Panel 42: Trendsetters: STEM Data Insights and Career Paths
Join this panel as we delve into the diverse approaches to data visualization in STEM, particularly within theoretical mathematics, transportation engineering, and statistics. Panelists will share their experiences working with datasets to model trends, and discuss how they developed key skills in coding and data manipulation. The conversation will also expand to career preparation strategies, including networking, interviews, and writing for positions in STEM fields. This interdisciplinary exploration culminates in reflections on final summer research presentations and the valuable lessons learned from cross-field collaborations.
Moderator: Tori Day, Assistant Professor of Mathematics
Collisions, Chaos, and Curves: Exploring the Dynamics of Mathematical Billiards
Melanie Campanini ’25, Computer Science major, Mathematics minor
An Algorithm for Directly Forceable Graphs
Khanh Dinh ’27, Math and Data Science double major
From Noise to Knowledge
Shira Grossman ’27, Urban Studies major, Mathematics and Engineering Nexus
Data Science Career Path
Junru Zheng ’25, Statistics and Political Science double major
Speaker name: Khanh Dinh
Title: An Algorithm for Directly Forceable Graphs
A directly forceable graph is a graph that can be entirely colored with only vertices from an optimal zero forcing set. We prove bounds on the zero forcing number of a directly forceable graph, and we construct an algorithm to determine if a graph is directly forceable. In addition, we characterize graphs which are directly forceable for some extreme cases. We use the algorithm to conjecture that regular graphs are directly forceable.
Speaker name: Melanie Campanini
Title: Collisions, Chaos, and Curves: Exploring the Dynamics of Mathematical Billiards
This panel explores mathematical billiards, where a point-like ball moves in a straight path on a billiard table, rebounding off the walls upon collision. The ball moves at a constant speed, with the angle of incidence equal to the angle of reflection. By varying the table’s shape, diverse dynamic behaviors emerge, reflecting applications in fields such as molecular dynamics, optics, and quantum mechanics. We will compare collisions on different billiard tables with existing models, providing insights into the system’s behavior. In addition, collision data will be analyzed using phase portraits and topological data analysis (TDA), offering a deeper understanding of the underlying structures and patterns in these dynamic systems. This investigation highlights the rich mathematical complexity of billiards and their broader applications in both theoretical and applied sciences.
Speaker name: Elzashira Grossman
Title: From Noise to Knowledge
This panel presentation will showcase my research conducted during the RIDE REU, where I explored transportation engineering with a focus on visualizing road and traffic noise data in Massachusetts. My work examined the health impacts of this road noise on surrounding communities, with a special emphasis on Environmental Justice communities compared to the broader population. I’ll also share about my journey applying to various REU programs. Additionally, I’ll discuss the experience of creating and presenting a research poster. I’ll highlight career development workshops as well as site visits to the PVTA offices and the Volpe National Transportation Systems Center, which broadened my understanding of transportation research and enriched my professional growth.