Lee University students Josey Carroll, freshman, and Benjamin Brett Buckner, junior, presented at the CURM/MAA conference at Brigham Young University with Dr. Debra Mimbs, assistant professor of mathematics at Lee. The conference in Provo, Utah, was held by the Center for Undergraduate Research in Mathematics and the Mathematical Association of America.
Ms. Carroll’s presentation, “Pentagon Numbers,” explored how to construct pentagons from smaller equilateral triangles and counting problems that arise from such constructions.
Mr. Buckner presented research titled “Counting Problems Associated with Equilateral Triangle Tilings.” The project is about a process called “tiling,” which is using equilateral triangles with unit side lengths to cover polygons.
"It is, in some sense, easier to think of using equilateral triangles to build polygons,” said Mr. Buckner. “In this context, I have answered questions about how many ways one can construct a particular type of polygon from the same number of triangles.”
Ms. Carroll and Mr. Buckner’s projects are closely related to a research question that Dr. Mimbs has been working on for the past 18 months with a research group from the University of Alabama at Birmingham.
Dr. Mimbs presentation, “Assessing Undergraduate Research Through Journaling,” examined the process of introducing journals into a mentoring relationship.
“It is necessary while mentoring students in undergraduate research to conduct assessments in order to determine how well the research experience is progressing,” said Dr. Mimbs. “One such assessment tool I have found particularly useful is journaling, which may be used both as a formative assessment tool and as a summative assessment tool.”
CURM is intended to help undergraduate students throughout the United States prepare themselves for graduate school and their careers by learning essential research skills. It promotes undergraduate research in mathematics by training professors as mentors, providing funds to professors to establish research groups, advising professors on how to continue operating research groups, and preparing undergraduate students to succeed in graduate studies and careers in the mathematical sciences. (www.curm.byu.edu)
MAA is the largest professional society that focuses on mathematics accessible at the undergraduate level. Its mission is to advance the mathematical sciences, especially at the collegiate level. (www.maa.org)
For more information about the Lee University mathematics department, contact 614-8275.