Summer 2017 EditionAlumni & Friends Magazine
The beauty of mathematics
Gurgen (Greg) Hayrapetyan doesn't just teach mathematical concepts by writing formulas on a chalkboard; he’s changing the way people think about the field through creative cultural examples like Legos© and self-driving cars.
By Mallory Golski, BSJ ’19, and Hailee Tavoian, associate director of strategy, Advancement Communication & Marketing | May 31, 2017
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Differential Equations is the mathematical study of change. From the car you drive to the planets moving through the solar system, with an appropriate mathematical model every variable can be predicted using this approach, something Gurgen Hayrapetyan teaches in his classrooms.
“The beauty of it is that everything in our world works this way,” said Hayrapetyan, assistant professor of mathematics. “You actually get to describe the world around you using mathematics.”
Hayrapetyan isn’t just teaching these concepts by writing formulas on a chalkboard; he’s changing the way people think about the field through current cultural examples like zombies, Legos© and cars.
“…There is a lot of potential for creativity in the field,” he said. “I try to inspire my students to take the fundamental formulas and innovate new uses for them.”
Feature photo by Maddie Hordinski BSVC '20
