This semester we are pleased to have George Cobb and Capitán Vallvey as Noyce distinguished visiting professors.

George Cobb is professor of statistics at Mt. Holyoke College, where he has been since 1974. He is a 1968 summa cum laude graduate of Dartmouth in Russian Literature. He earned his PhD from Harvard in 1974 and joined the Mt. Holyoke faculty the same year. His research has ranged widely including the areas of conditional inference and applications of statistics to the law. He is the author of several books and many articles on a broad range of statistical topics and applications. He is known world-wide for his innovations and leadership in statistics education through his provocative writings and speeches and his curricular innovations. He argues that liberal arts colleges are the institutions that turn cutting edge ideas into the undergraduate curriculum, and he has modeled that principle by producing several such innovations (NSF funded), such as: (1) an experimental design course without prerequisites that focuses on design, rather than the more traditional analysis through ANOVA, (2) a linear models course built strongly on principles from geometry and linear algebra, (3) a mathematical statistics course free of the usual probability prerequisite, and (4) the Markov Chain Monte Carlo course. George is a fellow of the American Statistical Association and was the inaugural recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award at the U.S. Conference on Teaching Statistics in 2005. He is a recent, past Vice President of the American Statistical Association and served a term on the Committee on Applied and Theoretical Statistics, a committee of the National Academy of Sciences.

Mathematics 444.01 – Senior Seminar (Reg #61874) TTH 2:15 – 4:05 in Noyce Science Center #2402

Course Description: Many of the greatest mathematicians have been interested in both applied problems and mathematics for its own sake. This course will follow their example, developing the mathematical theory of Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) in the context of several applied problems: competition among species of finches in the Galapagos, statistical evidence in the war crimes trial of Slobodan Milosevic, and locating common binding sites on large molecules. MCMC is a method that has brought far-reaching changes to the practice of statistics and computer simulation. At the same time its mathematical theory reveals surprise connections that link graph theory, probability, linear algebra, abstract algebra, and the study of convergence. There will be two meetings per week, with grades based on weekly homework and a final project. Prerequisite: Linear algebra, MAT 215. 4 credits.

Math 444 long description MAT444.01Long Description.pdf

Luis Fermín Capitán Vallvey is a Full Professor in the Department of Analytical Chemistry at the University of Granada in Spain. He also received his PhD from the University of Granada. His research focuses on new spectrophotometric analytical reagents, solid phase spectrophotometry assays, solid phase luminescent assays, optical disposable sensors, portable instrumentation for gas analysis, flow-through sensors for food analysis and chromatography for veterinary drugs. He also did work on the Spanish contribution to the discovery of platinum in the eighteenth century and he was involved material identification in artistic media. He is the author 193 scientific papers, three books and 14 book chapters. Professor Capitan Vallvey has held numerous leadership positions at the University of Granada. To see his complete curriculum vitae, please visit the Web site listed below.

Chemistry 295.01 – SpTp: Analytical Methods for use in the Environment (Reg #62111) F 2:15 – 4:05 in Noyce Science Center #2510

Course Description: This course will provide an overview of the need for chemical analysis in the environment. Although not all the topics of significance to environmental analysis can be covered, the students will be exposed to some selected issues coming from the real world such as accidents (Seveso and Bhopal; the Exxon Valdez oil spill) or common pollution sources (trihalomethanes in drinking water, lead in wine, pesticides at work). These cases are used as examples to introduce problems, some analytical tools and a selection of analytical methodology. Prerequisite: Inorganic and Analytical Chemistry, CHM 130. 2 credits.

Vita CapitanVallveyVita.pdf
Course description CHM295.01SyllabusF07.pdf