We have 14 full-time faculty, 9 of whom hold terminal degrees. Our faculty members have wonderfully diverse research interests and a commitment to quality teaching. Some of the forms of technology our faculty members use in the classroom include LaTeX, Mathematica, Excel, and the TI-83/89. Within our faculty, we have 4 members of Project NExT.
Secretary
Bernice Foust
Professors
Dr. Jeffrey Clark
Education
B.S. Yale University
M.A. Yale University
Ph.D. Yale University
Personal
I came to Elon in 1988 from working in an investment bank. I served as department chair 1994-2000 and have returned to that role in 2006.
I have served as state director for the Southeastern Section of the Mathematical Association of America from 1997-2000, and have served as web-master for the section since 2003.
I love teaching pretty much anything with math in it. I have a continuing interest in programming and in computer science.
I am married to Laura Clark, a clinical psychologist who practices at John Umstead state hospital, and is an adjunct faculty member at UNC-CH's Psychology Department.
My wife and I have two children, David and Elizabeth. They rule our house but we love them anyway.
I am a pretty good cook, not a bad bass singer, and love reading and films in my non-existent leisure time. (See the previous paragraph.)
Dr. Richard Haworth
Education
B.S. Wake Forest University
MAT. Duke University
M.A. Appalachian State University
Ph.D. Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
Personal
Dr. Haworth has been a faculty member of Elon University since 1974. He is actively involved in many of Elon's student organizations including NCCTM, NCTM, KME, MAA, and ODK. Dr. Haworth is also the director of the Elon University High School Mathematics Contest which is given each spring to North Carolina high school students. Dr. Haworth has two children, Cheryl and Carlisle, and is married to Judy Haworth.
Associate Professors
Dr. James (Skip) Allis
Education
B.S. SUNY Potsdam
M.A. University of South Carolina, Columbia
Ph.D. University of South Carolina, Columbia
Personal
Dr. Allis joined the math faculty in 1995. Before that he was at the University of South Carolina in Columbia where he completed his doctoral dissertation in functional analysis. Previously, he received his Master's Degree from USC as well, and taught at Mohawk Valley Community College in Utica, New York for two years. Skip and his wife Celeste were married in the summer of 1995 and, although they have no children they do have twelve cats. Celeste also teaches math, at Rockingham Community College in Wentworth, NC. In his spare time, Dr. Allis enjoys watching sports (especially stock car racing and football), playing computer games and playing with the family cats.
Dr. Jim Beuerle
Education
B.S. Binghamton University 1993
M.A. Binghamton University 1995
Ph.D. Binghamton University 1999
Personal
I have been a member of the math department since 2000. I did my graduate work in group theory, where I focused on Nonabelian Tensor Squares of p-groups. I am currently teaching Applied Matrix Theory and Abstract algebra.
While not at school, I like spending time with his wife Lisa, daughters Lauren and Rachel and cat Munchkin. In my spare time I enjoy playing golf; both the disc variety and ball variety, and reading science fiction novels. I am a member of the AMS, MAA, NCCTM, NCSM and USGA(golf).
You can find more about me at my personal page.
Dr. Crista Coles
Education
B.S. Allegheny College, Meadville, PA
M.S. University of Cincinnati
Ph.D. University of Cincinnati
Personal
I came to Elon in 2000. Although most people think I am from a foreign country I am actually from Monroeville, PA. I am a numerical analyst and focus on numerical methods for solving inverse problems. I am most interested in partial differential equations with applications in heat conduction, population dynamics, and fruit drying.
I have been working with Dr. Martin Kamela, Physics, on a traveling science center here at Elon and in Sri Lanka. We ran a pilot program to Sri Lanka this summer that was very exciting. For more information on the project and for lots of fun pictures see http://org.elon.edu/srilanka.
In my spare time I enjoy spending time with my family, camping, photography, and being outdoors. I have two children Emil (3) and Chaythan (1) and they keep my husband Sanjay and I very busy.
Dr. J. Todd Lee
Education
BS Mathematics -- Guilford College
MS Applied Mathematics (P.D.E.) -- Texas Tech University
Ph.D. Mathematics (Complex Analysis) -- Texas Tech University
Personal
Raised in Burlington, NC, I rejoined the area and Elon University in 1995 as a member of the Elon Mathematics Department. I completed my Ph.D. in mathematics at Texas Tech University (Lubbock), specializing in geometric function theory (complex analysis).
My favorite things to do include showing the joys of mathematics to students, mentoring undergraduate research, playing computer games, and spending lots and lots of time with my lovely and loving wife, Hollylynne and my adorable daughter, Delta.
Prof. Janice Richardson
Education
B.A. UNC-Chapel Hill
M.A. Wake Forest University
Additional Studies: UNC-Greensboro and UNC-Chapel Hill
Personal
A native of Hickory, North Carolina, Professor Richardson joined Elon University in 1983. She is a member of NCTM, NCCTM, Kappa Delta Pi, KME, and Delta Kappa Gamma. She is actively involved in pre-service and in-service education for mathematics teachers, K-12. Before coming to Elon University, Professor Richardson taught at Alamance Community College and served as math demonstration teacher for Alamance County Schools. Professor Richardson has two children, Bonnie and Paul and is married to Gordon Plumblee. She enjoys traveling, camping,and bridge.
Dr. Alan Russell
Education
B.S. Presbyterian College, Clinton, SC
M.A. University of North Carolina at Charlotte
Ph.D. University of Georgia
Personal
Dr. Russell joined the Elon faculty in 1997. His academic interests include teacher education, geometry, and the use of technology in teaching mathematics. Dr. Russell also maintains his own homepage with complete lists of academic courses and interests. Outside of his professional interests, Dr. Russell enjoys juggling, woodworking, and painting. He and his wife Robin, and daughter Michelle, reside in Burlington.
Assistant Professors
Dr. Ayesha Delpish
Education
B.S. Mathematics, Mt. St. Mary's University
M.S. Applied Statistics, The Florida State University
Ph.D. Statistics, The Florida State University
Personal
Dr. Delpish joined the department in the Fall of 2005. Her academic interests lie in hierarchical linear modeling, structural equation modeling, educational measurement and testing, and statistics education. A native of the Caribbean island of Trinidad, Dr. Delpish serves as the faculty-in-residence in the Isabella Cannon International Pavilion where she lives and interacts with 22 students who are either themselves international or are international studies majors. In her spare time she enjoys reading mystery novels, watching british shows and singing. Dr. Delpish was chosen as a 2006-2007 ProjectNext Fellow through the Mathematical Association of America, a program aimed at mentoring new and recent Ph.D.s in the mathematical field through their first years of teaching.
Dr. Andi Metts
Education
Personal
Dr. Ellen Mir
Education
B.A., University of Virginia, 1997
M.A., University of Kansas, 1999
Ph.D., University of Kansas, 2003
Personal
I joined the Elon Mathematics Department in Fall of 2003. I grew up in Maryland, graduated from the University of Virginia, and then moved to Lawrence, Kansas, where I attended graduate school at the University of Kansas. My husband David and I now live in Chapel Hill with our dog Miles.
My mathematical research has been in general (set-theoretic) topology. I have enjoyed working with Elon math majors and other department faculty on research in a variety of mathematical topics. I was a 2003-2004 Project NExT Fellow.
I spend my time reading, listening to music, knitting (a lot of scarves, but also the occasional baby sweater and pair of socks), watching movies, doing yoga, going out to eat with my husband, travelling, and letting my dog pull me through the woods, all while thinking about math!
Senior Lecturers
Professor Lisa Beuerle
Education
B.A. in Mathematics Binghamton University 1996
M.A.T. in Mathematics Binghamton University 1997
M.A. in Mathematics Binghamton University 1998
Personal
I have been a member of the mathematics department at Elon since August 2000. Before coming to Elon, I taught at Corning Community College, NY, and Montgomery County Community College, PA. At Elon, I work with many of our incoming freshman through our general statistics course as well as our Pre-service elementary and middle grade teachers.
Born and raised on Long Island, NY, I attended Binghamton University for both my undergraduate and graduate studies. While at Binghamton, I was a member of the varsity Cross-Country and Track & Field Teams. I proudly held onto the record for one of the top ten time running times at the University in the 10,000 meters for many years. I still am very active in keeping fit. I have recently taken up spin classes and am currently training for a 7 mile race in October 2007. I have a twin sister who still lives in NYC and an older brother who is in New Jersey. I married my favorite math colleague, Jim Beuerle in 1998. We welcomed two additional future mathematicians into our lives with the births of our daughters Lauren (August 2002) and Rachel (January 2005). We are also proud parents to a cat, Munchkin.
Lecturer
Prof. Janet Mays
Education
B.S. UNC-Greensboro
M.Ed. UNC-Greensboro
Personal
Professor Mays is a native North Carolinian, growing up in Clemmons, NC. She is a member of NCTM, MAA, AMATYC, and NCCTM. She is active in NCMATYC where she currently serves as the President of the organization. Before coming to Elon, Professor Mays taught at Guilford Technical Community College and Page High School in Greensboro. She shares her home with her husband Charley and her beagle, Lucy. She has three grown daughters Charlotte, Emily, and Robin. She enjoys playing softball, swimming, triathloning, and quilting in her spare time.
Instructors
Professor Helen Walton
Education
B.S. University of Richmond
Personal
Helen Walton joined the math department in 1984. She teaches developmental and freshman level courses. She also serves as the professional tutor for all statistics classes. A member of Phi Beta Kappa, she is actively involved with the Phi Beta Kappa Steering Committee, which is seeking to shelter a chapter on the Elon campus. She is compiling a draft application which will be submitted in final form in October, 2006.
She is married to Clem Walton, who is a retired systems analyst from Lucent Technologies. She has three children. Her oldest son, Drew, is a graduate of the United States Air Force Academy and is an engineer for Hewlett Packard. He is married and has three children: Matthew (8), Timothy (5), and Luke (5 months). Her daughter, Charlotte, is a UNC-Chapel Hill graduate and is the financial officer for TROSA, a non-profit which provides rehabilitation for substance abusers in Durham. Her younger son, Jeff, is a graduate of Appalachian State University and has recently become a planner for the City of Wilmington.
Professor Walton is actively involved with several community organizations. Her passion is historic preservation, and she serves as chairman of the Burlington Historic Preservation Commission. She is also on the board of directors of Preservation North Carolina, a state-wide non-profit with over 5000 members whose mission is to preserve the historic architecture of North Carolina. She is a founding member of the board of directors of the Textile Heritage Museum, located north of Burlington. Additionaly, she serves as the Secretary of the Council on Ministries and the Adminstrative Board of Front Street United Methodist Church.
Adjuncts
Professor Mohamad Mohamadi
Education
Personal
Professor Amy Travis
Education
Personal
Professor Charles Whiffen
Education
Personal