It was three years ago today that UW President Ana Mari Cauce sent this email: The Friday morning message called for emergency remote teaching by the very next workday. The speed of the transition was dizzying. I was on a writing retreat at Pack Forest with a handful of my Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences colleagues.Continue reading “March 6 Day 1093: Where Were You?”
Category Archives: reflections
January 14 Day 1042: Only Two Weeks?
Its two weeks into the New Year and I haven’t managed a single blog post. It’s been two weeks of teaching. (Winter quarter starts early at UW.) Two weeks of late nights and early mornings. Two weeks of forging new connections while juggling old responsibilities. I will find my groove. I always do. I’m justContinue reading “January 14 Day 1042: Only Two Weeks?”
October 2 Day 938: Angeles Angels
NCTM brought me back to spend time in LA. I lived there for a dozen years as I was starting my career. I got my first academic job there. I got divorced there. I found my loving and supportive partner there. I gave birth to two sons there. There was lots of nostalgia, both goodContinue reading “October 2 Day 938: Angeles Angels”
July 24 Day 868: Your Opinions May Vary
I am pleased to announce that the opinion piece I authored for the AMS Notices is now available online. I wrote it specifically for academics in mathematics, yet I believe the need to align metrics of merit with institutional mission and values applies to all disciplines (and all institutions.) I share it with you nowContinue reading “July 24 Day 868: Your Opinions May Vary”
July 12 Day 856: MoMA in NYC
We had a family filled weekend in TN celebrating big birthdays of my cousin, my uncle, and my sister. It was four generations from the Vincent side of the family—Great Grandma Betsy to the barely two week old Betsy Jean. Since then, Mark and I ventured to a New York State of mind to finallyContinue reading “July 12 Day 856: MoMA in NYC”
June 23 Day 837: Celebrating RAB Part II
The second half of the mini symposium celebrating the long success of Richard Brualdi featured four more speakers. Michael Schroeder, John Goldwasser, me, and the man himself. More stories, more mathematics, more fun. It was the most technologically diverse session I’ve seen. First, we got the lapel mike working so we could walk about theContinue reading “June 23 Day 837: Celebrating RAB Part II”
June 21 Day 835: Great Lessons
Day two of the ILAS conference in Galway featured the first half of the mini symposium honoring the work of my thesis advisor, Richard Brualdi. It is the reason I am here. The “Brualdi insights” that I pick up from today’s speakers: are: Drive somewhere with Richard (preferably to a conference.) The key to writingContinue reading “June 21 Day 835: Great Lessons”
June 17 Day 831: Sadness Mixed with Fascination
I watched as the huge evergreens in my neighbor’s yard were removed by professionals. Sitting in my study, I was previously surrounded by greenery. Birds and squirrels frolicked in the branches. Now it feels too open. Too exposed. These trees provided us with shade and privacy for many years. I have to admit that itContinue reading “June 17 Day 831: Sadness Mixed with Fascination”
April 24 Day 777: Lesson from Nature
You know what they say, “all work and no fun,…” Sometimes I focus too much on what I have yet to finish that I forget to take time to play. My morning motivation to see the sunrise was to think about a new topic for a #TacomaMath video. I got some fun photos that willContinue reading “April 24 Day 777: Lesson from Nature”
April 17 Day 770: Taxes Completed
Taxes used to be more much more complicated. Itemization. Charitable donations. Mortgage interest. Property taxes. I would have detailed spreadsheets delineating every aspect of our expenses. For the third year in a row, the standard deduction is best (mostly because many of our deductions were eliminated). It sure makes completing our taxes simpler. But nowContinue reading “April 17 Day 770: Taxes Completed”
Math Belongs to All of Us 