Faculty for Applied Mathematics

Melanie Brown

Biography

Dr. Melanie Brown is an Associate Professor of Mathematics and has been teaching at Champlain College since 2013. She is also the Program Director for Mathematics and oversees not only the major in Applied Mathematics and the minor in Mathematics, but also the collection of math courses that meet the needs of each of Champlain’s majors. Originally from Atlanta, GA, she graduated from Converse University with both a Bachelor of Arts in Mathematics and a Bachelor of Music in Music Education. She then pursued graduate studies in mathematics, earning a Master of Arts in Mathematics from Western Michigan University and a Ph.D. in Mathematical Sciences from the University of Vermont.

While her earliest research interests were in topological graph theory and combinatorial design theory, teaching at Champlain has given her the opportunity to explore applications of mathematics across a variety of disciplines. She is now especially interested in the mathematics of cybersecurity and regularly teaches a course in the mathematics of Cryptography. She also teaches more traditional math courses like Calculus I, Calculus II, and Linear Algebra, but she enjoys infusing each course with examples that demonstrate how the theoretical ideas help solve problems in “the real world.”

In addition to her teaching and administrative roles, Dr. Brown serves her faculty colleagues as the Chair of the Faculty Senate Welfare Committee. She is also a champion for gender diversity in STEAM and advises Champlain’s Womxn in Technology Club and Champlain’s Women in Cybersecurity Student Chapter. Additionally, she is a facilitator with the Champ 101 program.

In her free time, Dr. Brown is an active musician and plays clarinet with several 足彩胜负14场-area ensembles.

Professional & Scholastic Affiliations

• Mathematical Association of America
• Women in Cybersecurity

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Jeevan DSouza

Biography

Dr. Jeevan D’Souza has been an adjunct professor of computer science and mathematics at Champlain College 足彩胜负14场 since 2017. Prior to joining CCO he has worked as an academic, IT manager, computer programmer, and electronics engineer.

He earned a bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering (EE) from Shivaji University, India, in 2000, a master’s in EE from the University of Texas in 2003, a graduate certificate in computer engineering at Polytechnic Institute of NYU in 2005 and a PhD in computer science from Nova Southeastern University in 2012.

His teaching interests are in the fields of digital circuit design, computer programming, robotics, and embedded systems. He currently lives in Miami and is enjoying the sunshine.

Publications & Abstracts

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Jessica Fischer

Biography

Jessica Fischer teaches a section of Biology of Nutrition & Fitness. She attended University of Rhode Island for Nutrition & Dietetics with a focus on Sustainable Agriculture & Food Systems. She then attended UVM to complete her graduate studies in Dietetics. She is also a Clinical Dietitian at UVM Medical Center where she counsels a variety of adult populations with chronic diseases. She is passionate about nutrition and overall wellness through movement and time spent connecting with nature. In her free time she is an avid gardener, skier, and trail walker accompanied by her dog.

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Tegan Garon

Biography

Tegan Garon is a Vermont native who is a full-time high school math teacher, in addition to teaching part-time mathematics courses at Champlain.

Recommended Reading, Listening & Viewing

• Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell
• Predictably Irrational by Dan Ariely

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Kaitlyn Opperman

Biography

Kaitlyn graduated from Clarkson University with a degree in Computer Engineering and has recently transitioned into an instructor role, taking on adjunct work for the first time in Spring 2023. Prior to this, she worked in the aerospace industry as an embedded software engineer.

Favorite Quote

“Be kind.”

—Anyone

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Michael Opperman

Biography

Michael completed his bachelors at Wagner College and has a PhD from Clarkson University, both in mathematics. Previously, he has worked as an instructor at Clarkson University, was a student teacher at Essex High School, ran the Math Lab at Colchester high school, and was an adjunct faculty member at Champlain College. Currently, he teaches a range of courses from introductory and applied statistics to a 3D math course that explores the mathematics behind game programming at Champlain College. Regardless of the course, the focus is always on the practical applications of mathematics and how students can expect to see it in their fields of study and everyday lives.

Michael has a strong interest in pedagogy and improving the student experience in the classroom. He is an active member of Champlain College’s Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SotL) group and has attended workshops focused on improving his teaching. Michael devotes a great amount of time to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion both inside and outside of the classroom. He is the current chair of the Diversity, Inclusion, and Gender in Information, Technology, and Sciences (DIGITS) and has attended multiple Digital Humanity Summer Institutes (DHSI).

Recommended Reading, Listening & Viewing

• I believe James Tanton does a tremendous job explaining mathematical ideas in a way that is both interesting and insightful. I find his teaching style informative and inspiring.
• I find 538?to be a valuable source of information and statistical modeling that explains their mathematical reasoning quite well.

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Warren Sides

Biography

Warren Sides is a professor of mathematics in the division of Information Technology & Science. In addition to mathematics, he has a passion for social justice and innovative teaching methods.

He is an active member of the American Mathematical Society and participates in a number of events related to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion as well as curriculum development and experiential learning.

Distinctions & Awards

Edward Phelps Lyman Professorship Award 2023

Professional & Scholastic Affiliations

American Mathematical Society

Recommended Reading, Listening & Viewing

Weapons of Math Destruction by Cathy O’Neil

Curriculum Vitae

READ MY CV

Favorite Quote

“When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.”

—Max Planck

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Michael Weinberg

Biography

Mike started teaching at Champlain about 1980 while he was also a middle school teacher. He has a Bachelors degree in mathematics and a Masters degree in Education. He really enjoys teaching mathematics and being with students. He also loves to go geocaching and has been doing that for about 10 years. He was a volunteer Advanced EMT with Essex Rescue for 34 years.

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