The Enduring Legacy of Michael Reid and the UCF Department of Mathematics

The University of Central Florida's (UCF) Department of Mathematics has a rich history marked by dedicated faculty, accomplished alumni, and a commitment to advancing mathematical knowledge. This article explores the department's activities, achievements, and the lasting impact of individuals like Michael Reid, while highlighting its mission to foster excellence in mathematics education and research.

Remembering Michael Reid: A Pillar of the Mathematics Department

The College of Sciences mourned the loss of Associate Professor Michael Reid, who passed away earlier this semester. Reid is fondly remembered by his colleagues and students. "I’m deeply saddened about the passing of our colleague and friend, Michael Reid, Ph.D.," noted a fellow faculty member.

Dr. Reid received his doctorate in 2000 from Brown University. In 2003, Reid became a Knight as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Mathematics and taught there for almost 22 years. "In the short time we had him this semester, he made a lasting impact. We know he was a gifted professor who had a vast legacy with his students,” Sanabria says.

His commitment to teaching math and helping students succeed wasn’t unnoticed by his fellow faculty members. “Michael Reid was ‘Mr. Math’,” Shivamoggi says. “When I interviewed for my current position in March 2022, and with the pandemic not being long beforehand, many of us were still wearing masks. Despite the mask and the passing of almost 20 years, I realized who Michael was the second I heard him speak. He came up to me and asked, ‘Do you remember who I am?’,” she says. “You could see the smile in his eyes, pleased to know I remembered him. He recalled my graduate student days, seeing me push my baby daughter in her stroller through the halls of Mathematical Sciences Building (MSB) on my way to and from research meetings.

“Until this term, I had at least one class on the fourth floor of MSB each semester, a ‘stone’s throw’ from Michael’s office. It was not uncommon for Michael to peek through the window when I was teaching, exchange a quick wave to say hello, and chat a bit after class,” Edwards says.

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In addition to his positive contributions in the classroom, he made important research contributions in tiling problems in Mathematics. One of his research interests was in mathematical puzzles, as evidenced by puzzles he posted, such as those involving finding numbers with specific properties or manipulating strings of digits. For example, one puzzle involved squaring '23' from starting number 123 to obtain 1529. Another puzzle involved replacing the substring '34' by '238' (multiplying by 7) to obtain 2387 from the starting number 347.

His work and dedication left an indelible mark on the department and its students.

Accomplished Alumni: Debra Perry and the AlumKnights Award

Each year, UCF’s College of Sciences honors 10 esteemed alumni with the Outstanding AlumKnights award. The Department of Mathematics gave this accolade to Debra Perry based on her outstanding achievements. Perry graduated from UCF with two bachelor’s degrees in 1977 - one in applied mathematics and the other in education. A College of Sciences alumna’s contributions to developing technology like online streaming and DVDs recently earned her a Lifetime Achievement Emmy Award. Perry's recognition highlights the diverse career paths and significant contributions of UCF mathematics graduates.

Exploring the World of Big Data

Big Data is the estimated 2.5 quintillion bytes of data that we create per day from conducting our daily lives; posting on social media, using rewards cards at stores, making insurance claims, surfing the internet, etc. On March 28, the UCF Statistics Department hosted its sixth annual Big Data Analytics Symposium. UCF Mathematics lecturer, Aaron Smith, Ph.D., was awarded first place in the 2016 EverBank Cup Contest at the Big Data Analytics Symposium on March 28, 2016. The 4th annual EverBank Cup Contest recognizes outstanding achievement in data mining and analytics made by Florida higher education students. This symposium underscores the importance of data analysis skills in today's world and the department's commitment to providing students with opportunities to excel in this field.

Engaging with the Community: The Central Florida Math Circle

The Department of Mathematics at UCF presents The Central Florida Math Circle. These sessions offer students of the Central Florida area, particularly middle school students, an opportunity to have fun with mathematics. The Math Circle is not directed towards a particular curriculum; it is not a class, a lecture or a tutorial. This outreach program demonstrates the department's dedication to fostering a love of mathematics in the broader community.

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Faculty Recognition and Achievements

One of our esteemed mathematics professors has been invited by the National Institute of Standards and Technology to serve as a Senior Associate Editor for the NIST Digital Library of Mathematical Functions. On the occasion of his 70th birthday, a conference on orthogonal polynomials, integrable systems, and their applications was held in China. Dr. Piotr Mikusinski was recently honored by the College of Sciences for his hard work as the Department Chair of Mathematics. A small celebration featuring a cookie cake and fellow associates, including Dean Johnson, was held in the College of Sciences building. These accolades reflect the high caliber of faculty within the department and their contributions to the field of mathematics.

Mathematics Association Activities

Mathematics Association) held at the Tarpon Springs campus of St. College. Variety of panel discussions and workshops for the two days. Course with the college level math courses were presented to the group. Discussion occurred during two separate meetings. Addition to the current mathematics course list. Areas of math instruction. Students at the level of the "bridge course". The excellent presentations. The annual meeting for the Florida Section of the MAA. In the Student Union. Conference hotels that are used for national meetings. This year’s meeting is Lubo Markov from Barry College. Another part of the newsletter. Register early. Past summer. Great plans for the participation of students in the organization. Students at our February meeting. Programs, and Vice President-Elect for Site Selection. Electing our Section Governor this year with a term to begin in July 2004. The Suncoast Region in December and the Central Region in January.

Faculty Expertise and Backgrounds

He received his Ph.D. Peter Hilton, distinguished professor emeritus, received his D.Phil. University. He received his Ph.D. P.O. St. Active Board of Governors. Turn right at the Hancock Rd. Turn left at the Hancock Rd. Of the faculty. Pennsylvania and completed his Ph.D. degree from Brown University. Jianqiang’s specialties are algebraic geometry and number theory. John Villalpando, class of 1995, completed his Ph.D. St. Daryl L. 1990, he has written a popular monthly Astronomy column for the St. Houston. He holds a PhD in mathematics from Zhejiang University, P.R. Roy C. Ph.D. Ph.D. Ph.D. Ph.D. State University. He had been awarded his Ph.D. always traveling) and supervised six Ph.D. dissertations and three M.A. Laude Diploma from Yerevan State University in Armenia and received a Ph.D. He received a Diploma in Mathematics with Distinction from St. University and a Ph.D. from St. University in 1973. Was a Professor. He received a B.S. of Science and Technology of China and a Ph.D. Science with first class honors and his Ph.D.

Departmental Overview and Goals

The Harriet L. currently has 330 students and 30 faculty members. Required qualifications include a Ph.D. December 6, 2003, will receive full consideration. Minorities are encouraged to apply. The mission of UCF Mathematics is to offer the opportunity for excellence and development to students with visionary and relevant programs of high quality at the undergraduate and graduate levels and to advance mathematical research to benefit society. To accomplish this mission the faculty and the staff have set high goals. UCF Mathematics aims to provide the best undergraduate mathematics program in the state of Florida. We offer doctoral and master’s programs that encourage students to develop into mathematicians. Mathematics offers student advising both in-person and virtually. Our Colloquium series offers a diverse platform for research scholars, faculty, students, and industry experts to share and exchange ideas, fostering discussion and networking across mathematics, statistics, and data science.

The Rubik's Cube and God's Number

The story is described well at cube20.org but the bottom line is that Tom Rokicki, Herbert Kociemba, Morley Davidson, and John Dethridge have established that every cube position can be solved in 20 face moves or less. The superflip is known to take 20 moves exactly (in 1995, Michael Reid established this), so 20 is best possible - or God’s number in the face turn algorithm. Google (and, earlier, Sony) contributed computer resources to do the needed massive computations.

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