# Professional Development Seminar MAT/STA 587

Policy documents:
Department policies
Instructor:
Nándor Sieben
schedule
Syllabus
Agenda:
1. (8/29)
- TOPIC: Intro to LyX
- HW: produce the following quiz . Replace my name with yours. Keep all the features, including typefaces and placements. Turn in a hard copy on which I can make comments. Sample lyx file (right click) to give you a starting point. Detexify might be useful to find latex macros.
2. (9/5)
- DUE: quiz
- TOPIC: Professional article writing
- HW: write an article about the quadratic formula. You need to have all the parts we discussed in class including sections, theorems, proofs, examples, figures, cross references, citations with bibtex, etc. Make sure you include everything listed here. Solving an equation usually takes two steps. First we show that the equation implies that a solution must be one of a few candidates. Then we check which of the solution candidates actually work. Please read the equations article about this. Please also read the writing style article and try to follow the recommendations.
3. (9/12)
- DUE: nothing
- TOPIC: Figures with Tikz
- HW: Recreate the tikz figure about the derivative of the inverse. Use tikz to add your name to the figure at the top right corner.
Continue working on the quadratic article.

4. (9/19)
- DUE: tikz figure
- TOPIC: GeoGebra Overleaf
- HW: Recreate the Geogebra figure. Use Geogebra to add your name to the figure at the top right corner. Can you spot a theorem in the figure? (not the Pythagorean Theorem)
5. (9/26)
- TOPIC: Basic Web page design, HTML reference NAU allows you to create web pages on the dana server. Follow the instructions to map \\dana.ucc.nau.edu\webhome . Then create a file called index.html on this drive. You can access this file using the address http://dana.ucc.nau.edu/UserID
- HW: Create a professional looking personal web page. Include at least one picture, some links, and some math. Send me the link to the site by email.

6. (10/3)
- DUE: geogebra figure
- TOPIC: Beamer
- HW: Create a presentation about the Law of Sines. State and prove the full version of the theorem as discussed in class. State the theorem required for the proof. Include an example. Use GeoGebra to create the figures. Use the beamer lyx template, or the lyx template (also in pdf format) .
7. (10/10)
- DUE: Nothing.
- TOPIC: Guest speaker: Jeannie Backer (U.S. Geological Survey)
- HW: Create a Resume or Curriculum Vitae.
8. (10/17)
- DUE: Beamer presentation. Send me the pdf by email.
- TOPIC: Guest speaker: Terry Seckel (Nationwide E&S/Specialty)
- HW:
9. (10/24)
- DUE: CV or Resume. Please turn in a hardcopy
- TOPIC: Guest speaker: Robert Buscaglia: Introduction to R: class notes 1
You may find the following useful: A Sufficient Introduction to R.
- HW: R homework 1 from the class notes.
10. (10/31)
- DUE: R homework 1
- TOPIC: Guest speaker: Robert Buscaglia: Introduction to R: class notes 2
- HW: R homework 2 from the class notes
11. (11/7)
- DUE: R homework 2
Sage tutorial
another Sage tutorial
- HW: Sage worksheet
12. (11/14)
- DUE: Sage worksheet
- TOPIC: Guest speaker: Michael Klinefelter, W.L. Gore & Associates, Inc.
- HW: Use LyX/LaTeX to write a professional sample solution to the following problem: "Solve the inequality $$| x + 1 | + | 2x - 3 | > 6$$ on the set of real numbers." Use Tikz/Geogebra when appropriate. Use 1-inch margins and 12 point font. Everything should read as a sentence. Equations written row-after-row are not appropriate without an explanation of their logical connection. Include the statement of the problem. This is an elementary problem. Avoid relying on analysis terms like increasing, continuous, Intermediate Value Theorem. This means you cannot use test points to justify that a function has a certain sign on a whole interval. You need to do case analysis and the definition of absolute value as a piecewised defined function. Use interval notation whenever it is appropriate.
13. (11/21)
- DUE: Professional sample solution. Please turn in a hardcopy.
- TOPIC: Mathematical writing. Job application material.
- HW: Write a formal letter of application for the job description. Keep in mind the following: An application is automatically rejected if the minimum qualifications are not met. The screening committee assigns a numerical score for every preferred qualification using an evaluation grid . Addressing these points is crucially important.
14. (11/28)
- DUE: Formal letter of application. We use this application letter on this day.
- TOPIC: Work as a Search Committee. Bring a hard copy of your letter of application and your CV.
- HW: Finish all assignments.
15. (12/5)
- DUE:
- TOPIC: Problem solving.
- HW: Finish all assignments.