Southeastern NEWS
Southeastern Louisiana University
Public Information Office
publicinfo@selu.edu
SLU 880, Hammond, LA 70402
504/549-2341/fax 504-549-2061
Date: 3/24/99
Contact: Christina Chapple 91
Editors: Photos accompany release Please note local interest
SOUTHEASTERN MATH STUDENTS WIN COMPETITION -- AGAIN!
HAMMOND A team of Southeastern Louisiana University seniors tied for first place
with the University of Southwestern Louisiana in the annual student mathematics competition at
the Louisiana-Mississippi section meeting of the Mathematical Association of America on March
5-6 in Jackson, Miss.
Team members were mathematics major Jason Calmes, biological sciences major Denny
Himel, computer science major Tom Renfro, all of Hammond, and mathematics major Laura
Schlecht of Brusly.
The win marks the second in a row for a Southeastern student team. Competing against
26 teams from 23 schools, the students had two hours to solve 15 mathematical problems in
subject areas ranging from calculus to abstract algebra. Mathematics professors Randy Wills and
Dennis Merino are the team's advisors.
A second Southeastern team including computer science major Josh Womack of Denham
Springs, chemistry major Alison Smith of Gonzales, computer science major Daryl Davis of
Baton Rouge and computer science major Jonathan Tieman of Mandeville also participated in
the competition.
Also at the meeting, mathematics major and Student Government Association President
Tina Stephens of Mandeville took second place in the undergraduate paper competition for her
paper, "Left Identities and Associated Subnearrings of the Nearring of Polynomials in Two
Variables."
Stephen's original math research, directed by her faculty advisor, Alan Cannon, was
funded by the Southeastern College of Arts and Sciences' OSCAR student research and grant
program.
- SLU -
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