User talk:Ben G. Fitzpatrick: Difference between revisions

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Hi Dr. Fitzpatrick, Sorry it's taken so long for me to leave you a message, I was wondering what was your favorite aspect of math that you've studied? I ask only because I'm interested in exploring my math minor. [[User:Nicholas A. Rohacz|Nicholas A. Rohacz]] 18:43, 24 January 2011 (EST)
<!--*What is the UBM Spider Project? [[User:Lauren M. Kelly|Lauren M. Kelly]] 16:16, 15 January 2017 (EST)


Hey there Dr. Fitzpatrick! How did you become interested in biology and math? What inspired you to teach both? [[User:Sarah Carratt|Sarah Carratt]] 16:58, 16 January 2011 (EST)
Lauren:  Dr. Martina Ramirez, Aimee Cruz, Bethy Woubeshet, Farah Srichandra, and I worked on detecting environmental stress in spiders by examining their webs.  We photographed webs and processed the resulting images to see how uniform (or non-uniform) the webs were, looking at variability in web silk spacing. We did find that webs from Hahn Park (a relatively clean environment) were more uniform that those from Ballona (a relatively dirty environment).
* '''[[User:Ben G. Fitzpatrick|Ben G. Fitzpatrick]] 17:18, 16 January 2011 (EST)''' My dad's a veterinarian, so I have long experience in "applied biology," especially biological waste products.  I went to college planning to study engineering, but I found math (and the math professors) a lot more interesting.  I returned to an interest in biology as a grad student.  My adviser was collaborating with some biologists and agricultural engineers, and those problems were very cool.  When I came to LMU, the math department was eager to re-energize biomathematics, and the faculty in bio seemed interested in collaborating.  In both disciplines, puzzling out the structure and function of things is at the heart of inquiry.  Such questions always seem to draw me in. Bringing biology concepts into math courses seems very natural to me in that regard.
Hello Dr. Fitzpatrick! I was wondering what was your hardest math class as an undergrad?
[[User:Carmen E. Castaneda|Carmen E. Castaneda]] 08:38, 16 January 2011 (EST)
* '''[[User:Ben G. Fitzpatrick|Ben G. Fitzpatrick]] 13:52, 16 January 2011 (EST)''' Math 520 at Auburn, Real Analysis, like our 321, was the hardest, at least for the first 4 weeks.  The course was taught by [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edwin_E._Moise Professor Ed Moise] in the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moore_method R. L. Moore style], so that the teacher provided definitions, problems, and theorem statements ONLY.  Students had to work out the proofs, detect incorrect theorems and provide counterexamples, and solve the problems.  The library was off-limits.  I had taken a year of modern algebra before this course, so I have some sense of proof (we didn't have a 248 equivalent). It took me a while to get the hang of it, but after taking two years of (undergrad and grad) real analysis this way, I found it very helpful in my future work. 


Hi Dr. Fitzpatrick! I was wondering how many women were studying Math when you were an undergrad and/or in grad school?[[User:Alondra Vega|Alondra Vega]] 12:01, 16 January 2011 (EST)
[[User:Ben G. Fitzpatrick|Ben G. Fitzpatrick]] 12:56, 17 January 2017 (EST)
* '''[[User:Ben G. Fitzpatrick|Ben G. Fitzpatrick]] 13:52, 16 January 2011 (EST)''' My undergraduate class was about 25% women, and the grad program at Auburn (where I got my master's) was about the same.  The strongest student in that program (by far) was a woman who was hired onto the Auburn faculty after getting her PhD. It's pretty unusual for a department to hire one of its own grads.  In my PhD studies we had very few women, probably around 10% of the students.  In my previous faculty positions, there were not so many women.  At UT Knoxville, I worked a lot with [http://www.math.utk.edu/~lenhart/ Suzanne Lenhart], who was pretty much my mentor when I was starting out as a fresh assistant professor.  She's a great mathematician, a great person, and a super role model for anyone in the profession.  If you were to change your mind about nursing and get interested in biomath grad programs, I'd have you get in touch with her.


Hello Dr. Fitzpatrick. What do you think future has in store for biomathematicians?  
*Russia recently unveiled images of its new intercontinental ballistic missile nicknamed "Satan 2." It's range exceeds 11,000km and it is claimed that it capable of wiping out a landmass the size of Texas. Russia claims this new missile has been designed to outmaneuver current anti-missile defense systems. My question is two-fold: 1) What are the characteristics of a missile like the "Satan 2" that would allow it to outmaneuver missile defense systems? (Is it undetectable? Too fast?...) and 2) What branch of mathematics is most commonly used by mathematicians when developing new missile defense technologies? [[User:Conor Keith|Conor Keith]] 21:53, 16 January 2017 (EST)
Thanks, [[User:James C. Clements|James C. Clements]] 00:34, 17 January 2011 (EST)
Conor:


*'''[[User:Ben G. Fitzpatrick|Ben G. Fitzpatrick]] 02:05, 17 January 2011 (EST)''' Wowsers, that's a tough one.  Folks at the interface of computer science, applied math, and molecular biology have a lot of work cut out for them.  Sorting through all the genomics and proteomics data being collected, figuring out the interoperability of genes and proteins, that's going to keep people busy for awhile. Another area that is going to be very interesting is the brain. There are a lot of math/ee/bio people trying to understand how the brain works. I'll think about this matter and add more later... old people like me start to poop out at 11pm.  [[User:Ben G. Fitzpatrick|Ben G. Fitzpatrick]] 11:39, 17 January 2011 (EST) A few more thoughts this a.m.  For people who with impaired hearing or sight, for people with missing limbs, integrated approaches to connecting devices to the brain will require not only good engineering, but good science as well. The successful teams will have biologists, mathematicians, physicists, chemists, and engineers that are very capable of collaborating.
From my limited experience in missile defense work, I'd say making missiles smaller is the number one best protection: makes them harder to hit. Shrinking electronics and more efficient chemistry allow that to happen. A more subtle defense against directed energy (laser, e.g.) is to spin the missile so the laser cannot maintain a fixed aimpoint to kill the missile.
 
Missile defense depends on a number of mathematical technologies.  Time series analysis is very important, as dynamic tracking and prediction of trajectories is required to target and defeat a missile. Decision theory and optimization come into play when we have to sort out best approaches to defense.
 
[[User:Ben G. Fitzpatrick|Ben G. Fitzpatrick]] 13:04, 17 January 2017 (EST)
 
*Does statistical analysis show that there is a large difference between biological systems under stress and biological systems not under stress? *'''[[User:Cameron M. Rehmani Seraji|Cameron M. Rehmani Seraji]] 00:00, 17 January 2017 (EST)''':
 
Cameron:
 
That's a big question, and sadly the real answer is "it depends."  The nature and magnitude of the stressor is key. For the most part, the answer is "yes," biological systems do tend to respond to stresses.  Think of your own heartrate at rest as opposed to sprinting or your physiological response to standing in a walk-in freezer without a coat.
 
[[User:Ben G. Fitzpatrick|Ben G. Fitzpatrick]] 13:09, 17 January 2017 (EST)
 
*What was the most interesting or intriguing finding from looking into college drinking? And is there another field of social science that you would be interested in researching? [[User:Margaret J. Oneil|Margaret J. Oneil]] 00:31, 19 January 2017 (EST)
 
*While the course seems to focus on how mathematics can enhance studies in biology, do you think there are any ways that biology enhances mathematics? *'''[[User:Nika Vafadari|Nika Vafadari]] 02:37, 19 January 2017 (EST)''':
-->
*What is the most interesting thing you've found in your research, or which of your projects is most exciting to you? [[User:Alison S King|Alison S King]] ([[User talk:Alison S King|talk]]) 15:49, 19 January 2019 (PST)
 
Alison: That's a bit like asking a parent which child is the favorite one! The cop-out answer is whatever one I'm currently working on. But really just trying to understand how life works is fascinating. [[User:Ben G. Fitzpatrick|Ben G. Fitzpatrick]] ([[User talk:Ben G. Fitzpatrick|talk]]) 08:43, 29 January 2019 (PST)
 
*What advice can you give to upcoming graduates who are preparing to enter the professional world? [[User:Leannekuwahara|Leannekuwahara]] ([[User talk:Leannekuwahara|talk]]) 16:37, 19 January 2019 (PST)
 
Leeanne: I could fill the talk page with advice, so I need to be careful. (1) Prepare yourself for the fact that you will get lost: that is, you will feel out of your element and unprepared. That is fine: listen and be ready to learn more. Old as I am, I still encounter very frequently situations where I don't know what is going on, but I am willing and able to listen and learn (and ask). (2) Think about process rather than content. The technical details, memorized, may speed you up, but if you understand the process you'll be able to fill in the details. (3) Continue to sharpen your communication skills in every way: spoken, written, presented.
 
*You briefly talked about working both in the corporate world and in education. Which area do you prefer and why?[[User:Austindias|Austindias]] ([[User talk:Austindias|talk]]) 11:15, 20 January 2019 (PST)
 
Austin: I can't really answer that so well, because both have pros and cons. Academic life affords one the luxury (and responsibility) to pursue research that's curiosity driven and to work with young scientists, engineers, and mathematicians to develop their capabilities. Private industry is profit-driven, faster paced, but in the end you generate a product that clients are interested in having. The rewards of university work are less tangible and less direct in some ways. [[User:Ben G. Fitzpatrick|Ben G. Fitzpatrick]] ([[User talk:Ben G. Fitzpatrick|talk]]) 08:43, 29 January 2019 (PST)
 
*What is one math related skill that you feel biology majors oftentimes lack? [[User:Avalekander|Avalekander]] ([[User talk:Avalekander|talk]]) 14:44, 20 January 2019 (PST)
 
Ava: Estimating the rough size of a number of shape of a graph is a skill that many students (not just biologists) lack. I'm not sure this is a "math skill" but it is "related":  being able to sift through details of a problem to see the general principles and techniques that apply.  Math students often understand the general/abstract stuff well but don't see how/where to apply.  Scientists and engineers often understand details well but struggle with "moving up" from a bunch of cases to a "theory." [[User:Ben G. Fitzpatrick|Ben G. Fitzpatrick]] ([[User talk:Ben G. Fitzpatrick|talk]]) 08:43, 29 January 2019 (PST)
 
*What study tips would you suggest for Biology students to succeed in the math portion of this Biomathematical Modeling course (especially if math is not our greatest subject)? [[User:Desireegonzalez|Desireegonzalez]] ([[User talk:Desireegonzalez|talk]]) 19:13, 21 January 2019 (PST)
 
Desiree: good question! Be patient with yourself. Be ready, willing, and able to focus on things for a reasonable period of time without interruption. Ask. [[User:Ben G. Fitzpatrick|Ben G. Fitzpatrick]] ([[User talk:Ben G. Fitzpatrick|talk]]) 08:43, 29 January 2019 (PST)
 
*If you were to explain math in one word what would it be? [[User:Falghane|Falghane]] ([[User talk:Falghane|talk]]) 19:42, 21 January 2019 (PST)
 
Fatimah: structure.  Mathematics is the search for structure. [[User:Ben G. Fitzpatrick|Ben G. Fitzpatrick]] ([[User talk:Ben G. Fitzpatrick|talk]]) 08:43, 29 January 2019 (PST)
 
*Who is your favorite mathematician of all time ?  [[User:EdwardRyanTalatala|EdwardRyanTalatala]] ([[User talk:EdwardRyanTalatala|talk]]) 11:10, 23 January 2019 (PST)
 
Edward: Though I am very fond of Leonard Euler, Simon Laplace, John von Neumann, and Alan Turing, I'd have to say my favorite is Katherine Johnson, whom you might know from the movie Hidden Figures. I like to think what she'd have been able to do had she lived and worked in a more equitable time. [[User:Ben G. Fitzpatrick|Ben G. Fitzpatrick]] ([[User talk:Ben G. Fitzpatrick|talk]]) 08:43, 29 January 2019 (PST)
 
*What inspired you to help create this course? [[User:Angela C Abarquez|Angela C Abarquez]] ([[User talk:Angela C Abarquez|talk]]) 21:04, 23 January 2019 (PST)
 
Angela: Dr. Dahlquist and I were collaborating on research with a group of students when we came up with the course idea. I had taught modeling courses with physics/engineering/economics applications, and this course seemed like a natural addition. [[User:Ben G. Fitzpatrick|Ben G. Fitzpatrick]] ([[User talk:Ben G. Fitzpatrick|talk]]) 08:43, 29 January 2019 (PST)
 
*What do you find the most intriguing about this course? [[User:Briannansamuels|Brianna N. Samuels]] ([[User talk:Briannansamuels|talk]]) 08:49, 29 January 2019 (PST)

Latest revision as of 09:50, 29 January 2019

  • What is the most interesting thing you've found in your research, or which of your projects is most exciting to you? Alison S King (talk) 15:49, 19 January 2019 (PST)

Alison: That's a bit like asking a parent which child is the favorite one! The cop-out answer is whatever one I'm currently working on. But really just trying to understand how life works is fascinating. Ben G. Fitzpatrick (talk) 08:43, 29 January 2019 (PST)

  • What advice can you give to upcoming graduates who are preparing to enter the professional world? Leannekuwahara (talk) 16:37, 19 January 2019 (PST)

Leeanne: I could fill the talk page with advice, so I need to be careful. (1) Prepare yourself for the fact that you will get lost: that is, you will feel out of your element and unprepared. That is fine: listen and be ready to learn more. Old as I am, I still encounter very frequently situations where I don't know what is going on, but I am willing and able to listen and learn (and ask). (2) Think about process rather than content. The technical details, memorized, may speed you up, but if you understand the process you'll be able to fill in the details. (3) Continue to sharpen your communication skills in every way: spoken, written, presented.

  • You briefly talked about working both in the corporate world and in education. Which area do you prefer and why?Austindias (talk) 11:15, 20 January 2019 (PST)

Austin: I can't really answer that so well, because both have pros and cons. Academic life affords one the luxury (and responsibility) to pursue research that's curiosity driven and to work with young scientists, engineers, and mathematicians to develop their capabilities. Private industry is profit-driven, faster paced, but in the end you generate a product that clients are interested in having. The rewards of university work are less tangible and less direct in some ways. Ben G. Fitzpatrick (talk) 08:43, 29 January 2019 (PST)

  • What is one math related skill that you feel biology majors oftentimes lack? Avalekander (talk) 14:44, 20 January 2019 (PST)

Ava: Estimating the rough size of a number of shape of a graph is a skill that many students (not just biologists) lack. I'm not sure this is a "math skill" but it is "related": being able to sift through details of a problem to see the general principles and techniques that apply. Math students often understand the general/abstract stuff well but don't see how/where to apply. Scientists and engineers often understand details well but struggle with "moving up" from a bunch of cases to a "theory." Ben G. Fitzpatrick (talk) 08:43, 29 January 2019 (PST)

  • What study tips would you suggest for Biology students to succeed in the math portion of this Biomathematical Modeling course (especially if math is not our greatest subject)? Desireegonzalez (talk) 19:13, 21 January 2019 (PST)

Desiree: good question! Be patient with yourself. Be ready, willing, and able to focus on things for a reasonable period of time without interruption. Ask. Ben G. Fitzpatrick (talk) 08:43, 29 January 2019 (PST)

  • If you were to explain math in one word what would it be? Falghane (talk) 19:42, 21 January 2019 (PST)

Fatimah: structure. Mathematics is the search for structure. Ben G. Fitzpatrick (talk) 08:43, 29 January 2019 (PST)

Edward: Though I am very fond of Leonard Euler, Simon Laplace, John von Neumann, and Alan Turing, I'd have to say my favorite is Katherine Johnson, whom you might know from the movie Hidden Figures. I like to think what she'd have been able to do had she lived and worked in a more equitable time. Ben G. Fitzpatrick (talk) 08:43, 29 January 2019 (PST)

Angela: Dr. Dahlquist and I were collaborating on research with a group of students when we came up with the course idea. I had taught modeling courses with physics/engineering/economics applications, and this course seemed like a natural addition. Ben G. Fitzpatrick (talk) 08:43, 29 January 2019 (PST)

  • What do you find the most intriguing about this course? Brianna N. Samuels (talk) 08:49, 29 January 2019 (PST)
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