Faculty & Staff

Faculty

Luca Capogna

Professor and Department Head

Office: Stratton Hall

Phone: +1-508-831-5241

My research is in the area of Partial Differential Equations. I am also interested in Calculus of Variations and in analytic aspects of Quasiconformal Mappings, Sub-Riemannian Geometry, Minimal Surfaces and Mean Curvature Flow. Partial differential equations, and more in general Mathematics, provide a powerful language to express our understanding of complex phenomena in nature and in other contexts. The equilibrium and tension between pure mathematics and the applications that have motivated it is a source of never ending discovery and fascination for me. ... View Profile

Jon P. Abraham

Professor of Practice

Coordinator, Program in Actuarial Mathematics

Mathematical Sciences

Email: jabraham@wpi.edu

Office: Stratton Hall 002B

Phone: +1-508-831-6123

Teaching has evolved into a second career for me. After working for over 25 years as an actuary, I came to WPI a few years back, and have loved every minute of it! I provide insight to my students about working as an actuary, as well as convey a real world sense of urgency and connection to what we are doing in the classroom. I particularly enjoy the academic cycle – getting a fresh start every fall term, and seeing a new batch of enthusiastic first year students arriving on campus. ... View Profile

Andrea N. Arnold

Assistant Professor

Mathematical Sciences

Email: anarnold@wpi.edu

Office: Stratton Hall 104A

Phone: 508-831-6825

My research in applied mathematics is in the field of inverse problems and uncertainty quantification, which involves estimating unknown system parameters using indirect observations and analyzing the changes in predicted outcomes due to changes in the inputs. In particular, I am interested in the design and analysis of efficient and robust nonlinear filtering algorithms for state and parameter estimation within a Bayesian inference framework and the application of such algorithms in analyzing real-world data. Please see my personal website for more information. View Profile

Marcel Y. Blais

Associate Teaching Professor

Associate Department Head

Mathematical Sciences

Email: myblais@wpi.edu

Office: 109B Stratton Hall

Phone: +1-508-831-5677

I teach many graduate courses in our Financial Mathematics Professional Master’s Program. I particularly love engaging graduate students in areas of financial mathematics; the material is exciting, cutting edge, and fun to apply and relate to current events and states of financial markets. At the undergraduate level, I teach upper-level optimization electives, as well as calculus courses. I enjoy teaching at this level, showing undergraduate students why the mathematics we study is important and relevant. Currently, I am involved in the study of liquidity modeling in mathematical finance. ... View Profile

Jane Bouchard

Instructor's Associate

Mathematical Sciences

Email: bouchard@wpi.edu

Office: Stratton Hall 011

Phone: +1-508-831-6636

Peter R. Christopher

Professor

Mathematical Sciences

Email: peterrc@wpi.edu

Office: Stratton Hall 305B

Phone: +1-508-831-5269, +1-508-831-5241

I have been at WPI for a long time. It’s been exciting to participate in the evolution of the Institute and to adapt to changes along the way. As a mathematician, my focus is graph theory, a relatively new area of mathematics that was not offered when I was a student. Today, graph theory enjoys a lot of attention with over a dozen journals devoted to it and with applications to many fields within and outside of mathematics. In particular, computer scientists and electrical engineers make good use of graph theory and have contributed to its growth. ... View Profile

Fatemeh Emdad

Associate Teaching Professor

Computer Science

Email: femdad@wpi.edu

Office: Atwater Kent 129

Phone: +1-508-831-5303

Professor Fatemeh Emdad completed her Ph.D. in Applied Mathematics with a concentration in Applied Mathematics at Colorado State University. She is the recipient of the top-ranked student academic award from the President of Shiraz University. She is the author of the book High Dimensional Data Analysis and more than 20 journal and conference articles. She completed her postdoctoral degree with the University of Texas Medical Branch and Shriners Hospital for Children Burn Unit when she was the NIH postdoctoral scientist fellow (under Ruth L. ... View Profile

Joseph D. Fehribach

Associate Professor

Mathematical Sciences

Email: bach@wpi.edu

Office: Stratton Hall 201C

Phone: +1-508-831-5069

Professor Fehribach has taught and led mathematical research efforts at WPI since 1992. If you are interested in his work, please contact him directly. His research works with Kirchhoff graphs, representing that the null and row spaces of a matrix are orthogonal complements. When the matrix is the stoichiometric matrix for a chemical reaction network, the Kirchhoff graph is effectively a circuit diagram for that reaction network. View Profile

John A. Goulet

Teaching Professor

Coordinator, Master of Mathematics for Educators program

Director of WPI annual Math Meet

Mathematical Sciences

Email: goulet@wpi.edu

Office: Stratton Hall 201A

Phone: +1-508-831-5036

Teaching at WPI is a great opportunity to help incoming freshmen make the transition from high school to college as well as gain the pleasure and satisfaction that higher education can bring. Further, the WPI Plan is a unique approach to education, and John brings both enthusiasm and a special perspective as one of its first graduates. He appreciates the great people the students are and assists them into making mathematics a successful part of their start. ... View Profile

Arthur C. Heinricher

Dean of Undergraduate Studies

Professor

Undergraduate Studies

Email: heinrich@wpi.edu

Office: Boynton Hall, 1st Fl

Phone: +1-508-831-5397

Arthur Heinricher is the Dean of Undergraduate Studies and a Professor of Mathematical Sciences. As dean, he is responsible for ensuring the quality and effectiveness of all aspects of the undergraduate experience at WPI, providing leadership and working with the faculty to implement new undergraduate curricular and structural changes. Together with the Dean of Students, he works to ensure an appropriate balance and synergy between academics and student life. ... View Profile

Mayer Humi

Professor

Mathematical Sciences

Email: mhumi@wpi.edu

Office: Stratton Hall 303

Phone: +1-508-831-5213, +1-508-304-1244, +1-508-831-5241, +1-781-377-5955

I am a mathematical physicist working on the development and application of mathematical methods to atmospheric research and satellites orbits. As part of this research, I am also developing new methods for the use of symmetry principles to solve differential equations. I have taught a broad spectrum of applied math courses on the undergraduate and graduate levels. View Profile

Michael Richard Johnson

Assistant Teaching Professor

Mathematical Sciences

Email: mrjohn@wpi.edu

Office: Stratton Hall 201B

Phone: +1-508-831-5134

At WPI I have taught a variety of courses ranging from Calculus, Statistics, and Probability at the undergraduate and graduate level. With help from the ATC (Academic Technology Center) I use course capturing to record my lectures and keep an eye on advances in technology to aid student learning. I completed my PhD in Economics at Clark University in October 2012. My dissertation explored theoretical models for free and open source software. ... View Profile

Padraig O Cathain

Assistant Professor

Mathematical Sciences

Email: pocathain@wpi.edu

Office: Stratton Hall 202B

Phone: 508-831-5154

My research interests are in combinatorics, algebra and their applications to real world problems. I am particularly interested in symmetric designs, Hadamard matrices and difference sets. I have applied these methods to problems in compressed sensing and communications engineering. In teaching, I hope to communicate to students the rigor and beauty of pure mathematics as well as its applicability to real world problems. View Profile

Christopher J. Larsen

Professor

Mathematical Sciences

Email: cjlarsen@wpi.edu

Office: Stratton Hall 002C

Phone: +1-508-831-6124

Many interesting physical phenomena are difficult to pin down mathematically, which is a necessary first step in order to make predictions confidently. This is particularly true in the study of the evolution of defects in materials; for example, predicting the growth and paths of cracks. My research is in applied analysis, and my goals are to formulate mathematically- and physically-reasonable models for these problems, as well as understand the properties of solutions (even proving their existence itself is often a serious problem). ... View Profile

Roger Y Lui

Professor

Mathematical Sciences

Email: rlui@wpi.edu

Office: Stratton Hall 105B

Phone: +1-508-831-5330, +1-508-831-5241

I am a mathematical biologist working in areas from molecules to population. I primarily teach undergraduate-level differential equations and applied mathematics classes. I also advise MQP in the area of mathematical biology. View Profile

Konstantin Lurie

Professor

Mathematical Sciences

Email: klurie@wpi.edu

Office: Stratton Hall 010

Phone: +1-508-831-5293, +1-508-831-5241

Konstantin's research has, since the early '60s, been focused on optimal control of distributed systems, specifically, on optimal material design. The journal papers and books he published since laid a solid foundation of this discipline, as we know it today. The need for optimal design comes from everyday life and from various technological requirements that put forth numerous challenges demanding better quality, less weight, lower cost, faster operation, etc. ... View Profile

William J. Martin

Professor

Mathematical Sciences

Email: martin@wpi.edu

Office: Stratton Hall 302A

Phone: +1-508-831-6764

Bill Martin's goal is to find mathematical research projects that lie between beautiful and powerful mathematical theory, on the one hand, and pressing technological applications, on the other. This effort requires one to keep abreast of both mathematical developments and applications in computer science and engineering. Professor Martin's mathematical research is in the area of algebraic combinatorics, where tools from linear and abstract algebra are applied to problems in discrete math. ... View Profile

Carolyn D. Mayer

Post-Doctoral Scholar

Mathematical Sciences

Email: cdmayer@wpi.edu

Office: Salisbury Labs 405B

Umberto Mosco

Harold J Gay Chaired Professor

Mathematical Sciences

Email: mosco@wpi.edu

Office: Stratton Hall 307

Phone: +1-508-831-5074

Being part of WPI is an enriching professional experience. Our students are motivated and work hard. I adjust my teaching to their background. By focusing on basics, and keeping the matter simple, students respond with accrued concentration and interest. For many, learning develops into investigation, and eventually, into research via an independent study, a project, a dissertation, and resulting, possibly, with a publication. My research utilizes applied analysis, focusing on the study of partial differential equations with singularities. ... View Profile

Assistant Teaching Professor

Coordinator of Applied Statistics Master's Program

Mathematical Sciences

Email: tbpeiris@wpi.edu

Office: Stratton Hall, 103

Phone: 508 831 5940

Teaching is an art. It is something you develop within yourself. It needs hard work, time, creativity and dedication. Giving clear and understandable lectures, facilitating group activities, and interacting with students are all important parts of my teaching. My objectives as a statistics educator are: (1) to teach students about statistical tools and how to use them correctly, (2) to expose students to the structure of statistical analysis, and (3) to teach students how to communicate statistical results and concepts to a variety of audiences. ... View Profile

Barry John Posterro

Assistant Teaching Professor

Mathematical Sciences

Email: posterro@wpi.edu

Office: 100 Institute RD

Phone: 508-831-4847

My areas of concentration are teaching courses for Actuarial Mathematics, advising actuarial math students, and advising financial math students. Students with interests in investments (options, volatility trading, etc) are encouraged to approach me with ideas for MQPs or master’s projects. In addition, I have IQP opportunities for students interested in local history. View Profile

Dina J. Rassias

Instructor's Associate

Mathematical Sciences

Email: drassias@wpi.edu

Office: Stratton Hall 305A

Phone: +1-508-831-6636, +1-508-831-5730

Vice Provost for Research

Professor

Office of the Provost

Email: vernescu@wpi.edu

Office: Boynton Hall

Phone: +1-508-831-6411

Bogdan Vernescu was appointed to the position of vice provost for research in 2016, with the goal of enhancing faculty research efforts and increasing support for research at WPI from government agencies, corporations, and foundations. His responsibilities include supervising the operation and non-financial support of WPI’s research enterprise, including oversight of university-wide research institutes and centers, and the offices that administer research sponsorship and intellectual property and innovation. ... View Profile

Darko Volkov

Associate Professor

Mathematical Sciences

Email: darko@wpi.edu

Office: Stratton Hall 104B

Phone: +1-508-831-6125

Professor Volkov's research in applied mathematics relies on Partial Differential Equations theory, Integral Equations theory, and asymptotic and numerical methods. He is interested in abstract existence and uniqueness questions as well as inverse problems and their numerical solutions. Applications of his research include electromagnetic theory, wave propagation, and seismology. He has been teaching all levels of math classes, from Calculus to Graduate Analysis. ... View Profile

Gu Wang

Assistant Professor

Mathematical Sciences

Email: gwang2@wpi.edu

Office: 100 Institute RD

Phone: +1-508-831-6137

My research is in the field of Mathematical Finance, which aims at building probabilistic models that provide insights into the behavior of financial market participants, and developing the underlying mathematical theories. My work focuses on the optimal investment and consumption policies in various market settings. I received my Ph.D. in Mathematics from Boston University in 2013, and spend the next two years in the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor as a Postdoctoral Assistant Professor, before joining WPI as a tenure track Assistant Professor. ... View Profile

Suzanne L. Weekes

Professor

Mathematical Sciences

Email: sweekes@wpi.edu

Office: Stratton Hall 202D

Phone: +1-508-831-5267

Zheyang Wu

Associate Professor

Mathematical Sciences

Email: zheyangwu@wpi.edu

Office: 100 Institute RD

Phone: +1-508-831-5031

Professor Wu's research interest lies in applying the power of statistical science to promote biomedical researches. In statistical genetics, he is developing novel statistical theory and methodology to analyze genome-wide association (GWA) data and deep (re)sequencing data to hunt new genetic factors for complex human diseases. In epigenetics, he is studying gene expression regulation mechanisms through chromatin interaction, and RNA silencing pathways in the developmental stages of germ-line cells. ... View Profile

Min Wu

Assistant Professor

Mathematical Sciences

Email: mwu2@wpi.edu

Office: Stratton Hall, 105C

Phone: 508-831-6377

My research is in mathematical biology. My work is to understand how animals shape themselves. From ants to elephants, animals come in all shapes and size, and it is interesting and important to know how growth and forces are patterned and how they interplay in forming these shapes. To answer these questions, I develop mathematical and computational models of growth and explore how to infer the forces at play in living tissue based on imaging data. At WPI, I like to integrate my research interest and experience with the teaching practice. View Profile

Vadim V. Yakovlev

Associate Research Professor

Mathematical Sciences

Email: vadim@wpi.edu

Office: Stratton Hall 104C

Phone: +1-508-831-5495

My professional interests include electromagnetic and multiphysics modeling, scientific computations, and optimization in various interdisciplinary areas involving high frequency electromagnetics. I am particularly interested in applications of microwave power engineering as well as microwave imaging (i.e., non-destructive evaluation and testing of materials from the characteristics of the electromagnetic field). I run the Industrial Microwave Modeling Group (IMMG), which I established in 1999 as a division of WPI’s Center for Industrial Mathematics and Statistics (CIMS). ... View Profile

Zhongqiang Zhang

Assistant Professor

Visiting Scientist at Division of Applied Mathematics, Brown University

Mathematical Sciences

Email: zzhang7@wpi.edu

Office: 100 Institute RD

Phone: +1-508-831-4936

I enjoy teaching and I love interactions with students. In teaching, I teach students how I think and learn their views of my research fields. My current interest is to investigate numerically the propagation of noise using models of stochastic differential equations arising in various applications, especially in fluid dynamics, biology, and finance. The research is two fold: one is to construct efficient and stable numerical methods to solve stochastic differential equations; the other is to evaluate the constructed and existing methods through theoretical analysis. View Profile

Yevgeniy M Ptukhin

Post-Doctoral Scholar

Mathematical Sciences

Email: ymptukhin@wpi.edu

Office: 100 Institute RD

Xiaodan Zhou

Post-Doctoral Scholar

Mathematical Sciences

Email: wcsanguinet@wpi.edu

Office: 100 Institute RD

Herman Servatius

Adjunct Professor

Mathematical Sciences

Email: hservat@wpi.edu

Office: Stratton Hall 305C

Phone: +1-508-831-5361

I pose this question: if I dip a wire cage of a cube into soap bubbles, can I get a hexagon? These are questions I love posing to my students. Likewise, I appreciate all questions my students ask me, regardless of how ridiculous they may seem. Every question is worth asking and investigating, and WPI encourages this innovative way of thinking. View Profile

Staff

Mathematical Sciences

Email: rpodell@wpi.edu

Phone: 508-831-5316, 508-831-6342

Rhonda Podell joined WPI and the Department of Mathematical Sciences in 2008. She provides administrative and operational support to the department head, associate department head, faculty and students in the department and enjoys interfacing with other offices on campus to help the math department fulfill its mission.

As Operations Manager, Rhonda supports the day-to-day operations of the Mathematical Sciences Department while assisting the Department Head and Associate Department Head in the overall operations of the department. She supervisors the staff and assists in managing academic course scheduling, Teacher Assistants, Research Assistants, Peer Learning Assistants along with the operations of the math tutoring center. Rhonda coordinates K-12 outreach activities such as the Annual WPI Mathematics Meet for high school students and various mathematics summer camps as well as department workshops. She assists the Center for Industrial Mathematics and Statistics (CIMS) and provides crucial support for the center’s Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) program and for workshops such as the Mathematical Problems in Industry, Applied and Industrial Mathematics for Secondary Teaching (MIST) and she maintains the center’s financial accounts.
She holds a BS in Psychology from Worcester State University and is pursuing a Master’s Degree at Southern New Hampshire University in Industrial & Organizational Psychology.

Associated Faculty

First Name	Last Name	Title	Email	Phone Extension	Office Location
Paul	Davis	Professor Emeritus		5241	Stratton Hall
William	Farr	Professor Emeritus		5241	Stratton Hall
William	Hardell	Professor Emeritus		5241	Stratton Hall
JJ	Malone	Professor Emeritus, Adjunct Teaching Professor	jjmalone@wpi.edu	5599	SL405E
Bruce	McQuarrie	Professor Emeritus		5241	Stratton Hall
Joseph	Petruccelli	Professor Emeritus	jdp@wpi.edu	5241	Stratton Hall
Domokos	Vermes	Professor Emeritus		5241	Stratton Hall
Homer	Walker	Professor Emeritus	walker@wpi.edu	5241	Stratton Hall