Theodore Shifrin

Theodore Shifrin
Department of Mathematics
University of Georgia
Athens, GA 30602
(706) 542-2556
Fax: (706) 542-5907
Email: shifrin@math.uga.edu
Office: 444 Boyd Graduate Studies
Office hours:

Monday 9-10
Tuesday 11-12, 3-4:30
Wednesday
Thursday 2-3
Friday 1:30-2:30

                                        or by appointment



I'm Professor of Mathematics at . I am now the Associate Head of the Mathematics Department. I was the recipient of a Lothar Tresp Oustanding Honors Professor Award in 2002 and one of five recipients of the 1997 Josiah Meigs Award for Excellence in Teaching at The University of Georgia. I was the 2000 winner of the Award for Distinguished College or University Teaching of Mathematics, Southeast section, presented by the Mathematical Association of America. My research interests are in differential geometry and complex algebraic geometry. You may consult my current Vita and Publication List and contact me by email if you'd like any preprints or reprints.

If you'd like to see the "text" of my talk at the MAA Southeastern Section meeting, March 30, 2001, entitled Tidbits of Geometry Through the Ages, you may download a .pdf file.
I am the Honors adviser for students majoring in Mathematics at The University of Georgia. I also advise Honors freshmen and sophomores majoring in Computer Science, Physics, Physics & Astronomy, and Statistics. If you would like to see how the Honors Program at The University of Georgia has recently garnered national attention, you might try the cover story of the September 16, 1996 issue of U.S. News & World Report, p. 109. (I have a personal stake in this, of course.)

I have written a senior-level mathematics text, Abstract Algebra: A Geometric Approach, published by Prentice Hall in 1996. You might want to refer to the list of typos and emendations.  Please email me if you find other errors or have any comments or suggestions.

Malcolm Adams and I completed a linear algebra text, Linear Algebra: A Geometric Approach, published by W.H. Freeman in 2002. Our approach puts greater emphasis on both geometry and proof techniques than most books currently available; somewhat novel is a discussion of the mathematics of computer graphics. We are maintaining a list of errata and typos; please email me if you find any others. We are currently (starting summer, 2008) at work on a second edition; any comments or suggestions would be welcome.

My textbook Multivariable Mathematics: Linear Algebra, Multivariable Calculus, and Manifolds was published by J. Wiley & Sons in 2004. The text integrates the linear algebra and calculus material, emphasizing the theme of implicit versus explicit. It includes proofs and all the theory of the calculus without giving short shrift to computations and physical applications. There is, as always, the obligatory list of errata and typos; please email me if you have any comments or have discovered any errors. Click here if you want a list of errata in the solutions manual.

I have written some informal class notes for MATH 4250/6250, Differential Geometry: A First Course in Curves and Surfaces. They are available in .pdf format, and, as usual, comments and suggestions are always welcome. They have been recently revised.



CLASS WEB PAGES


I teach a wide variety of undergraduate and graduate courses, but particularly enjoy teaching:

During 2008-2009, I will teach

MATH 3500(H)–3510(H) (Multivariable Mathematics) — MWF 11:15–12:05

This is an integrated year-long course in multivariable calculus and linear algebra. It includes all the material in MATH 2500 and MATH 3000, along with additional applications and theoretical material. There is greater emphasis on proofs, and the pace is quick. Typically the class consists of a blend of sophomores (some of whom have had MATH 2400(H)–2410(H), others of whom have had MATH 2260 or 2310H and MATH 3200) and freshmen who've earned a 5 on the AP Calculus BC exam. The text is my recent book, Multivariable Mathematics: Linear Algebra, Multivariable Calculus, and Manifolds.

FRES 1010 (Freshman Seminar: The Mathematics of Escher) — fall semester M 3:35-4:25 (call #48-672)

M. C. Escher is famous for his beautiful and puzzling pieces of art, such as "Relativity," "Ascending and Descending," and the ants crawling on "Moebius Strip." We will examine his art, read Escher's commentaries on his own work, and learn some of the mathematics involved in understanding his art, such as perspective, non-Euclidean geometry, and symmetries of geometric figures.

During summer 2009 I will direct a NSF-sponsored research group for in-service secondary mathematics teachers. We will explore some advanced topics in geometry and algebra.


MATH LINKS


Undergraduate Mathematics Information (including advice on majoring in mathematics, job opportunities, alumni web pages)

UGA Math Club

Job Opportunities for Mathematics Majors

Alumni Questionnaire

Michael Spivak's lectures on mechanics

 


 

FAVORITE NON-MATH LINKS

NPR

CarTalk

GLOBES

Lambda Alliance

UGA's Sexual Orientation Policy

 


Because of rampant paranoia on the part of the UGA administration, I am "obliged" to add the following disclaimer:

The content and opinions expressed on this webpage do not necessarily reflect the views of nor are they endorsed by the University of Georgia or the University System of Georgia.