A Bit About Myself

I would very much like to instill in others the same excitement about math that was instilled in me. Frequently when I reveal that I am studying mathematics, I get comments like, "ooh, I absolutely, fantastically, abhor mathematics," or even sadder, "I loved math---and was really good at it---until they started talking about x." The thing is, a good teacher makes all the difference. Ignoring the left-brain/right-brain discussion for the moment, let's just say I am good at math because I understand the point of mathematics, and don't get lost in the language of mathematics. I understand the point (and the language for that matter) because I had good teachers from the outset. So, in dedication to Mrs. Emily Thompson, Dr. Claudia Carter, and Fuzzy and Alice Lauve---four teachers whom I try to emulate and to whom I am indebted---I aim to teach.

If the above doesn't work out, maybe I'll become a farmer, or an architect, or a hand model, I haven't decided yet. No matter the outcome, additional future plans may include living in a french chateau with the other members of "326 Wayne" and raising a couple of chaps with Maria.

I am now finishing a postdoctoral position at UQAM, so I'm presently up to my earlobes in lemmas---lest I don't get enough done in the next few months to land another job---i.e. I really don't have a life, or at least don't have the time to tell you about it. Check back next year never for more on my many interests, including but not limited to:
fonts, the age of design, architecture, modern art, pizza, modern dance, aerobie, the evil that was Saxxony, the evil that is Saxon, strange and exciting places I've been (and/or plan to be), kooky things I've done (and/or plan to do), the real reason why the EURO will fail, writers and directors who have managed to capture/encapsulate/ennunciate my sentiments exactly on various subjects, neuroscience, anthropology, etymology, hiking, tea vs. coffee, why we sport…

I was born in Lafayette, Louisiana, capital of cajun country. I don't remember anything about Lafayette. At age two, my family moved even deeper into Acadiana… Thibodeaux. There, I developed a strong taste for tree climbing, sugar cane, coffee milk, and crawfish boils. Thibodeaux even has its very own patron saint.

My adolescent years were spent in Gillsburg and McComb, Mississippi. Like most boys, my interests were sports, music, 'hanging out,' and girls. Things I was definitely not interested in include: mathematics, physics, reading, or anything else remotely associated with a book. Note for parents: see, your son may not act bright now, but expose him to enough stuff and one day he'll make you proud! Note to kids: READ!!!! It is the one thing I would change about my life; it doesn't matter what, just read. The ability to get through a novel in under three weeks is a skill you will find translates over into every other facet of your life (e.g. I am always the last person to select something from the menu at restaurants. Always).

Another thing that could not hold my interest was country life. I had everything a country boy could want: a well-stocked fishing hole, fruit and pecan trees out the wazoo, a goat, chickens, a swimming pool, even my own horse AND pony! Alors, I much preferred going into town (such as it was) with my friends. Luckily, I had a steady income helping the neighbors milk the cows and très gentil parents who let me take the car into town on Friday nights. Eventually, my parents' own interest in the country life faded, and they now live in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The draw of the country life is understandable. After having lived in some larger cities, I can honestly say the country life feels more real, and the country folk more genuine and more friendly. At this point in my life, I honestly don't know which I prefer.

The marvelous Mississippi School for Mathematics and Science changed the way I felt about school. There aren't too many nouns that demand "marvelous" but trust me, this is one of them. If you are a Mississippi high school student who gives even half-a-damn about your education, apply. Choosing to attend is perhaps the best decision I've ever made. (Note: I'd say the best ever, except that choice of spouse should probably be listed first, especially since it has been working out so nicely.  Maria V. Lauve is of the Latrobe clan, a family tree which has born quite a few notable fruit.) There is no better place in Mississippi to learn, and to learn how to interact with people as well. I thoroughly and emphatically recommend you consider a stint there.

I received a B.S. in mathematics and physics in 1999 from the University of Oklahoma, situated in the quiet college town of Norman, OK. I was there for the McVeigh hysteria. I was not there for any football hysteria. Also, I started some hysteria of my own by protesting the larger-than-life kiddie-ride "Mustang" by sculptor Luís Jiménez. The student newspaper called the unknown perpetrators vandals (though in fact no harm was done to the sculpture) and when, two years later, some idiots actually spray-painted this great(?) work, the student newspaper had the bright idea of blaming the previous perpetrators (me) for starting a precedent. Pshaw!

In 2005, I received my Ph.D. in mathematics from the Rutgers University, in New Brunswick, NJ. The math department was great, being a VIGRE student the first two years was nice. I will withhold the "marvelous" designation from Rutgers because so many other aspects of the University need work. Ignore what the New Yorkers have systematically spread throughout the country, "New Jersey is a polluted industrial hell-hole with more waste and abandoned buildings per square mile than people." It is the case that the city of New Brunswick has very little going for it: (i) a train bound for NYC and Philly passes through it; (ii) it's adjacent to the extrodinarily plesant borough of Highland Park. But the state is in fact as beautiful as Mississippi and on my drives through the country there I often had to fight down a feeling of nostalgia. I suspect the New Yorkers are just jealous of the shore.