Alan Parks

Professor of Mathematics and Computer Science

409 Briggs Hall

920-832-6738

A current vita is here.

Contact me via email for questions about our curriculum, mathematics in general, or computer science.

alas? Look up the Greek word for salt. Halizo!

Course page: Foundations of Analysis (math 310)

Our end-of-year toast to our majors: 2008.

Engaged Learning.

I have been asked to help support and develop community outreach projects that arise from Lawrence courses.

The web site for the newly formed Office for Engaged Learning is under construction. Currently the site contains a description of our work, some links, and pictures of the staff involved.

Teaching.

Here is a FAQ for students interested in our curriculum. The picture to the right is Leonhard Euler (1707-1783).

A FAQ for calculus I and II (math 140 and 150).

In my teaching I like to provide my own exposition of important topics. Here are two pdf files, each dealing with integration. The first is for a beginning calculus class; the second is for a sophomore level advanced calculus class.

Some teaching maxims:

Mathematics is about getting a great many consequences from a few central facts, not about memorizing lists of facts or equations. A single derivation or proof is ten times better than ten consequences of it.

Applications and theory are not alternatives; indeed, they are strongly related to each other. For instance, the Intermediate Value Theorem says that if f(x) is continuous on the interval [r,t], and if f(r) < 0 < f(t), then there is a number  s  between  r  and  t  such that f(s) = 0. One proof of this theorem imagines how we might approximate  s  numerically (on a calculator or computer). The details (and a more precise statement of the theorem) are here.

Spatial intuition and algebraic facility complement and reinforce each other.

Abstract structure is not the starting point, but it arises from seeing the same sorts of things over and over in different contexts. But when an abstract idea is identified and studied for its own sake, good things happen!

Research.

My research lies in what is broadly called applied mathematics: dynamical systems and differential equations. These areas form a well-traveled corridor between mathematics and physics, chemistry, economics, biology, and other subjects. I am interested in classical differential equations, discrete dynamical systems, and the design and analysis of computer algorithms for both numerical and exact work with these objects.

I wrote a chapter for the book Codes, Systems, and Graphical Models,  IMA Volumes in Mathematics and its Applications, Vol. 123, edited by Brian Marcus and Joachim Rosenthal, Springer-Verlag, New York. Here is a non-technical abstract of this work.

I belong to the American Mathematical Society.

Computer Science.

I am an action-oriented programmer interested in the theory of computation, coding theory, and the analysis of algorithms. "Action oriented" programming stresses the selection and organization of the algorithms used in a program, as opposed to "object oriented" programming which manages a program by the abstract description of objects. The programs I write are "small," and it is frequently the case that time of execution needs to be minimized. Therefore, I am rarely interested in code that is abstractly portable, and I do not hide methods in my data structures. On the other hand, I am a firm believer in careful documentation. I have written applications in Java, C++, fortran, pascal, matlab, and a couple of assembly languages.

I am currently learning more Java because so much of the world uses it; it has entailed converting to object oriented programming to some extent, but I plan on clinging stubbornly to effective traditional thinking as much as possible! I hope to post an interesting applet soon.

Personal.

I have been involved over the years with InterVarsity Christian Fellowship, an organization that serves undergraduates, graduate students, and faculty through its various ministries. The InterVarsity chapter at Lawrence is called LCF; it is one of the oldest campus organizations.

I am a serious amateur musician, writing and playing mostly church worship music but also blues (especially gospel blues: Willie Johnson, Gary Davis, Son House, Elmore James, Muddy Waters, and others), rural folk music (Stanley Carter, Ricky Skaggs, Gillian Welch, and others), and melodic jazz.

Proud user links.

The Heritage H-535. Expressive rhythm, lead lines, blues, and even Bach.

Fender guitars and amps. Clean living.

Rivera amps: R-55, the semi-portable side-kick.

Fulltone effects. Non-clean living.

Maxon compressor and analog delay.

Vintage and modern gear at Willie's American Guitars in St. Paul, Dave's in Lacrosse and Wausau, and Elderly Instruments in Lansing.

The standard disclaimer says that Lawrence is not responsible for the stuff on my pages. But I am, so email me if there is a problem!