The HRUMC is a one day mathematics conference held annually each spring semester at roataing institutions and attended by students and faculty from universities, colleges and community colleges in New York and New England. The first meeting was held in 1994 at Sienna College in Loundonville, NY. The conference features short talks by students and faculty and a longer invited address by a noted mathematian. Nazareth students have attended the conference each spring since 1998. For more information, contact the HRUMC website.

2007 HRUMC Student Presentations

Megan Hargrave & Kristin Spampinato
TITLE: The Harmonic Series Diverges… So What?
ABSTRACT: Abstract: We will provide several ways to model the harmonic series: = 1 + 1/2 + 1/3 + 1/4 + 1/5 + ...+ 1/n. Using calculus we will discuss various applications of the harmonic series. We will use the fact that the series diverges to infinity to demonstrate one application, namely, that it is theoretically possible, yet unrealistic, to build a bridge from America to England which involves no nails, glue, or other adhesives.

Pam Welch
TITLE: Drug Delivery: The Mathematics of Drug Release
ABSTRACT: The delivery of drugs can be examined using the parabolic partial differential equation. We will explore how a drug is released throughout the body through the diffusion process, focusing on time-release pills.

Sara Reynolds
TITLE: The Role of Mathematics in the Spread of Diseases
ABSTRACT: With the emergence of new strains of viruses, antibiotic resistant bacteria, and other problematic infectious diseases, the study of epidemiology has become increasingly important. Epidemiologists mathematically construct models of the spread of diseases in order to formulate and evaluate methods for their efficient prevention and treatment. The mathematics behind different models will be discussed and compared. Applications and accuracies of such models to actual epidemics or endemics will also be introduced.

Heather Eckman
TITLE: The Heart Tells All
ABSTRACT: Stowing away in enclosed areas is no longer a safe bet. Scientists have found new technologies that detect a human heartbeat in an enclosed area. Explored is the mathematics behind this new technology, using the hyperbolic partial differential equations. This and other applications will be discussed.

Matthew Bader
TITLE: A Diffusion Model for Cheetah Spots
ABSTRACT: The diffusion equation can be observed throughout nature. One interesting application occurs in the generation of animal pattern structures, specifically, how a reaction-diffusion process takes place in the early stages of embryo development. This and other interesting applications in nature will be explored.

More pictures from the spring 2007 HRUMC conference.