Department of Mathematics & Statistics

Kurt Cogswell, Department Head
Department of Mathematics and Statistics
Chicoine Architecture, Mathematics and Engineering Hall 209
605-688-6196

Faculty

Professors

Ross Abraham, Kurt Cogswell, Gemechis Djira, Donna Flint, Xijin Ge, Christine Larson, Christopher Saunders, Daniel Schaal

Associate Professors

Matthew Biesecker, Thomas Brandenburger, Gary Hatfield, Jung-Han Kimn, Semhar Michael, Donald Vestal, Sharon Vestal

Assistant Professors

Michael Puthawala, Hossein Moradi Rekabdarkolaee

Senior Lecturer

Nathan McClanahan 

Lecturers

William Alsaker, Duff Baker-Jarvis, Rebecca Diischer, Carrie Easley, Erin Ulvestad

Instructors

Wendy Ahrendsen, Alvin Bahr, Kelly Huls, Charles Huth, Young-Hee Ji, Deborah Leiferman

Emeritus

Clara Ayers, Charles Clever, Daniel Kemp, Robert Lacher, Maurice Monahan, Howard Nielsen, Kenneth Yocom

Overview

The SDSU Department of Mathematics and Statistics is a large, diverse, and active organization. The department’s mission is to provide a rich, inclusive environment which fosters excellent student centered instruction and engagement in high-quality research and scholarly activity.  The department prepares graduates and provides mathematical and statistical services that improve the quality of life in South Dakota, the region, the nation, and the world. The curriculum includes a broad range of challenging and highly applicable undergraduate courses, allowing students to specialize in Data Science, Applied Mathematics, Financial and Actuarial Mathematics, or, Mathematics Education. The consistent high placement rate of graduates into K12 and university teaching positions, financial institutions, health services, businesses, manufacturing firms, research organizations, and graduate programs speaks directly to the department’s success in preparing graduates for a wide variety of outstanding careers.

Programs

Majors

• Data Science (A.S.)  
• Data Science (B.S.)  
• Mathematics (B.S.)  
• Mathematics (B.S.) - Data Science Specialization  
• Mathematics (B.S.) - Teaching Specialization  

Minors

• Data Science Minor  
• Mathematics Minor  
• Statistics Minor  

Graduate Programs*

• Advanced Graduate Mathematics Certificate
• Computational Science and Statistics (Ph.D.) - Data Science Specialization
• Computational Science and Statistics (Ph.D.) - Mathematics Specialization
• Computational Science and Statistics (Ph.D.) - Statistics Specialization
• Data Science (M.S.)
• Data Science Certificate
• Graduate Mathematics Certificate
• Institutional Research and Assessment in Higher Education Certificate
• Mathematics (M.S.)
• Mathematics (M.S.) - Statistics Specialization
• Statistics (M.S.)

* Graduate degrees are offered in collaboration with the Graduate School. For details, see the Graduate Catalog.

Facilities & Services

The department offices are located in the Chicoine Architecture, Mathematics and Engineering Hall (AME), room 209. The Math Help Center, located in AME 292, provides free walk-in tutoring for students in MATH 101 , MATH 103 , MATH 114 , MATH 115 , MATH 120 , MATH 121 , MATH 123 , MATH 125 , and STAT 281 .

Student Support & Engagement Opportunities

Math majors can engage in research through the summer Research Experiences for Undergraduates.  Students can also participate in the three student organizations, Math Club, Data Science Club, and the student chapter of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, that combine fun with professional development opportunities. Students meeting certain GPA requirements are also eligible to become members of the Gamma chapter of Pi Mu Epsilon, the honor society for Mathematics.