Summer STEM Academy at Kent State University

June 16 - July 18, 2008




Mailing address

Summer STEM Academy
Jenya Soprunova
Dept. of Math Sciences
Kent State University
Math & CS Building
Summit Street, Kent OH 44242

Contact

Jenya Soprunova
Project Director
soprunova@math.kent.edu
TEL: (330)672-9086
FAX: (330) 672-2209

Academy Personnel

Jenya Soprunova, Ph.D.

Jenya is an Assistant Professor at the Dept of Math Sciences at Kent State University. She received her Ph.D. from the University of Toronto in 2002. Her research interests are in combinatorial and computational algebraic geometry. Jenya has been involved in organizing various math outreach activities, including SOAR 2001, a math summer camp at the University of Toronto and Summer Honors Academy 2007 at Cleveland State University.

Ulrike Vorhauer, Ph.D.

Ulrike is an Associate Professor at the Dept of Math Sciences at Kent State University. She received her Ph.D. from the University of Ulm in 1996. Her research interests are in Number Theory and Math Education. Ulrike is one of the organizers of the MIME program at Kent State, a Master's degree program for math middle school teachers.

Joanne Caniglia, Ph.D.

Joanne will be an associate professor of mathematics education at Kent State University where she teaches secondary mathematics methods. Dr. Caniglia's research and service focuses on professional development opportunities in urban schools. She has taught high school and computer science for 13 years. She has had many grants that provide funding for teachers to increase their knowledge and practice of teaching.

Laura Dykes

Doug Engelhart

Doug teaches AP Calculus, Precalculus and Trigonometry/Statistics at James A. Garfield High School. He also coached the Quiz Bowl team from 2000-2007 and is currently the National Honor Society advisor. He enjoys teaching students practical applications of math concepts and using technology to enhance student learning and understanding. DougÕs interests include: reading fantasy fiction (Brooks, Salvatore, Tolkien), fantasy football, and spending as much time as possible with his wife and five year old daughter.

Michael Porinchak

Michael has been teaching mathematics at Twinsburg High school for 5 years. He teaches Algebra, Pre calculus, and AP Statistics. He received his undergrad in mathematics education from Youngstown State University and his master's degree at Kent State University in the Mathematics Specialist program. At Twinsburg, Michael also coaches boys and girls tennis and boys basketball. In his spare time he enjoys running, working out, and reading novels.

Melissa Powers

Melissa graduated from John R. Buchtel High School in Akron, Ohio, in 1991. She was the Valedictorian of her class. After graduation from Baldwin-Wallace College in Berea, Ohio, in 1995, where she earned a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics, Melissa taught for two years at Walsh Jesuit High School in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio. Then she moved to Akron Public Schools and for the last ten years she has been teaching at her alma mater, Buchtel High School. Melissa has taught Algebra 1, Algebra 2/Trig, Geometry, Honors Geometry, Consumer Math, and Transitions to College Math. Melissa is a Highly Qualified Teacher (HQT). Melissa lived in Akron most of her life. She has been married to her husband Ricky for three years and has five children total (two biological and three step-children).

Matthew Kress

James Hayden

James is from a small lake community just east of Cleveland called Eastlake. He is a senior Recreation and Park Management major at Kent State University. James is currently interning at the Kent State Adventure Center as part of the requirements for his degree. His internship has been a great experience thus far, and he is looking forward to the rest of the summer here. In his leisure time, James enjoys outdoor recreation, playing music, fitness, mixed martial arts, drums, and boating.

Terence Hanchin

Terry is a graduate student at Kent State working on his Ph.D. in pure mathematics. He has received both his B.S. and M.A. in mathematics from Kent State and has taught a variety of courses there over the last five years. His research interests include real/complex analysis and approximation theory.

Jeffrey Schlaerth

Jeff Schlaerth is a graduate student at Kent State University where he is working towards a PhD. He has taught a variety of college level math courses at Kent State for the last five years and his research interests include Fourier Analysis and Convex Geometery.

Olena Kozhushkina