Department of Mathematics
Located in Ware Hall
Mathematics • Computational Science
Mercer's mathematics program boasts of a faculty committed to excellence in teaching. Its curriculum provides excellent preparation for advanced study and for the growing opportunities available to graduates with a strong mathematical background. At Mercer, all mathematics classes are small; the lower-level classes are capped at 25 students and upper-level classes average 10 students. Faculty members are deeply committed to working with students in an active learning approach to their mathematics education.
Mercer offers both a bachelor of science and bachelor of arts in mathematics. Both offer wonderful preparation for the growing job market in mathematically related fields. Students interested in continuing on in graduate study should complete a bachelor of science degree, while most students who attain a secondary education major complete a bachelor of arts.
Minors
Mercer offers two distinct minor tracks. One is computationally oriented for those students majoring in engineering and the sciences. The other is more proof oriented for those students who wish to develop their abstract-thinking skills and who want more insight into the beauty of mathematics.
Computational Science
Mercer offers a computational science degree that combines the disciplines of computer science and applied mathematics. This degree will help to prepare students for the field that is rapidly emerging out of the collaborations between mathematicians, computer scientists and scientists.
Sonja Kovalevsky DayThis Day celebrates the life and influential work of Sonja Kovalevsky and the role of women in mathematics. Local high school girls and their teachers are invited to Mercer's campus to learn about mathematics, its applications and the rich history of women's involvement in mathematics.
http://www.mercer.edu/math/skday/index.html
Mercer University High School Mathematics Contest
This year's contest hosted 35 local high school teams with more than 230 high school students.
Lectures
Last year, the department hosted the following lectures:
- Dr.Skip Garibaldi, Emory University, "Somewhat More Than a Governor Needs to Know about Trigonometry," April 2006.
- Dr. Dorothy Buck, Imperial College London, "The Circle (and Knot and Link) of Life: How Topology Untangles Knotty DNA Questions," March 2006.
- Dr. Tom Banchoff, Brown University, "Dali, the Fourth Dimension and the Internet," April 2006.
Service-learning Opportunities
There is a great need for elementary school mathematics tutors. The Mathematics Department works to support opportunities for this type of outreach to the community.