Stefan Bilaniuk

Evolution of face...

post: Department of Mathematics, Trent University, Peterborough, Ontario, Canada K9J 7B8 e-mail: sbilaniuk{at}trentu{period}ca office: Gzowski College 337, 705 748-1011 x7474 Winter hours: Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday 13:00-13:50, and Friday 12:00-12:50, or by appointment, or just drop by! home phone: 705 742-7862 (Please do not call between 10 p.m. and 8 a.m. except in an emergency.) Teaching | Service | Research | Background | Odds and Ends timetables: Fall 2009, Winter 2010 No doubt but magic may do much in this; For he that reads but mathematic rules Shall find conclusions that avail to work Wonders that pass the common sense of men. From Friar Bacon and Friar Bungay by Robert Greene.

Teaching

Teaching is the part of the job that turns me on. I like to teach everything in mathematics (except that applied stuff!), and often give reading courses on topics not covered in our regular offerings.

Fall 2009

Mathematics 1350H (formerly 135H) - Linear algebra I: Matrix algebra
Mathematics 3790H (formerly 309H) - Analysis I: Introduction to analysis
Mathematics 3810H (formerly 381H) - Ancient and classical mathematics

Winter 2009

Mathematics 2350H (formerly 235H) - Linear algebra II: Vector spaces
Mathematics-Computer & Information Systems 4216H (formerly 416H) - Computability

Reading courses

I often teach regular courses as reading courses for students who are unable to take them when they are offered in the normal course of events. Reading courses on material outside our usual curriculum which I have taught a time or three in the recent past, and could readily do so again for anyone interested, include:

• As MATH 390xH:
  • Introduction to set theory
    Prerequisite: MATH 2200H (preferred), 3790H, or 2350H with at least 75%
• As MATH 490x:
  • Calculus on manifolds
    Prerequisite: MATH 2120H and 2350H with at least 85%
  • Combinatorial set theory
    Prerequisite: MATH 2200H or 390xH [the Introduction to set theory reading course above] with at least 85%

Texts

I have written or am writing a couple of texts, all of which are or will be released for free in electronic form. (Working on these is a large part of my sabbatical program.)

• A Problem Course in Mathematical Logic
  (The current incarnation of which is the text for MATH-COIS 4215H and 4216H.)
• A Problem Course on Projective Planes
  (The current incarnation of which is the text for MATH 4260H when I teach it.)
• An as yet untitled single-variable calculus text.

Service

• Department of Mathematics: Mascot [Math Society] advisor, Putnam Competition coordinator, Macintosh computer support
• Trent University: Instructional Development Centre Advisory Board
• Trent University Faculty Association: Executive Committee (Secretary), Grievance Committee

Research

My interests are in combinatorial set theory, particularly problems about Souslin trees, and in geometry, on non-Desarguesian projective planes. I've also worked a bit on binary codes.

Background

Born a Canadian citizen in München, Deutschland, in 1961, and raised in Toronto, Canada, from 1962 on, except for a year (1971-72) in Innsbruck, Österreich. B.Sc. (1984), University of Toronto; A.M. (1986), Ph.D. (1989), Dartmouth College. NSERC Postdoctoral Fellowship: 1989-90 at the University of California, Berkeley, and 1990-91 at the University of Toronto. Assistant Professor at Trent University 1991-98 (with tenure from 1995); Associate Professor from 1998. Visiting Adjunct Assistant Professor at Ohio University while on sabbatical in 1995-96.

Odds and Ends

• Fun in calculus class: The Hoisting
• A few works by Lewis Carroll.
• Is Mathematics a Science? (An opinion piece I had fun writing!)
• A little bit of Maxim-ation
• A few favourite sites
• A game of chess
• Medivnyk recipe
• Ditties
• Math quotes
• Comic relief

Department of Mathematics

Trent University