Mathematics

The marriage of two disciplines, mathematics and art, may seem an unlikely union given an artist's innate desire for free expression. Meet Helaman Ferguson, whose sculpture is known for its root in mathematical design. Ferguson, of North Laurel, recently completed a massive undertaking: a 2 1/2-story, 9-plus ton bronze and granite sculpture, Umbilic Torus SC. Commissioned by the Simons Foundation, a private institution committed to the advancement of science and mathematics, the torus is being donated to Stony Brook University, in Long Island, N.Y. Ferguson, 72, who holds a doctorate in mathematics, designed umbilic torus, a three-dimensional doughnut-shaped figure with a single edge.

The William J. Sacco Critical Thinking Foundation presented 21 Harford County mathematics students and teachers with awards on March 10. More than 175 students, teachers and foundation sponsors walked through the doors of Liberatore's in Bel Air to gather for the second William J. Sacco Awards Banquet. Dressed to the nines, the anxious scholars awaited the results. The 2013 set of scholarships included all 10 Harford County public schools and The John Carroll School - expanded from just C. Milton Wright and Bel Air high schools.

George B. Mackiw, who taught mathematical sciences at Loyola College for 33 years and helped establish a Phi Beta Kappa chapter at its North Baltimore campus, died of pancreatic cancer Monday at Gilchrist Center for Hospice Care. He was 58 and lived in Rodgers Forge. Dr. Mackiw was born in Germany, and moved with his family in 1950 to New York. He earned a bachelor's degree in mathematics from Georgetown University in 1967 and a master's in the discipline from Cornell University in 1969, the year he began teaching at Loyola.

The Rev. James R. LeVeque, a retired Episcopal priest and mathematics instructor, died of kidney failure Saturday at Keswick Multi-Care Center. The Charles Village resident was 81. Born in Cassopolis, Mich., he attended the Howe Military School in Howe, Ind., and earned a bachelor's degree at the University of Chicago. He then earned divinity and theology degrees at Nashotah House Seminary in Nashotah, Wis. He was ordained a priest in 1956. He later earned master's degrees in mathematics from the Johns Hopkins University and Morgan State University.

At the chalkboard in Marilyn Rosenblatt's Pikesville Middle School classroom, 13-year-old Meghan Holly cranks out a wicked algebra problem."You're on today," Rosenblatt said. Meghan beams.In a nation full of adults petrified by fractions and percentages, eighth-grade pupils enrolled in the school's Algebra With Assistance tackle difficult equations involving negative integers with ease.The program, which serves predominantly black pupils, is aimed at narrowing the Baltimore County school system's minority achievement gap by encouraging black pupils to excel in mathematics -- a subject they must master to take advanced science and computer classes and to do well on college entrance exams.

DURING HIS 56 YEARS as the longest-serving professor at the U.S. Naval Academy, Theodore J. Benac revealed the secrets of mathematics to some 10,000 midshipmen. As years went by, classes would graduate, younger colleagues would retire, but Dr. Benac went on instructing and grilling students five days a week in Annapolis.He was such an institution at the training school for Navy and Marine Corps officers that when he died last week at age 85 of prostrate cancer, a long-time friend mused, "I was really shocked when I heard about it. I thought Ted would never die."

President Bush says our schools need to do a better job of teaching mathematics, and I agree with him 150 percent. Many high-school students today can't even calculate a square root! Granted, I can't calculate a square root, either, but I used to be able to, for a period of approximately 15 minutes back in 1962. At least I think that was a square root. It might have been a "logarithm." But whatever it was, if I had to learn how to do it, these kids today should have to learn it, too. As President Bush so eloquently put it in his address to Congress: "Mathematics are one of the fundamentaries of educationalizing our youths."

The Rev. Frederick A. Homann, a Jesuit priest and educator who had been chairman of the mathematics department at what is now Loyola University Maryland, died Aug. 24 of a heart attack at St. Joseph's University in Philadelphia. He was 82. Father Homann was born and raised in Philadelphia, was a graduate of St. Joseph Preparatory School and attended Villanova University for a year before entering the Society of Jesus in 1947. He earned a bachelor's degree in philosophy in 1951 from St. Louis University, which was followed in 1954 by a licentiate in philosophy.

WESTMINSTER - Francis "Skip" Fennell, associate professor of education at Western Maryland College, has received the 1990 Outstanding Mathematics Educator award from the Maryland Council of Teachers of Mathematics.Fennell is the second educator at WMC to receive this award; the other was James Lightner, professor of mathematics, who was given the award in 1986.He is one of only a handful of educators in higher education to have received this award, according to Geraldine Rossi, MCTM awards chairwoman.

Sarah Chamberlin of Bel Air is participating in a five-week Summer Program for Women in Mathematics sponsored by the mathematics department of George Washington University in Washington. The program is in its ninth year of encouraging female students in mathematical disciplines by offering them an opportunity to interact with women who have pursued careers in mathematics in academia, industry and government, said Murli Gupta, professor and director. Chamberlin, one of 16 women chosen to participate in the program, is a junior at Hollins University in Roanoke, Va. The George Washington program consists of four major topics, which change each year.

The marriage of two disciplines, mathematics and art, may seem an unlikely union given an artist's innate desire for free expression. Meet Helaman Ferguson, whose sculpture is known for its root in mathematical design. Ferguson, of North Laurel, recently completed a massive undertaking: a 2 1/2-story, 9-plus ton bronze and granite sculpture, Umbilic Torus SC. Commissioned by the Simons Foundation, a private institution committed to the advancement of science and mathematics, the torus is being donated to Stony Brook University, in Long Island, N.Y. Ferguson, 72, who holds a doctorate in mathematics, designed umbilic torus, a three-dimensional doughnut-shaped figure with a single edge.

Three Harford County high school seniors were presented scholarships from the William J. Sacco Critical Thinking Foundation on March 11. Receiving the ninth annual Dr. William J. Sacco Awards for Excellence in Mathematics were Bel Air High School's Michael Boom and C. Milton Wright High School's Tom Fowler. The Foundation also presented the first William J. Sacco Mathematics Community Award to Hope Kerr, who also attends C. Milton Wright. The scholarship accompanying the Award for Excellence in Mathematics presented to Michael and Tom is for $1,000.

Timothy Picciotti, a computer engineer who worked in defense systems and was active in Howard County youth athletics, died of cancer Dec. 27 at his Highland home. He was 46. Born in Akron, Ohio, he was the son of an electrical engineer and a homemaker. He earned a mathematics degree at Mount Union College in Alliance, Ohio, and was hired by Westinghouse. He then came to Baltimore and worked in software systems engineering and technical management of airborne radar programs. He later earned two Bachelor of Science degrees, in mathematics and computer science, and a Master of Science degree from the Johns Hopkins University.

The newly renamed Notre Dame of Maryland University has received a grant of $450,000 to award annual scholarships to undergraduates in its Women's College, who are pursuing degrees in physics, mathematics, engineering and computer information systems. Scholarships of $10,000 each will be awarded to academically talented undergrads through the university's Pathways to Excellence program, which is funded by the National Science Foundation. The program is designed to help train women for careers in high-demand jobs in so-called STEM fields, in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

Robert Najewicz and Sharon Dudek, of Perry Hall, announce the engagement of their daughter, Allison Dudek Najewicz, to Byron Nelson White, son of Nelson and Cindy White, of Bel Air. The bride-to-be is a 2005 graduate of Perry Hall High. She has a bachelor's degree in mathematics from The College of Notre Dame of Maryland. She is a math teacher at Stemmers Run Middle in Essex. The prospective groom is a 2004 graduate of C. Milton Wright High School. He has a bachelor's degree in mathematics from North Texas University.

The Rev. Frederick A. Homann, a Jesuit priest and educator who had been chairman of the mathematics department at what is now Loyola University Maryland, died Aug. 24 of a heart attack at St. Joseph's University in Philadelphia. He was 82. Father Homann was born and raised in Philadelphia, was a graduate of St. Joseph Preparatory School and attended Villanova University for a year before entering the Society of Jesus in 1947. He earned a bachelor's degree in philosophy in 1951 from St. Louis University, which was followed in 1954 by a licentiate in philosophy.

The newly renamed Notre Dame of Maryland University has received a grant of $450,000 to award annual scholarships to undergraduates in its Women's College, who are pursuing degrees in physics, mathematics, engineering and computer information systems. Scholarships of $10,000 each will be awarded to academically talented undergrads through the university's Pathways to Excellence program, which is funded by the National Science Foundation. The program is designed to help train women for careers in high-demand jobs in so-called STEM fields, in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

Robert Najewicz and Sharon Dudek, of Perry Hall, announce the engagement of their daughter, Allison Dudek Najewicz, to Byron Nelson White, son of Nelson and Cindy White, of Bel Air. The bride-to-be is a 2005 graduate of Perry Hall High. She has a bachelor's degree in mathematics from The College of Notre Dame of Maryland. She is a math teacher at Stemmers Run Middle in Essex. The prospective groom is a 2004 graduate of C. Milton Wright High School. He has a bachelor's degree in mathematics from North Texas University.

At funeral services for Nathan Krasnopoler held at Sol Levinson and Bros. Funeral Home on Aug. 12, the 20-year-old was remembered by a Johns Hopkins University professor for his "keen and incisive intellect. " Mr. Krasnopoler died Aug. 10 at Gilchrist Center in Columbia from a severe irreversible brain injury that he sustained Feb. 20 after being hit by a motorist while riding his bicycle on West University Parkway near the Hopkins Homewood campus. "Nathan was very bright, very creative and very self-motivated," said Edward R. Scheinerman, professor in the Johns Hopkins University Department of Applied Mathematics and Statistics, who is also vice dean of engineering education at the Whiting School of Engineering.