Dr. Susan Cooper
Department of Mathematics
University of Manitoba
I am currently an Associate professor in the Department of Mathematics at the University of Manitoba. I joined the Department as an Assistant Professor in July 2017. My research is motivated by the links between Commutative Algebra, Algebraic Geometry, and Combinatorics. My work has involved topics such as the Eisenbud-Green-Harris Conjecture, determinantal schemes and enumerating semidualizing modules. I am especially interested in obtaining geometric information about a scheme in projective n-space using tools which encode algebraic invariants associated to the homogeneous ideal defining the scheme. Recently I have also been studying fat point schemes and symbolic powers of monomial ideals. Examples of applications come from areas such as coding theory, graph theory, combinatorial commutative algebra, and computational commutative algebra. On the teaching side, in Fall 2017 and Summer 2019 I taught MATH 1020/FA 1020: Mathematics In Art, in Winter 2018 I taught MATH 2020: Algebra 1, in Summer 2018 I taught MATH 1010: Applied Finite Mathematics, in Fall 2018 I taught MATH 2090: Linear Algebra 2, in Winter 2019 I taught MATH 4340/7340: Introduction To Algebraic Geometry and MATH 4920/8510: Combinatorial Commutative Algbera, and in the Fall 2019 term I taught MATH 3120: Applied Discrete Mathematics and MATH 4470/7470: Rings And Modules. This term (Winter 2020), I am excited to be teaching MATH 1220: Linear Algebra 1.
While an Assistant Professor in the Department of Mathematics at North Dakota State University, I taught the undergraduate courses Math 165: Calculus I, Math 270: Introduction to Abstract Mathematics, Math 473/673: Cryptology, and Math 491: Senior Capstone Seminar. In addition, I taught the graduate courses Math 720: Algebra I, Math 721: Algebra II, Math 824: Topics in Commutative Algebra with focus topic The Power of Monomial Ideals, and facilitated the graduate reading course Math 793: Combinatorial Commutative Algebra. I am currently an Affiliate Faculty at NDSU so that I can continue to advise my Ph.D. student, Benjamin Noteboom.
Prior to joining NDSU, I was an Assistant Professor in the Department of Mathematics at Central Michigan University as an Assistant Professor (July 2011 — August 2015). While at CMU I taught MTH 132: Calculus I, MTH 341: College Geometry, MTH 521: Theory of Numbers, MTH523: Modern Algebra I, and the graduate courses MTH 623: The Theory of Groups & MTH 625: Theory of Associative Rings. I also mentored Cleland Loszewski (Spring 2012) and Linda Anderson (Fall 2013) for Internships in the teaching of MTH 223: Linear Algebra and Matrix Theory. Moreover, I advised 3 Plan B Papers for the Master's degree (please see my CV for details). Service included organizing the Graduate Student Seminar and chairing the Colloquium Committee for the Department of Mathematics.
I received my Ph.D. from the Department of Mathematics and Statistics at Queen's University. My Ph.D. supervisors are A.V. Geramita and L. G. Roberts. After being awarded my Ph.D. in 2005, I spent a year in the Department of Mathematics at Syracuse University as a Post-Doctoral Fellow working under the guidance of Steven Diaz. During the 2006 — 2007 and 2007— 2008 academic years I was an Assistant Professor in the Mathematics Department at California Polytechnic State University. In Fall 2008 I took a professional leave of absence from Cal Poly and accepted a position as the Marilyn M. Hitz Research Assistant Professor in the Department of Mathematics at the University of Nebraska — Lincoln. During this time I work with my research mentor Brian Harbourne.
During my first year at the University of Nebraska — Lincoln, I was given the opportunity to work with middle-school teachers in the unique program Math in the Middle. This experience was incredibly rewarding and tapped into my deep passion for K — 12 Mathematics Education. It was natural that I accepted a position joint between the University of Nebraska — Lincoln's Department of Mathematics and the Center for Science, Mathematics, and Computer Education for the 2010 — 2011 academic year. In this position I taught undergraduate and graduate mathematics courses and was involved in numerous projects in Mathematics Education funded through the NSF Math in the Middle Math Science Partnership, the University of Nebraska Math and Science Teachers for the the 21st Century Program of Excellence, and NebraskaMath.