Marco Pollanen

Professor of Mathematics
B.Sc. (Carleton University); M.Sc., Ph.D. (University of Toronto)

Teaching

• Coordinator for the Specialization in Mathematical Finance
• Acting Director of the Applications of Modelling Graduate Program

Office Hours

• Fall 2017: Mon. 11:00-11:50am & Thurs. 12:00-12:50pm

Research

Research Interests: Mathematical Software, Quasi-Monte Carlo and Monte Carlo Methods, Mathematical and Computational Finance

Current Directions: My research lies in the intersection of mathematics and computing and falls broadly into two main areas: mathematical software and mathematical simulation. In the area of mathematical software I am currently investigating interfaces for mathematical communication and mathematical equation input. Topics include usability and algorithms for the recognition of handwritten mathematics. In the area of simulation I am interested in algorithms for generating pseudo-random and quasi-random sequences (especially non-uniform and high-dimensional sequences) as well as their application to Monte Carlo problems that arise in mathematical finance. One finance problem that I am currently investigating is the pricing of drought option contracts to protect agricultural producers from the financial impacts of drought, as well, I am developing stochastic models to simulate rainfall and other underlying variables of drought. This work is partially supported by the Qatar National Research Foundation.

Software

I am lead developer on several open-source mathematical software packages, namely, a mathematical communication whiteboard called enVision, the adaptive learning environment Xero, and a mathematical expression entry system called Xpress. This work has been recognized with a National Technology Innovation Award and a Desire2Learn Innovation Award.  Click here for a flash video demonstration of the Xpress model converting user-drawn mathematics to LaTeX.

Publications
 

1. Pollanen, M., Kang, S., Cater, B., Chen, Y., Lee, K.H. MC^2: Mathematics Classroom Collaborator, Proceedings of MathUI 2017, 8 pages, 2017.
2. Pollanen, M., and Cater, B. The Evidentiary Value of Big Data Analysis, IAFOR Journal of Politics, Economics & Law, vol. 4, pp. 4-12, 2017.
3. Pollanen, M., Kang, S., and Cater, B. Manipulation of Mathematical Expressions in Collaborative Environments, Lecture Notes in Computer Science 10296, pp. 60-70, 2017.
4. Issaka, A.I., Paek, J., Abdella, K., Pollanen, M., Huda, A.K.S., Kaitibie, S., Goktepe, I.; Haq, M.M., and Moustafa, A.T., Analysis and Calibration of Empirical Relationships for Estimating Evapotranspiration in Qatar: Case Study, Journal of Irrigation and Drainage Engineering, Vol. 143, 2017.
5. Pollanen, M., Kang, S., and Cater, B. Increasing Engagement of Women in Quantitative Courses through Online Communication, (in press), 2017.
6. Cater, B.,  Kang, S., and Pollanen, M., An Efficient Gamified Model for Online Homework in the Mathematical Sciences, Proceedings of the 2015 International Symposium on Teaching, Education, and Learning – Summer Session, 14-27, 2015.
7. Pollanen, M.,  Cater, B., and Kang, S., Risk as a Gamification Element in Online Homework, Proceedings of The 4th MAC 2015.
8. Pollanen, M., Hooper, J., Cater, B., and Kang, S., A Tablet-Compatible Web-Interface for Mathematical Collaboration, Lecture Notes in Computer Science 8592, 2014.
9. Pollanen, M., Hooper, J., Cater, B., and Kang, S., Towards a Universal Interface for Real-Time Mathematical Communication, CICM-WS-WiP 2014, Vol. 1186, 2014.
   
10. Mohseniahouei, Y., Abdella, K., and Pollanen, M., An Application of the Sinc-Collocation Method to a Three-Dimensional Oceanography Model, World Academy of Science, Engineering and Technology, Vol. 77, 2013.
    
11. Cater, B., Kang, S., Lew, B., and Pollanen, M., Permanent Injury and the Disability-Mitigating Effects of Education, Economics Bulletin, Vol. 33, 2013.
12. Zhu, J., Pollanen, M., Abdella, K., & Cater, B., Modeling Drought Option Contracts, ISRN Applied Mathematics, vol. 2012, Article ID 251835, 2012.
13. Pollanen, Marco, Uniform Equipartition Test Bounds for Multiply Sequences, International Journal of Pure and Applied Mathematics, Vol. 72, No. 4, 2011.
14. Gozli, Davood., Pollanen, Marco, and Reynolds, Michael, The Characteristics of Writing Environments for Mathematics: Behavioral Consequences and Implications for Software Design and Usability, Lecture Notes in Artificial Intelligence 5625, Proceedings of MKM 2009, Grand Bend, Ontario, Canada, pp. 310-324, 2009.
15. Pollanen, Marco, and Reynolds, Michael, A Model for Effective Real-Time Entry of Mathematical Expressions, Research, Reflections and Innovations in Integrating ICT in Education, Formatex, 2009.
16. Pollanen, Marco, Formal Group Laws and Non-Uniform Quasi-Random Sequences, IJPAM, Vol. 37, No. 1, 2008.
17. Pollanen, M., Wisniewski, T., and Yu, X., Xpress: A Novice Interface for the Real-Time Communication of Mathematical Expressions, Proceedings of MathUI 2007, Linz, Austria, June 2007.
18. Pollanen, Marco, Group-Theoretic Generation of Non-Uniform Pseudo-Random Sequences for Simulation, IJPAM, Vol. 42, No. 4, 2007.
19. Pollanen, Marco, Improving Learner Motivation with Online Assignments, Journal of Online Learning and Teaching, Vol. 3, No. 2, 2007.
20. Huang, M.L., Pollanen, M., and Yuen, W.K. An Efficient Quasi-Monte Carlo Algorithm for the Pareto Distribution, Monte Carlo Methods and Applications, Vol. 13., No. 1, 2007.
21. Pollanen, Marco, Interactive Web-Based Mathematics Communication, Journal of Online Mathematics and its Applications, Vol. 6 , No. 4, 2006.
22. Hooper, J., Pollanen, M. and Teismann, H., Effective Online Office Hours in the Mathematical Sciences., Journal of Online Learning and Teaching, Vol. 2, No. 3, 2006.
23. Pollanen, Marco, Low-Discrepancy Sequences in Probability Spaces, Ph.D. Thesis (supervisor L. Seco), University of Toronto, 2005.
24. Pollanen, M.D., and May, L.E., Matrix Derivatives, International Journal of Mathematical Education in Science and Technology, Vol. 34, No. 2, 2003.
25. Pollanen, Marco D., and Feldman, P.A. Calculations of `Blue-Body' Spectra for Cosmic Dust Emission, Canadian Journal of Physics, Herzberg Issue, 2001.
26. Pollanen, Marco D., and Feldman, P.A., July 1995, A Catalogue of the Youngest YSOs and Candidate Protostars, Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific, 107, 617-631. [Republished in Vol. 5, Dec. 1995 of the American Astronomical Society CD-ROM Series.]
27. Redman, Russell O., Feldman, P.A., Pollanen, Marco D., Balam, D.D., and Jeremy B., June 1995, Flux Density Estimates at Millimeter Wavelengths of Asteroids Near Opposition from 1996 to 2005, The Astronomical Journal, 109, 2869-2879.