Vita -- Daina Taimina

Born:August 19, 1954, Riga, Latvia.

Current Position:Adjunct Associate Professor, Department of Mathematics, CornellUniversity

Formal Education:

  • Masters Degree with highest honors, Faculty of Physics and Mathematics, University of Latvia, 1977
  • Candidate of mathematical and physical sciences (PhD in the West), Institute of Mathematics, the Academy of Sciences of Belorussia, thesis: "Behavior of Different Types of Automata and Turing Machines on Infinite Words", 1990
  • Dr. math., University of Latvia, 1992
  • Diploma, European Union Teacher Educator program TEMPUS, 1995-1997

Professional Positions:

  • Mathematics teacher in high school: Riga, Latvia, 1976-1981, 1991-1992
  • Lecturer and workshop leader: Teachers Training Institute in Riga, Latvia, 1985-1995
  • Lecturer, senior lecturer, docent: Department of Physics and Mathematics, University of Latvia, 1977-2000.
  • Editor in publishing houses "Zvaigzne" and "Macibu gramata", Riga, Latvia, 1992-1996.
  • Senior Research Associate and Visiting Associate Professor: Cornell University, 1997-2006.
  • Lecturer, middle-grade mathematics masters degree program, The George Washington University, Washington, DC, summer semester2006 and 2009.
  • Adjunct Associate Professor, Department of Mathematics, CornellUniversity, 2007 to date
  • Professor, International Summer School, Beijing, summer 2013
  • Currently also hold the title Docent of Mathematics, University of Latvia.

Professional memberships:

Latvian Mathematics Society, German Society for Didactics of Mathematics, European Women in Mathematics, International Commission on Mathematical Instruction, Mathematical Association of America, SIGMAA on History of Mathematics, American Craft Council

Courses taught:

University of Latvia:

Undergraduate: Analytic Geometry; Calculus; Algebra; Higher Mathematics (for biologists and for liberal arts students); History of Mathematics.

Graduate; Modern Elementary Geometry; Affine, Projective and Combinatorial Geometry; Psychology of Mathematical Thinking.

CornellUniversity:

History of Mathematics (Math 403), Mathematical Explorations (Math 103), Euclidean and Spherical Geometry (Math 451), Calculus (Math 111, 112, 122, 192), Prove It! (Math 304)

Grants

1980-1982: supported by a grant from The Kurchatov Institute of Nuclear Physics, Academy of Sciences, USSR.

1995: Soros Foundation travel grant to participate in ICMI Study, Italy.

2001: part of National Science Foundation grant to MAA for "Professional Enhancement Programs" to support "Teaching Undergraduate Geometry" workshop, June 2001, $23,000.

2002-2004: senior personal on National Science Foundation NSDL Grant to support the on-line interactive display of historical kinematic mechanism collection and to prepare associated mathematical, historical, and educational materials for use in schools and universities, $725,088

2004-Feb 2006: senior personal on Institute for Museum and Library Sciences grant to support “A Digital Library of Printable Machines: Models for CollectionBuilding and Educational Outreach”, $499,710.

2005-2006: PI on The Institute For Figuring (LosAngeles, CA) grant to support a project “Visualization of the Hyperbolic Plane Through Crochet”, $10,000

2007-2010: on advisory board for NSF grant "Geometry Playground: An Immersive Learning Laboratory" (Exploratorium, SanFrancisco, CA)

2013-2016: consultant on NSF grant “Developing Spatial Mathematics” (Vanderbilt University)

Talks at conferences:

  • “Complexity Gaps of Turing Machines on infinite words”, International Conference: Foundations Of Theoretical Computer Science, Kazan, Russia, June, 1987
  • “Teaching geometry through problems”, InternationalConference on Teaching High School Geometry, Stockholm, Sweden, May 8, 1994.
  • "On teaching algorithmic methods to middle and high school students," International Congress of Mathematicians, Zurich, Switzerland, August 1994
  • (by invitation only) ICMI Study: Perspectives of the Teaching Geometry for 21st Century, Catania, Italy, September 1995.
  • Co-organizer, International Conference Teaching Mathematics for 21st Century, July 1-4, 1996, Riga, Latvia.
  • Fourth International Seminar: From Misconceptions to constructed understanding, June 13-15, 1997, CornellUniversity. Ithaca, NY, USA
  • Invited Plenary Address, 4th Annual New York Graduate Mathematics Education Research Conference, SyracuseUniversity, October 25, 1997.
  • (with D. W. Henderson and Colm Mulcahy) "Living geometry for liberal arts majors: hands-on and discovery-based approaches", MathFest-97, Atlanta, Georgia, USA, 1997.
  • (by invitation only) ICMI Study: The Role of the History of mathematics in the teaching and learning mathematics, Luminy (France), April 19-26, 1998
  • International conference of mathematics educators from Nordic countries Norma-98, Kristiansand (Norway), June 5-9, 1998.
  • (by invitation only) ICMI Study: Teaching Mathematics at the Undergraduate Level, Singapore, December 8-12, 1998.
  • “The Role of Physical Models in Teaching Geometry”, Mathematics Education Contributed Paper Session at the AMS-MAA Joint Meeting, San Antonio, Texas, January 13-16, 1999, USA
  • (by invitation only) “Mathematics in Latvia Through Centuries”, AMS Special Session on The History of Mathematics, AMS-MAA Joint Meeting, Washington, DC, USA, January 19-22, 2000.
  • “History Makes Mathematics Alive”, Mathematics Education and History Contributed Paper Session at the AMS-MAA Joint Meeting, Washington, DC, USA, January 19-22, 2000.
  • “The Role of Physical Models in Teaching Hyperbolic Geometry”, Janos Bolyai Conference on Hyperbolic Geometry, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Budapest, Hungary, 8-12 July, 2002
  • Invited plenary address. “Mathematical Way of Thinking – When is it Creative?” International Conference on Teaching Gifted Students and Increasing Creativity in Mathematics Education, Riga, Latvia. July 15-18, 2002.
  • (by invitation only) “How it was to study and to teach mathematics in Cornell at the end of 19th century?” AMS Special Session in History of Mathematics, Joint Mathematical Meetings, January 18, 2003, Baltimore, MD.
  • (by invitation only) “Mathematical Aspects of Franz Reuleaux Kinematic Model Collection”, AMS Special Session on History of Mathematics, AMS Sectional Meeting, New York, April 13th, 2003.
  • “Using a Digital Kinematic Model Collection in the Classroom”, International Conference: Scientific Instrument Collections in Universities, Dartmouth, NH, June 26-29, 2004.
  • “History of Mathematics and Mechanics in Digital Reuleaux Kinematic Mechanism Collection”, ICME-10, July 2004, Copenhagen, Denmark.
  • “Exploring the hyperbolic plane through crochet”, AMS Special Session on mathematics and Mathematics Education in Fiber Arts, Joint Mathematical Meetings, Atlanta, GA, January 2005.
  • “Exploring the hyperbolic plane through crochet”, Gathering for Gardner 7 (by invitation), Atlanta, GA, March 2006.
  • “Exploring the hyperbolic plane through crochet”, Coxeter Symposium, PrincetonUniversity, November 3, 2006.
  • (by invitation) "Geometry and motion links mathematics and engineering in collections of 19th century kinematic models and their digital representation", ICMI Centennial anniversary Symposium,Rome, Italy, March 5-8, 2008.
  • “Adventures in non-Euclidean Geometry” (by invitation) Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program Conference Building Excellence in STEM Teaching, Washington DC, July 2, 2009
  • (by invitation) “Hyperbolic Geometry in Nature”, Vassar College,NY, February 11, 2011
  • (by invitation) “Tactile Hyperbolic Geometry”, Houghton College, NY, March 8, 2011
  • (by invitation) “Points of Intersection”, Gathering for Gardner 10, Atlanta, GA, March 2012
  • “Allowing Unexpected: Creativity in Your Classroom”, keynote speaker 62nd Western Illinois Teachers conference, Macomb, IL, March 2013

Workshop leader and presenter:

  • June 1998. (with D.W.Henderson) “Experiencing Geometry”, NORMA-98, Nordic Mathematics Education Conference Proceedings, Kristiansand, Norway.
  • 1996-97 academic year: (with A. Solomon and D. W. Henderson) Four one-day workshops for school teachers, Cornell, Ithaca, NY
  • June, 1997. (with K. Gaddis, J.-J. Lo, A. Solomon, D. W. Henderson) week-long National Science Foundation – Undergraduate Faculty Enhancement workshop, Teaching Undergraduate Geometry, Cornell. Ithaca, NY.
  • June, 1997. (with A. Solomon and D. W. Henderson) Week-long workshop for school teachers, Cornell, Ithaca, USA
  • 1997-98 academic year: (with A. Solomon and D. W. Henderson) Four one-day workshops for school teachers, Cornell, Ithaca, USA
  • June, 1999. (with K. Gaddis, J.-J. Lo, A. Solomon, and D. W. Henderson) week-long National Science Foundation – Undergraduate Faculty Enhancement workshop, Teaching Undergraduate Geometry, Cornell, Ithaca, NY.
  • June, 1999. (with A. Solomon and D. W. Henderson) Week-long workshop for teachers, Cornell, Ithaca, USA.
  • 1999-2000 academic year: (with A. Solomon and D. W. Henderson) Four one-day workshops for school teachers, Cornell, Ithaca, USA.
  • June, 2000: (with K. Gaddis, J.-J. Lo, and D. W. Henderson) NSF-sponsored workshop, Teaching Undergraduate Geometry, for mathematics professors at colleges and universities.
  • November 21-22, December 6, December 19-20, 2000 and January 4, 2001: "Using history of mathematics in everyday teaching" and "How to boost creativity of students in math classes", Jurmala School District, Latvia: Liepaja Pedagogical Academy, Latvia; Tartu University, Estonia; Gulbene School District, Latvia.
  • June 10-15, 2001. (with K. Gaddis, and D. W. Henderson) NSF-funded, MAA-sponsored workshop, Teaching Undergraduate Geometry, for mathematics professors at colleges and universities.
  • Fall 2001 (with Avery Solomon). Saturday workshops for teachers, CornellUniversity.
  • June 15-17, 2002 (with David Henderson) “Experiencing Geometry”, 2-hour workshop, Canadian Mathematics Society Summer Meeting, Quebec City, Canada.
  • July 31, 2002, “Teaching Geometry with Proofs but No Axioms”, two 75 minute workshops, Project NexT: Selected Topics in Undergraduate Mathematics Education, Burlington, VT.
  • January 17, 2003. (with David Henderson) PREP Workshop Reunion. Joint Mathematics Meetings, Baltimore, MD.
  • June 26-27, 2003. “Mathematical Aspects of Franz Reuleaux Kinematic Model Collection and Connections with High School Mathematics”. NSF-supported workshop for high school mathematics teachers, Ithaca, NY.
  • January 5-6, 2005. “What linkages have to do with mathematics”, 90 minute presentation in The History of Mathematical Technologies: Exploring the Material Culture of Mathematics, MAA Short Course at Joint Mathematics Meetings, Phoenix, AZ.
  • March 24, 2005. “Historical Nuggets in Mathematics” and “Mathematics in Kinematics Models Collection”, workshops in Cornell Professional Development Day (for middle and high school teachers).
  • June 13-14, 2005. (invited workshop leader) MAA and NSF sponsored workshop “Preparing Mathematicians to Educate (elementary school) Teachers”, Kent State University, OH.
  • August 5-6, 2005. (with David Henderson) MAA Mini-course: “Geometry with History for Teaching Teachers”, Math Fest, Albuquerque, NM.
  • January 12-14, 2006. (with David Henderson) MAA Mini-course: “Geometry with History for Teaching Teachers”, Joint Mathematics Meetings, San Antonio, TX.
  • January 7-8, 2007. (with David Henderson) MAA Mini-course: "Geometry with History for Teaching Teachers", Joint Mathematics Meetings New Orleans, LI.
  • June 2007, three-day workshop in geometry for high school students, Algebra Project, Miami, FL.
  • July 3, 2007, "Non-Euclidean Geometries" (with David W. Henderson), 3-hour workshop, Teaching Day in Biannual Conference on Banach Algebras, Laval University, Quebec, Canada.
  • March-June, 2009, monthly workshops for geometry teachers (with David Henderson), Boys and GirlsHigh School, Brooklyn, NY
  • June 18-20, 2009 “Non-Euclidean geometries” (with David Henderson), Long Beach University, CA.
  • January 20-22, 2010 “Geometric manifolds”, Telluride House, Cornell University, NY.

Public lectures on mathematics, mathematics education, and art:

  • (with David Henderson) “Crocheting Hyperbolic Plane”, The Institute for Figuring, Culver City, CA, May 27, 2004.
  • (with David Henderson) “Crocheting Hyperbolic Plane”, The Institute for Figuring and Cabinet Magazine , The Kitchen, New York City, February 5, 2005.
  • (with Margaret Wertheim) workshop and talk “Crocheting the Hyperbolic Plane: A Conversation on non-Euclidean geometry and feminine handicraft”, The Institute for Figuring and Machine Project, Los Angeles, CA, August 7, 2005.
  • (with David Henderson) “Crocheting Hyperbolic Plane”, CUNYGraduateCenterScience and Art Series, September 22, 2005 (two talks).
  • “Creativity, Mathematics, Education”, Bard College Public Lecture Series (sponsored by MAT Program), December 8, 2005.
  • “Crocheting Hyperbolic Plane”, University of Latvia, Riga, Latvia, March 1, 2006.
  • “From Math to Art”, public dialog with Bernar Venet, University of Connecticut, March 29, 2006.
  • “Crocheting Hyperbolic Plane”, CarletonCollege, May 18, 2006.
  • “Tactile ways of exploring non-Euclidean geometry”, talk in Textile Department, CornellUniversity, September 1, 2006.
  • “Tactile ways of exploring non-Euclidean geometry”, 3-hour workshop, Department of Architecture, CornellUniversity, October, 2006.
  • “Mysteries of the hyperbolic plane”, Science Cabaret, Ithaca, NY, October 2006.
  • “Mysteries of the hyperbolic plane”, University of Latvia, December 8, 2006.
  • “Mathematical Sculptures with Crochet”, Varna, NY, January 12, 2008
  • “USA education system and opportunities for international students”, Riga, Latvia, February 13, 2008.
  • “Mysteries of the hyperbolic plane”, Kettle’s Yard, University of Cambridge, UK, April 12, 2008.
  • Panelist and speaker, Symposium “Arts and Crafts Saving the World”, SouthbankCenter, London, UK, June 13, 2008.
  • “Which folds are creating manifolds?” talk in e-t+t (electronic text + textiles) residency, Riga, Latvia, August 10, 2009.
  • “Fiber Creations and Mysteries of the Hyperbolic Plane”, public lecture ConcordiaUniversity, Montreal, Canada, November 6, 2009.
  • Invited plenary talk the 6th European Meeting of the Society for Literature, Science, and the Arts, Riga, Latvia, June 15-20, 2010
  • Exploratorium, SanFrancisko, CA, August 21, 2010
  • Common Cod Crochet Guild talk, MIT, Cambridge, MA, September 10, 2010
  • Herbert F. Johnson Art Museum, Ithaca, NY, November 21, 2010
  • “Seeing Between Folds”, Fleisher Art Memorial, Philadelphia, PA, January 21, 2011
  • “Seeing Between Folds”, Latvian Canadian Center, Toronto, Canada, February 26, 2011
  • “From Mathematics to Fiber Arts”, NCTM Teacher Conference, Springfield, IL, October 21, 2011
  • “From Mathematics to Fiber Arts”, University of New England, Biddeford, ME, November 4, 2011
  • “Crocheting Adventures with the Hyperbolic Planes”, talk TEDxRiga, June 14, 2012
  • “Crackers, Oranges, and Pringles”, Family Friday in MoMath, New York, NY, April 2013
  • “Hyperbolic Planes and Sustainable Networks”, New Media Lab, Liepāja, Latvia, December 20, 2013