Center for Women in Mathematics at Smith College

Anna Boatwright

Hometown: Charleston, South Carolina
Undergrad: Mount Holyoke College, BA Mathematics 2007
Program Goals: to continue her study of mathematics, to determine where a good fit might be to pursue graduate work in mathematics
Hobbies: tennis, painting, hiking, dancing, reading, cooking
Was pleasantly surprised by: the mathematics community at Smith, the Smith alumnae who remain engaged with the college

Cheryl Milton

Hometown: Jacksonville, Florida
Undergrad: Florida A&M University, BA Mathematics 2007
Program Goals: to get more preparation for graduate school in computational mathematics
Hobbies and interests: problem solving, literature, nonfiction, and cinema
Was pleasantly surprised by: the strong feeling of community in the mathematics department, campus, and the town of Northampton

Emily Gunawan

Hometown: Jakarta, Indonesia
Undergrad: Wells College, BA Mathematics 2005, Minor in Japanese
Post-Undergrad: She lived in Ithaca, NY for 2.5 years and worked as a YMCA swim instructor and a counselor at an after-school program for children, then as an administrative staff at Cornell University Library, and then as an automated testing software staff at CBORD.
Program Goals: To prepare for graduate school in mathematics.
Hobbies: reading, hiking, going to art museums, doing school work at coffee shops
Was happy to find: supportive students and faculty, Tuesday math talks, a Trader Joe's within driving distance, and the heart of Northampton right next to campus. Was also happy to feel encouraged to go to graduate school in mathematics.

Jennifer Koonz

Hometown: Albany, NY
Undergrad: Wellesley College, BA Mathematics 2007
Program Goals: to gain a better understanding of analysis, to gain research experience, to take a graduate course, and to firm up preparation for graduate school
Hobbies: knitting, reading murder mysteries, pilates, nature walks/hikes
Was pleasantly surprised by: how much she enjoys her graduate class, all of the benefits of living in Northampton (free and frequent public transportation!) and all of the benefits of being a graduate student at Smith

Megan Heenehan

Hometown: Newburyport, MA
Undergrad: Wellesley College, BA 2003, Major in Mathematics, Minor in Computer Science
Work Experience: 2003-2005 Mathematics Teacher, St. Thomas Aquinas High School, Dover, NH
2005-2007 High School and Middle School Math Textbook Editor, McDougal Littell, Boston, MA
Program Goals: to get exposure to research in the field of mathematics and to explore graduate school options in pure mathematics and mathematics education.
Hobbies: knitting, reading, going to movies, the theater and museums
Was happy to find: a community of students and professors willing to work collaboratively, the willingness of the mathematics department to bring in guest speakers to further students' exposure to different mathematical fields and a large arts community both on campus and in the town of Northampton

Megan Sawyer

Hometown: Denver, Colorado
Undergrad: University of Colorado at Denver, BS Mathematics Education 2007, Magna Cum Laude, Academic Honors
Program Goals: to get a better depth in pure mathematics, to explore graduate school options in mathematics education, and to determine correlations between mathematics graduate school and other life sciences graduate programs.
Hobbies: Hiking, biking, camping, and generally anything outdoorsy.
Was pleasantly surprised by: having a window in the communal office, the number of meals you can cook with five ingredients, New England fog (well, maybe not pleasantly).

Samantha Oestricher

Hometown: Cupertino, California
Undergrad: Smith College, BA Theater 2005; minor in Mathematics
Post-Undergrad: She worked for two years at College for the Holy Cross as Assistant Manager/Draper in the theatrical costume shop as well as freelancing in Costumes, Stage Crew and Electrics at many New England theaters.
Program Goals: To take the first step in changing careers and furthering her coursework in advanced mathematics. Also to decide which type of mathematics she prefers and which graduate schools match those preferences. (Currently, she is interested in applied mathematics)
Hobbies: gaming, biking, theater, dance, SF/F, camping, crochet
Aspects I most enjoy: How quickly I remembered the things I forgot from undergraduate courses, the support I receive from my wife and other Post-Bacs. Being surrounded by many great mathematicians (professors, post-bacs and undergraduates alike) who are teaching me lots of interesting mathematics.

Vishwa Banker

Hometown: San Antonio, Texas
Undergrad: Gettysburg College, BA with honors in Economics 2007; minors in Mathematics and Philosophy
Program Goals: to strengthen her understanding of economics by strengthening her understanding of mathematics, to learn how to write proofs more concisely and rigorously, and to explore new topics in mathematics
Hobbies: Running, rock climbing, traveling, literature. Playing and watching sports. Cooking, baking, and eating.
Was pleasantly surprised by: friendliness of professors and other students, how much more she enjoys learning in a single-sex, rather than a co-ed, environment, finding that Northampton is a really cool town, and the wealth of resources available to Smith College students