Dylan Shepardson
I teach in the Mathematics and Statistics Department at Mount Holyoke College. I studied Physics at Amherst College and UC Berkeley, and Algorithms, Combinatorics, and Optimization at Georgia Tech. While on leave from Mount Holyoke, I spent two years working at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the Division of Tuberculosis Elimination.
Research
I like to work on mathematical problems that are motivated by applications in other disciplines, like biology, epidemiology, sociology, or archaeology. I'm especially interested in new and unusual applications of optimization theory. In most physical, biological, and economic systems there is some property that is being optimized (like energy or entropy in physical systems, or reproductive success in evolutionary biology), and optimization techniques often offer some interesting insight into these systems. Recent projects include voting theory and its connections to combinatorial geometry, infectious disease modeling, and the problem of estimating the date of earliest human settlement of Pacific islands from collections of radiocarbon data.
Teaching
On leave Fall 2023
Previous semesters:
MATH 100 Problem Solving and Quantitative Reasoning
MATH 101 Calculus I
MATH 102 Calculus II
MATH 203 Calculus III
MATH 211 Linear Algebra
MATH 232 Discrete Mathematics
MATH 251 Mathematical Modeling
MATH 251 Laboratories in Mathematical Experimentation
MATH 301 Real Analysis
MATH 333 Differential Equations
MATH 339 Topics in Applied Mathematics: Optimization
STAT 140: Introduction to the Ideas and Applications of Statistics
First Year Seminar: Entropy
Mathematical Biology at Mount Holyoke
There are many opportunities for students to get involved in independent research on problems related to mathematical biology. If you are interested, check out the webpage for the 4-College Biomath Consortium. There is some funding available for students who want to get involved in summer research, and the site lists the faculty participants and some of the projects they are currently working on.
Mathematical Modeling at Mount Holyoke
The Mathematical Modeling Group at Mount Holyoke meets regularly during the fall semester to discuss modeling strategies and work on problems. During the first weekend in February, teams of students participate in an international mathematical modeling competition.
Engineering at Mount Holyoke
Nexus engineering minor
If you are interested in pursuing a career in engineering, one option is to do a Nexus minor in engineering. A Nexus minor involves an experiential component (usually a summer internship in industry or a scientific laboratory) as well as academic coursework.
Engineering dual-degree program
Mount Holyoke College offers a dual-degree program that allows students to earn two undergraduate degrees, a bachelor of arts degree from Mount Holyoke and a bachelor of science in engineering from one of three partner institutions (Dartmouth, UMass, or Caltech). Students in the dual-degree program spend 3 years at Mount Holyoke and 2 years at the partner institution. Some engineering scholarships are available from Mount Holyoke College to offset the additional costs of a 5th year of study.
Data Science at Mount Holyoke
Data Science is an interdisciplinary field devoted to the analysis, interpretation, and visualization of data. It has applications in all kinds of areas: sociology, biology, politics, economics, business, art, music, journalism, medicine, history... I could go on. Students interested in learning more about data science can talk to me or another participant in the data science initiative at Mount Holyoke. If you are a student interested in a major in data science, I'd be glad to talk to you about that option.
Student Summer Internship Opportunities on Rapa Nui (a.k.a. Easter Island)
Every summer there are a few internship opportunities for students on Rapa Nui (also known as Easter Island). Interns will help run a summer educational outreach program for Rapa Nui high school students. This involves camping for one month on the island on the grounds of a very nice hotel that donates resources to the program, and working closely with the high school students from Rapa Nui on hands-on research projects. Interns need to be comfortable communicating in Spanish and enthusiastic about working with young people. Past projects have included archival research in conjunction with the Museo Antropológico Padre Sebastián Englert and an intensive, interactive workshop introducing the high school students to engineering design principles through projects themed around sustainable energy. For more information, email me or visit www.terevaka.net.
How to Reach Me
Department of Mathematics and Statistics
415B Clapp Laboratory
Mount Holyoke College
413.538.2683
