Michael D. Barrus Associate Professor Department of Mathematics and Applied Mathematical Sciences

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Courses

During the Spring 2023 semester, I am teaching

• MTH 215: Introduction to Linear Algebra
• MTH 381: History of Mathematics

I'll also be working with some students on independent study and thesis courses. A description of the courses above is available by searching by course number in the URI Undergraduate & Graduate Catalog. The syllabus for each class can be found by clicking on the course title above. All course announcements, documents, and resources available during the semester will be available on URI's course management system Brightspace.

In keeping with URI's current pandemic-related policies, my undergraduate classes will be taught in person at the times listed in e-Campus. Masking of faces (nose and mouth) is requested and will be greatly appreciated, though it will not be strictly required at this time. (This is subject to change.) Thank you for your patience and constructive input during these circumstances while I try to deliver a slate of quality courses this fall.

Regular help sessions/office hours will be held on a drop-in basis (no appointment necessary) on Mondays and Wednesdays at 3:00-3:50 pm in my office at 101C Lippitt Hall. Visits may also be scheduled by appointment--please send me an email to set up a time, whenever you'd like to chat; being available to my students is a priority for me.

Current masters and doctoral students

I am currently advising the following students (dates indicate when they began their current MS/PhD program at URI):

• Emily Barranca (PhD, Fall 2021)
• Lilith Wagstrom (MS, Fall 2021)
• Asmail Habach (PhD, Fall 2022)

To all graduate students and potential graduate students, there is a wealth of very useful and practical advice online. In particular, there are many things I cannot say any better than Professor Ravi Vakil of Stanford University--please check out his pages "For potential Ph.D. students" and "The 'Three Things' Exercise for getting things out of talks".

Past doctoral students

• Erika Fiore -- Graduated May 2022 (dissertation). Current institution (Fall 2022): University of Connecticut (Storrs, CT)
• Benjamin Lantz -- Graduated May 2020 (dissertation). Current institution (Fall 2022): Wheaton College (Norton, MA)
• Jean Guillaume -- Graduated August 2019 (dissertation). Current institution: Sacred Heart University (Fairfield, CT)

Supporting students

Besides being a member of the American Mathematical Society (AMS), the Mathematical Association of America (MAA), and the Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics (SIAM), each of which has great programs for students, I am pleased be connected to the following programs and organizations:

• Math Alliance: The National Alliance for Doctoral Studies in the Mathematical Sciences. The Math Alliance seeks to ensure that underrepresented and underserved American students have the opportunity to earn doctoral degrees in mathematical or statistical sciences. I am a mentor in the program.
• Mental Health First Aid. Mental Health First Aiders are certified every few years to "identify, understand and respond to signs of mental illnesses and substance use disorders."
• New England Community for Mathematics Inquiry in Teaching (NE-COMMIT). Our hope is to encourage and support inquiry-based mathematics learning and its practitioners in the New England area.