Currently,

I am a doctoral student of Dr. Cameron Gordon at the University of Texas.

My research interests include knot homology theories, Floer homology, and mutation.

I'm also excited to be coordinating the Saturday Morning Math Group and Math Circle outreach programs at UT during 2011 & 2012.

I also really enjoy playing music.

Talks and Seminars

I have slides, notes, or scans from many of my talks. If you'd like a copy, please email me.

Talks outside UT

    "Genus 2 mutation of knots" (January 2012), Joint Meetings, Boston, MA
    "Mutation of knots in manifolds" (April 2011), Michigan State University, Lansing, MI
    "The Jones polynomial of knots" (March 2011), Trinity University, San Antonio, TX

Junior Topology; Spring 2008-present

    "Genus 2 Mutation of Knots" (Spring 2011)
    "Mutation" (Fall 2010)
    "Mapping Cones and homology theories" (Spring 2010)
    "Combinatorial Knot Heegaard Floer Homology" (Candidacy Exam, Spring 2009): Slides (PDF)
    "Computations with Heegaard Floer Homology" (Fall 2008): Slides (PDF)
    "Khovanov Homology" (Option talk; Spring 2008)

Heegaard Floer Seminar; Fall 2008-Spring 2009; Fall 2010-present

    This is an informal seminar organized between a few grad students, post docs, and professorss, and it was started sometime in 2008. Everyone in this group does a lot of talking!

    Applied Topology: Fall 2011

      "Clustering algorithms" (Fall 2011)

    Geometry and Topology Seminar; Fall 2007
    This was a coursework seminar, the focus of which was Milnor's "Morse Theory".

      ''Homotopy Type in Terns of Critical Value"
      ''Curvature and Focal Points of Manifolds in Euclidean Space"
      ''Geodesics and Arc Length"
      ''The Cartan Hadamard Theorem"

    Sophex Seminar; Spring 2006-Spring 2008

      "Khovanov Homology" (Spring 2008)
      "Finitely generated subgroups of a free group" (Spring 2006)

    Outreach talks

      "How do you group it?" (October 2010), The Austin Science and Engineering Festival, Austin Convention Center

    Conferences and Schools attended

      Joint Meetings of the AMS/MAA, Boston, MA, January 2012
      Texas Geometry and Topology Conference, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, October 2011
      Mathematics Research Community (MRC) in Computational and Applied Topology, Snowbird, UT, June 2011
      Graduate Student Topology and Geometry Conference, Michigan State University, Lansing, MI, April 2011
      Categorification and Low Dimensional Topology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, June 2010
      Topology and Geometry in Dimension Three (Jacofest), Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK, June 2010
      Texas Geometry and Topology Conference, Texas Christian University, Fort Worth, TX, January 2010
      Introductory Workshop: Homology Theories of Knots and Links, MSRI, Berkeley, California, January 2010
      First National Forum of Young Topologists, Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisianna, November 2009
      Sixth Annual Nebraska Conference for Undergraduate Women in Mathematics, Lincoln, Nebraska, February 2004
      Math in Moscow, The Independent University of Moscow, Russia, Fall 2004

    Education

    I received a B.S. in Mathematics and a B.A. in Plan II from the University of Texas at Austin in 2006. My undergraduate thesis was on the Hanna Neumann Conjecture, advised by Dr. Cameron Gordon.

    Research appointments

    I've been a research assistant (GRA) for both Dr. Gordon and Dr. Felipe Voloch. Part of this appointment included writing a program in Pari/GP to provide empirical evidence towards Dr. Voloch's work.

    I have also been supported by the Topology RTG (NSF).

    Teaching

    I have TA'ed many classes. Please visit the teaching page for links to these classes, worksheets, study guides, practice exams, etc.

    I am an SI leader. SI (supplemental instruction) is a nationally recognized, non-remedial student assistance program aimed at improving student performance and increasing retention.

    In Fall, 2009, I earned the Frank Gerth III Teaching Excellence Award.

    Service & Outreach

    For several semesters I have been the coordinator of the Saturday Morning Math Group (SMMG) and the Austin Math Circle. SMMG is the UT Math Department's long standing (since 1993!) outreach program, for the benefit of area high school and middle school students. Please visit our website for more information about this wonderful program.

    Part of my duties at SMMG include hosting the AMC 8,10 & 12 exams. This is the first step towards the International Math Olympiad! For more information, please visit this AMC info site.

    I have also spoken at the Austin Science and Engineering Festival, another community STEM program for children.

    Within the department, I have been a TA peer mentor and I serve on the Distinguished Women in Mathematics organizational committee.