested in learning more about statistics, data science, and mathematics. The 2022 program will begin on May 23.
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Go to shorturl.at/zDGKO for more information and submit your application today.


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Participants benefits include:
$3,000 stipend
Research and graduate application mentorship by faculty and graduate students
Networking, professional development, and career counseling
Opportunity to present a research poster at Illinois Summer Research Symposium

02/22/2022

Highlighting a very distinguished Illinois math alumnus for Black History Month. David Blackwell earned all three of his degrees from the University of Illinois from 1938 - 1941. He was the first African-American to earn a PhD in mathematics at the University of Illinois. His original goal was to become an elementary school teacher, but decided to pursue his graduate degrees to teach higher education. Under the tutelage of Professor Joseph L. Doob Blackwell completed his dissertation, “Some Properties of Markov’s Chains”.

Dr. Blackwell went to on to obtain the Rosenwald Fellowship at the Institute of Advanced Study (IAS) where it was customary for IAS members to receive visiting fellow appointments from the nearby Princeton University. However, due to racial discrimination, Dr. Blackwell nearly did not receive his appointment. Future positions include teaching for 10 years at Howard University, becoming Chairman of the Mathematics Department. He later went on to a full professorship at UC Berkeley in their Statistics Department of which he became chair until his retirement in 1988. David H. Blackwell died on July 8, 2010 at the age of 91.

Dr. Blackwell's exceptional achievements included 12 honorary doctorates along with numerous honors and awards during his lifetime. In October of 2014, then U.S. President, Barack Obama announced the recipients of the 2014 National Medal of Science award. Blackwell posthumously received the country’s highest distinction for contributions to scientific research and for his work in mathematics and statistics. For more information, go to https://rb.gy/m6wjuk (credit: )

02/11/2022

We appreciate feedback from our students. We have implemented suggestions from past students. There have been changes based on the feedback we get from students. Stay tuned! Definitely there are more updates on the horizon.

02/11/2022

Do you get it?

02/10/2022

Dr. Euphemia Lofton Haynes (née Martha Euphemia Lofton) was born September 11, 1890. She is the first African-American woman to receive a Ph.D. degree in mathematics. She earned her Bachelor’s from Smith College in 1914 and her Master’s degree in Education in 1930 from University of Chicago. She found the education department at Miner Teacher College in Washington D.C. Miner Teachers College was an institution dedicated to the training of African-American teachers. Euphemia continued her graduate studies in mathematics and was awarded her doctorate degree in mathematics from Catholic University of America (CUA) in 1943. Committed to her Catholic faith, she was dedicated to community service and public education. She served on a number of boards and was a member of the NAACP and of the American Association of University Women. In 1959, Pope John XXIII awarded her the Papal decoration of honor, Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice. In 2018, the Euphemia Lofton Haynes Award was established in her honor for junior mathematics majors showing academic excellence in their study of mathematics. (photo credit: ; credit & )