Finished a draft of chapter 5, introducing higher order difference equations used for modeling age distribution in population. It's got the Fibonacci sequence of course, and basic Leslie and Usher matrices. Next up: introduction to eigenvectors and eigenvalues, that were already seen in solutions of the higher-order difference equations. Gotta ( Read more... )

I finished a draft of Chapter 4, which completes the first part of the book, on dynamical systems in one dimension. This is all such classic, delicious applied math, I love it. Now it's on to two-dimensional systems and linear algebra. Damn, I'm so lucky to have my job...

I finally finished a draft Chapter 3, a bit behind schedule. Goal for the rest of today: organize all the pieces for Chapter 4, and game out what's needed for each section (modeling, analytical, computational, and synthesis). Will report on the progress for all y'all.

So I'm spending the summer trying to write something resembling book chapters for my project (Quantitative Methods for Biological Sciences). Not that I expect to finish, but i'd like to produce drafts of 8, or better yet 12 first chapters (3 of the planned 7 units). Currently working on Chapter 3, which introduces basic numerical methods for ( Read more... )

This is really a memo to myself, a reminder of the good things i have in life. Here is a partial list of musicians that i've seen in 2009 (the ones that i remember at the moment). They are arranged roughly in descending order of my enjoyment of them - not that any of them were bad.

1. Chick Corea & John McLaughlin
2. Curumin
3. M. Ward
4. Alfonso Ponticelli & ( Read more... )

I don't know if I've ever been so glad to feel that spring is here. This winter has been a bitch. I've been traveling at least once a week, and sometimes twice, since last fall. This weekend i'm in Chicago and i feel i can breathe again ( Read more... )

My son and i went snowboarding today, for the first time for both of us. It was cool, although the ass gets tired of slamming into the ground. I think we both made about the same amount of progress at reducing the number of falls going down the bunny slope... Photographic evidence below:
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This past week i went on two campus interviews for faculty positions, at Franklin & Marshall in Pennsylvania and Mount Holyoke in Mass. Both positions are in the Math departments, but they're both looking for an applied person. Both departments are populated by super-nice people, based on my observations and on talking with people in other ( Read more... )

I am in Madison this weekend, as usual, and was meeting some friends for breakfast at this big indoor place, where they have a Winter Farmer's Market (with cheese and honey and beef jerky) and where you can purchase a very nice, above-mentioned breakfast. They also had a live band playing some jazzy and folksy stuff. After waiting in line and ( Read more... )

Sometimes it's good to get good news, know what i'm sayin ( Read more... )