Stephen Abbott
he/him
Professor of Mathematics, Department Chair
- Office
- Warner 211
- Tel
- (802) 443-2256
- abbott@middlebury.edu
- Office Hours
- Mon/Tue/Thu 3:00-4:00 PM, Wed 1:30-2:30 PM, and by appointment. Occasionally starting at 3:30 PM on Tuesdays.
I have been a professor of mathematics at Middlebury since 1993. I’ve also had visiting appointments at Saint Olaf College, the University of Virginia, CRASSH at Cambridge University, and the University of Otago in Dunedin, New Zealand. In the past, I’ve served as co-editor of Math Horizons and am currently co-editing the undergraduate series Texts for Quantitative Critical Thinking, published by Springer. I am also a program chair for The Bridges Organization, an interdisciplinary group dedicated to the intersections of mathematics and art.
Courses Taught
INTD 0206
Math/Science Contemp. Theatre
Course Description
Mathematics and Science as Art in Contemporary Theatre
In Tom Stoppard’s Arcadia, the playwright somewhat miraculously manages to use the tension between Euclidean geometry and modern fractal geometry to explore the classical/romantic dichotomy in literature, science, art, and human personality. This is just one example of how acclaimed playwrights such as Stoppard, Rinne Groff, Michael Frayn, Simon McBurney, and others have effectively incorporated mathematical and scientific themes for artistic purposes. Our goal is to explore this relatively recent phenomenon in theater with an eye toward understanding the complementary ways in which science and art aim to seek out their respective truths. The course is intended to be experiential in both theatrical and scientific terms; our explorations will include the staging of scenes and discussions of theatre as performance; we will also undertake labs in the various mathematical sciences related to the material within the plays. (Dramatic Literature)/
Terms Taught
Requirements
MATH 0121
Current
Calculus I
Course Description
Calculus I
Introductory analytic geometry and calculus. Topics include limits, continuity, differential calculus of algebraic and trigonometric functions with applications to curve sketching, optimization problems and related rates, the indefinite and definite integral, area under a curve, and the fundamental theorem of calculus. Inverse functions and the logarithmic and exponential functions are also introduced along with applications to exponential growth and decay. (by waiver) 4 hrs. lect./disc.
Terms Taught
Requirements
MATH 0200
Linear Algebra
Course Description
Linear Algebra
Matrices and systems of linear equations, the Euclidean space of three dimensions and other real vector spaces, independence and dimensions, scalar products and orthogonality, linear transformations and matrix representations, eigenvalues and similarity, determinants, the inverse of a matrix and Cramer's rule. (MATH 0121 or equivalent) 3 hrs. lect./disc.
Terms Taught
Requirements
MATH 0310
Current
Probability
Course Description
Probability
An introduction to the concepts of probability and their applications, covering both discrete and continuous random variables. Probability spaces, elementary combinatorial analysis, densities and distributions, conditional probabilities, independence, expectation, variance, weak law of large numbers, central limit theorem, and numerous applications. (concurrent or prior MATH 0223 or by waiver) 3 hrs. lect./disc.
Terms Taught
Requirements
MATH 0323
Real Analysis
Course Description
Real Analysis
An axiomatic treatment of the topology of the real line, real analysis, and calculus. Topics include neighborhoods, compactness, limits, continuity, differentiation, Riemann integration, and uniform convergence. (MATH 0223) 3 hrs. lect./disc.
Terms Taught
Requirements
MATH 0500
Current
Upcoming
Advanced Study
Course Description
Advanced Study
Individual study for qualified students in more advanced topics in algebra, number theory, real or complex analysis, topology. Particularly suited for those who enter with advanced standing. (Approval required) 3 hrs. lect./disc.
Terms Taught
MATH 0710
Advanced Probability Seminar
Course Description
Advanced Probability Seminar
An introduction to the mathematical foundations of Probability for students who have completed work in Probability and Real Analysis. The central ideas correspond to the Lebesgue theory of measure and integration. Probability provides additional perspective and motivates intriguing applications of the theory, which students will explore in their final projects. Working independently and in small groups, students will gain experience reading advanced sources and communicating their insights through expository writing and oral presentations. This course fulfills the capstone senior work requirement for the mathematics major. (MATH 310 and MATH 323)
Terms Taught
Areas of Interest
Real and functional analysis
Intersections of mathematics and the arts, particularly with theater
Academic Degrees
A.B., Colgate University (1986)
M.S., Ph.D., University of Virginia (1993)
Selected Publications
Understanding Analysis, Springer 2015
The Proof Stage, Princeton University Press, 2023