Lee faculty Dr. Debra Mimbs and Dr. Laura Singletary recently took five students to the Mathematical Association of America national meeting (MAA Math Fest) in Columbus, Ohio, to present original research in mathematics/mathematical education.

“We are so proud of these students,” said Mimbs. “Undergrads presenting research at this level is rather unusual and impressive.”

Mimbs mentored three students – Kaitlyn Burk, Adam Carty, and Austin Wheeler. They presented “A Study of the Shortest Perimeter Polyhedron.”

Burk, Carty, and Wheeler’s research expanded the understandings on Melzak’s Conjecture, which asks, “What polyhedron has the smallest ratio of total edge length to volume?” After exploring the relationship between second order derivatives of volume, area, and perimeter, the students discovered that their study shows a hypothetical method of proving Melzak’s Conjecture.

Singletary mentored two students – Amanda Akin and Allison Bernhard. Their presentation, “Is There a Relationship Between Prospective Teachers’ Mathematics Background and Proof Scheme?” received an Outstanding Presentation Award from the MAA.

Akin and Bernhard investigated the possible relationships between proof schemes and mathematical background among future teachers. After performing 10 teaching experiments with potential elementary and middle grades teachers using Harel and Sowder’s proof schemes framework, they concluded that participants who had encountered proof-based mathematical courses tended to look at their problems more analytically than participants who had not.

“MathFest was an incredible experience,” said Bernhard. “While there, we obtained our first opportunity to exhibit our research in a national setting, and we were honored to receive the Outstanding Presentation Award as it displayed national excellence of work with our research advisor, Dr. Laura Singletary, and proved the significance of it.”

For more information, visit MAA.