Mathematics

Mathematics

2022 LAS Awards

Outstanding Undergraduate Student

Evan Senkoff
Outstanding Student in Mathematics and Outstanding Natural Sciences Divisional Student

Evan Senkoff will be graduating with a Bachelor of Science in pure mathematics from UCCS. He has lived in Colorado Springs for his entire life. During his time at Air Academy High School, Evan was very active in the marching band. This experience culminated in the opportunity to serve as drumline captain his senior year, as well as to lead the marching band in the 2018 Rose Parade.

Evan has always had a particular interest in algebra, which began when he discovered “Algebra for Dummies” at a local Barnes and Noble. As his mathematical knowledge grew, so too did the opportunities to research in this compelling area of mathematics. In the summer of 2021, Evan participated in an REU at the University of Colorado, Boulder on the topic of Poisson algebras. Furthermore, he has worked with Dr. Greg Oman on a research project concerning strongly unital rings.

In addition to mathematics, Evan is also interested in computer science. Recently, he has discovered a fascination with cybersecurity. Following graduation, Evan hopes to work in the industry, specifically a job that lies in the intersection of mathematics and cybersecurity.

Outstanding Graduate Students

Van Hovenga
Outstanding Graduate Student in Applied Mathematics
Van Hovenga is an MS in Applied Mathematics student at UCCS. He previously graduated summa cum laude with degrees in Mathematics and Economics from UCCS in 2021. Van primarily researches probability, statistics, and machine learning. He currently works in the Oluwadare Lab at UCCS where he researches applications of neural networks to structural genomics. He also works as a software engineer at Caliola Engineering where he is primarily responsible for algorithm design. In addition to his research at UCCS, Van has also worked with faculty at the University of Connecticut, UC Denver, and the Higher School of Economics in Moscow. In his free time, Van enjoys playing classical piano and hiking with his dog, Ruby. Van will begin his PhD in Statistics at the University of California, Berkeley beginning this fall where he plans to research theoretical machine learning.
Michael Zowada
Outstanding Ph.D. student and Graduate Student Teacher
Michael is graduating from UCCS with a PhD in applied mathematics. His research is in the field of partial differential equations, specifically nonlinear wave equations. He has two recent publications in the Journal of Physics A: Mathematical and Theoretical which deal with rational solutions to the Kadomtsev-Petviashvili I equation. He has had the pleasure of presenting as several conferences and colloquia including the IMACS International Conference on Nonlinear Evolution Equations and Wave Phenomena at the University of Georgia. He is a founding member of the UCCS American Mathematical Society graduate chapter and received a Graduate Research Fellowship in 2020. As a recipient of the Graduate Teaching Fellowship he has taught a variety of undergraduate mathematics courses each semester. He is thankful for the many opportunities the Mathematics Department has provided. This summer Michael and his wife are expecting their first child and will move to northern Virginia. Michael has accepted an applied mathematics position at the MITRE Corporation.

Robert S. and Barbara R. Lorch Department of Mathematics Endowed Scholarship

Gabriella Ansley
Robert S. and Barbara R. Lorch Dept. of Mathematics Endowed Scholarship
The family of former UCCS Professors Bob and Barbara Lorch established the Robert S. and Barbara R. Lorch Department of Mathematics Endowed Scholarship in 2009. The late Drs. Lorch taught political science and sociology, respectively, at UCCS for more than 30 years. Bob and Barbara’s son John earned a B.A. degree in Math at UCCS in 1988, went on to earn his Ph.D. in mathematics, and is now a Professor of Mathematics at Ball State University in Indiana. The funding provides for merit-based scholarships for junior or senior math majors.
Anthony Langdon
Robert S. and Barbara R. Lorch Dept. of Mathematics Endowed Scholarship
The family of former UCCS Professors Bob and Barbara Lorch established the Robert S. and Barbara R. Lorch Department of Mathematics Endowed Scholarship in 2009. The late Drs. Lorch taught political science and sociology, respectively, at UCCS for more than 30 years. Bob and Barbara’s son John earned a B.A. degree in Math at UCCS in 1988, went on to earn his Ph.D. in mathematics, and is now a Professor of Mathematics at Ball State University in Indiana. The funding provides for merit-based scholarships for junior or senior math majors.