Carolyn Yackel

Fall 2009 Courses

Expository Writings to Help Students

Solving Optimization Problems
A Note About Writing Proofs

Current Projects

Teaching:  MAT 104 and 191, prepare for next semester's two new courses--Women and Gender Studies 180 and Number Theory 390

Service:  MAA Committee for Participation of Women Chairperson, MAA Human Resources Committee, AWM Education Committee, University House of Delegates, Department Assessment Committee

Conferences:  JMM abstract submitted--talk on pedagogical relevance of kinesthetic math, Gathering 4 Gardner 8--talk on either hyperbolic pants or irreversibility of crochet

Writing:  Math and Art resource book with Banff group, G4G8 paper, Proofs Paper, Classroom materials paper, Permutahedron paper (with Prep workshop group)

Ongoing Research:  WebWork investigation, Proofs work, Fiber arts and math connections, making mathematical art

Mathematics and Art

sarah-marie belcastro and I have been coordinating a Knitting Network at national mathematics meetings for many years now. Our next get together will be in San Diego at the Joint Math Meetings. Please bring your project! It needn't be knitting: we accept all crafters and others who want to hang out.

sarah-marie belcastro's math and knitting website, an excellent entry point for math and fiber arts.

Here are some thumbnails for math/art projects I've done.  Eventually you will be able to click to enlarge and get extra info.  Now you just have tiny pictures.

Project NExT Links

Click here for notes from the Project NExT Grants Panel in San Antonio (1999)
The Project NExT Web Site

Professional Information

Education:
1992 The University of Chicago, S.B.
1994 The University of Michigan, M.S.
1998 The University of Michigan, Ph.D. Thesis Advisor: Mel Hochster

Mathematical Interests:  Mathematics and Art, Mathematics Education (MR: 97) and Commutative Algebra (MR: 13). Though I was trained as a commutative algebraist, my current interests are mainly in mathematics and art and partially in scholarship of teaching and learning and mathematics education. 

Personal Interests

Pottery
Places to take pottery classes besides the universities:
In Bloomington, IN:
The Waldron Art Center. I loved the classes I took from Susan Snyder. She now teaches individual lessons in Majolica, a traditional Italian technique for painting pottery. Her fabulous work is available in many locations around Bloomington, including Oliver Winery, and from Studio Majolica, her home studio.
The Creative Learning Center. Kris Bush is an excellent teacher, although at the moment she no longer teaches there. Her pottery is also available at shops around Bloomington, including Falling Water. By clicking on her name, you can go to the website for the studio she runs along with photographer Scott Johnson.

In Ann Arbor, MI:
The Ann Arbor Art Association. I took from I. B. Remsen, a terrific potter and a wonderful teacher. The Art Center also has a wonderful gift shop.

Crocheting--I've made many snowflakes and several tablecloths. I also like making doilies, but I think lots of people use them badly. When I was young I made many, many afghans.

Tatting--Someday you'll be able to click here for pictures of some things I've made. Here, too, doilies are good. But my favorite things to make are edgings, which I then use for bookmarks.

Knitting--I've made a number of pairs of socks, especially for babies. For one deluge of babies I made sweaters. Now I'm on to Fortunatus's purse baby hats.

Origami--For a while there I was into origami. I should qualify that by saying that I tried hard, but became no expert. Still, for at least one baby, I made a mobile of cranes. The place to look is Tom Hull's website.

Temari--Temari Balls are balls (I used styrofoam) wrapped with thread and then embroidered. The geometry is amazing. Clearly, this is the place to see geometry on the sphere. It is easy to use these to demonstrate that triangles on the sphere need not have interior angles summing to 180 degrees. In addition, they are excellent for exhibiting the duality pairs of the Platonic solids. Besides that, they are beautiful. Check out Barb Seuss's new book.

Cooking

Swing Dancing

Gardening