Homepage of Laura Smithies

Kent State University

Department of
Mathematical Sciences
 Laura Smithies
Associate Professor
of Mathematics

Phone : (330) 672-9027
e-mail : smithies@math.kent.edu
Departmental Fax : (330) 672-2209
Department Phone : (330)672-2430
 Runty
"Runty" (son)




Schedule


Teaching Resources


Research Interests


Community Outreach



A brief curriculum vita is available for download in PDF format.


I came to Kent State University in 1997, after I received my Ph.D. at the University of Utah, under the direction of Joseph L. Taylor. In my dissertation and early post-doctoral research, I used various tools from functional analysis to study geometric representations of Lie group representations. Other early research interests at KSU involved applications of functional analysis to perturbation theory and approximation theory. My current research interests are applications of functional analysis to numerical methods in linear algebra.
I've always enjoyed teaching very much and I particularly appreciate student participation in class and/or office hours. In addition to teaching and publishing math research, I serve as a Faculty Associate for the First Year Experience program, which is run by KSU Residential Living.. I have an office in a freshman dorm (Munzenmayer) and hold "expert math hours" in the freshman cafeteria in Stewart Hall. I also serve as the departmental community outreach coordinator, specializing in high school recruitment and freshman retention.





Fall 2007 Teaching Schedule

from the Homepage of Laura Smithies
Pfeffer
Hasen "Pfeffer" Smithies (dad)
This semester I am teaching Calculus III (Math 22005-001) and Games and Numbers (Math 5/42024-001). Roughtly speaking, I'll be in my office in the Mathematical Sciences building (MSB 204, 2-9027) from 9 AM until 11 AM on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. I then teach from 11 AM until 1 PM. After that, I will be in my FYE office in Munzenmayer Dormatory (Munz 212). This is a secure building; call my FYE office at 672-4508 to be let in. I am also holding expert math help hours for the FYE program in Stewart Hall Cafeteria. Hours are posted at Stewart Hall.


Pfeffer
"Whitey" and "Runty" (mom and son)


Fall 2007 Schedule

from the Homepage of Laura Smithies

Games and Numbers
Math-5/42024-001
Days: MTWF Time: 11:00-11:50
Place: MSB 120
Projected Exam Days: Mondays
Analtyic Geometry/Calculus III
Math-22005-001
Days: MWF Time: 12:05-12:55
Place: MSB 106
Projected Exam Days: Mondays
Office Hours (Fall 2007)
Days: Mondays, Wednesday, Fridays
Time: 9:00 AM - 10:50, Place: MSB 204 (2-9027)
Time: 1:15 AM - 3:00, Place: Munz 212 (2-4508)

NOTE:

If the above hours do not work for you, I'd be happy to meet with you at some other time. Just let me know your schedule and we'll find a time.




Research Interests

from the Homepage of Laura Smithies
baby bunnies
Whitey and Pfeffer's kids

My research interest is the study of (linear) operators and operator-valued functions. My current research project is a study of Gershgorin-type sets with Richard S. Varga. This project involves using operator theory to develop new numerical methods in linear algebra. Prior to this, I did a project, with Alfred Cavaretta and Natacha Fontes, which combined the tools of operator theory and approximation theory. Before that, I worked with Jan Kover and Per Enflo on projects involving applications of operator theory to perturbation theory.

Publications:

  • Laura Smithies, A note on polar decomposition Gershgorin sets, to appear J. of LAA Accepted 2008.

  • Natacha Fontes, Janice Kover, Laura Smithies, Richard S. Varga, Singular value decomposition normally estimated Gershgorin Sets, ETNA 256 August 2007.

  • Laura Smithies, Richard S. Varga, Singular Value Decomposition Gershgorin Sets, J. of LAA 417 (2005), 370-380.

  • Alfred S. Cavaretta, Laura Smithies, Lipschitz-type bounds for the map A -> |A| on L(H), J. of LAA 336 (2003), 15-20.

  • Laura Smithies, Finite rank operator valued functions, J. of LAA 336 (2001), 21-27.

  • Per Enflo, Jan Kover, Laura Smithies, Denseness for Norm Attaining Operator Valued Functions, J. of LAA 336 (2001), 15-20.

  • P. Enflo, Laura Smithies, Harnack's Theorem for Harmonic Operator Valued Functions, J. of LAA 336 (2001),21-27.

  • Laura Smithies, J.L. Taylor, An Analytic Riemann-Hilbert Correspondence for Semi-simple Lie Groups, AMS J. of Representation Theory 4 (2000), 398-445.

  • Laura Smithies, Equivariant Analytic Localization of Group Representations, Memoirs of AMS. 153 No. 728. (Sept. 2001).


    • Ph.D. Advisees:
  • Janice Kover (Directed with Per Enflo)
    Dissertation: Perturbations of Norm Attaining Operators.
    Ph.D. awarded in August 2001.
  • Natacha Fontes (Directed with Alfred S. Cavaretta)
    Dissertation: Multi-dimensional Polynomial Inequalities.
    Ph.D. awarded in August 2004.


    • Pfeffer and Runty
    "Pfeffer and Runty"


    Community Outreach

    from the Homepage of Laura Smithies

    I am the Outreach Cordinator for the KSU department of Matematical Sciences. I serve as a liason between our department and the community. I am especially interested in matters pertaining to KSU freshmen and high school students. I routinely represent our department at events directed at these groups. For example, Academic Discovery Days, College of Arts and Sciences, and KSU Residential Living Events.
    I also organize our department's annual High School Math Scholarship Contest. Awards range from $100 book scholarships to $4,000 in tuition waivers for KSU. Please contact me, if you have any questions about these or similar programs.
    Over the years, I've set up volunteer tutoring programs at local schools such as Rauch Intermediate and Brown Elementary. Many of these volunteer tutors are members of the KSU organization "Frasority". I am the faculty advisor for this service club which was formed by First Year Experience students.
    Last year, I started a Bunny Outreach program. The special education students at Roosevelt High School are growing herbs for my bunnies at a local community garden. I bring my bunnies into their class, and to the garden and teach them about bunny care and feeding. This year I will give several talks to a local math club for gifted students (at Stanton). Please contact me, if you would like me to work with your gifted (or struggling) math students.
    For the last four years, I have been a coach or assistant coach in basketball and soccer in the All Star Training Club. This is an athletic organization for mentally or physically challenged people. I am also a trainer for Special Olympics atheletes in soccer and track.

    Last modified: Friday July 20, 2008 14:01:41 EST