Thomas P. LoFaro

Associate Professor
Department of Mathematics and Computer Science
Gustavus Adolphus College
Saint Peter, Minnesota 56082
(507) 933-7463
email: tlofaro@gustavus.edu

 

Education

1.       Ph.D, Boston University 1994

2.       M.A., University of Missouri 1989

3.       B.A., University of Missouri 1984

 

Experience

·          Associate Professor, Gustavus Adolphus College 2004-present

·          Assistant Professor, Gustavus Adolphus College 200-2004

·          Visiting Assistant Professor, Harvey Mudd College 1999-2000

·          Assistant Professor, Washington State University 1993-1999

·          Faculty Fellow, Pacific Northwest Laboratory 1994

·          Research Assistant, Boston University 1991-1993

·          Teaching Fellow, Boston University 1989-1991

·          Teaching Assistant, University of Missouri 1987-1989

·          Operations Research Analyst, Fort Ritchie, MD 1986-1987

 

Courses Taught

·          Chaos & Culture (FTS 100)

·          Calculus with Precalculus Review 1A (MCS 118)

·          Calculus with Precalculus Review 1B (MCS 119)

·          Pre-calculus Mathematics (MCS 120)

·          Calculus I (MCS 121)

·          Calculus II (MCS 122)

·          Linear Algebra (MCS 221)

·          Multivariable Calculus (MCS 222)

·          Applied Mathematics for Physics and Engineering (PHY 230)

·          Differential Equations (MCS 253)

·          Intermediate Differential Equations (at WSU)

·          Advanced Differential Equations (graduate) (at WSU)

·          Applied Analysis (MCS 353)

·          Complex Variables (at WSU)

·          Discrete Dynamical Systems (MCS 357)

·          Mathematical Model Building (MCS 358)

·          Advanced Mathematical Methods in Physics (PHY 370)


Publications

1.       H.G. Spencer, T. Dorn, and T. LoFaro (2006) Population models of genomic imprinting II.  Maternal and fertility selection.  Genetics, 173:2391-2398.

2.       A Farahat, T. LoFaro, J. C. Miller, G. Rae and L. A. Ward (2006) Authority rankings from HITS, PageRank, and SALSA: existence, uniqueness, and effect of initialization. SIAM Journal on Scientific Computing.  27:1181-1201.

3.       T. LoFaro and K.D. Cooper (2003) Nine projects in Differential Equations with Boundary-Value Problems 6th ed. _by D.G. Zill and M.R. Cullin, Brooks/Cole.

4.       T. LoFaro and R. Adams (2002) Chasing a polar goose, The UMAP Journal, 23:113-120.

5.       D. Slavit, T. LoFaro and K.D. Cooper (2002) The use of simulations in developing relational understandings of the solutions of differential equations, School Science and Mathematics, 102:380-390.

6.       A. Farahat et. al. (2001) Modifications of Kleinberg’s HITS algorithm using matrix exponentiation and web log records, in Proceedings of the 24th Annual International ACM SIGIR Conference on Research and Development in Information Retrieval.

7.       T. LoFaro, J.M. McDill and A.M. Rash (2001) New visualization software for iterative systems, differential equations and applied calculus, in Proceedings of the 13th Annual International Conference on Technology in Collegiate Mathematics. Addison Wesley Longman.

8.       T. LoFaro (2001) GraphicalAnalysis.m, MathSource, http://www.mathsource.com.

9.       A. B. Ellis et. al. (2001) Improving Undergraduate Education in the Mathematical and Physical Sciences Through the Use of Technology, Report to the National Science Foundation.

10.   D. Slavit, T. LoFaro and K.D. Cooper (2000) What’s the difference? Student learning in the technology-rich differential equations course, in Proceedings of the 13th Annual International Conference on Technology in Collegiate Mathematics. Addison Wesley Longman.

11.   K.D. Cooper and T. LoFaro (2000) Creating Java applets on the fly, in Proceedings of the 13th Annual International Conference on Technology in Collegiate Mathematics. Addison Wesley Longman.

12.   T. LoFaro and R. Gomulkiewicz (1999) Adaptation versus migration in demographically unstable populations, Journal of Mathematical Biology,38:571-584.

13.   T. LoFaro and N. Kopell (1999) Timing regulation in a network reduced from voltage-gated conductance equations, Journal of Mathematical Biology, 38:479-533.

14.   K.D. Cooper, R. Huffaker and T. LoFaro (1999) The resilience of grassland ecosystems, The UMAP Journal, 20:29-46.

15.   R. Huffaker, K.D. Cooper and T. LoFaro (1999) Small mammal dispersion, The UMAP Journal, 20:47-65.

16.   K.D. Cooper and T. LoFaro (1999) Differential equations on the internet, in Revolutions in Differential Equations: Exploring ODEs with Modern Technology, MAA Notes 50, ed. M. Kallaher, Mathematical Association of America.

17.   T. LoFaro (1998) Module on discrete dynamical systems, in ODE Architect, eds. R. Borrelli and C. Coleman, John Wiley and Sons.

18.   K.D. Cooper and T. LoFaro (1998) A Java code generation tool, in Proceedings of the 11th Annual International Conference on Technology in Collegiate Mathematics. Addison Wesley Longman.

19.   T. LoFaro and K.D. Cooper (1998) Boundary value problems in a first differential equations course, in Proceedings of the 11th Annual International Conference on Technology in Collegiate Mathematics. Addison Wesley Longman.

20.   T. LoFaro (1997) A model of the dynamics of the Newton-Leipnik attractor, International Journal of Bifurcations and Chaos, 7:2723-2733.

21.   T. LoFaro (1997) The dynamics of symmetric bimodal maps, International Journal of Bifurcations and Chaos, 7:2734-2744.

22.   K.D. Cooper et. al. (1997) Calculus notebooks with Mathematica 3.0, Prentice Hall.

23.   K.D. Cooper and T. LoFaro (1997) What?s the IDEA? CODEE Newsletter, Winter-Spring 1997.

24.   R. Huffaker, K.D. Cooper and T. LoFaro (1996) Small mammal dispersion, CODEE Newsletter, Spring 1996.

25.   T.A. Newton and T. LoFaro (1996) On using flows to visualize functions of a complex variable, Mathematics Magazine, 69:28-34.

26.   T. LoFaro (1996) Period-adding bifurcations in a one-parameter family of interval maps, Mathematical and Computer Modeling, 24:27-41.

27.   T. LoFaro and N. Kopell (1996) Compression and model reduction: a case study, in Neural Networks in Environment, Energy and Health, eds. P.E. Keller, S. Hashem, L.J. Kangas and R.T. Kouzes, World Scientific.

28.  T. LoFaro and K.D. Cooper (1996) IDEA: Internet Differential Equations Activities, in The Electronic Proceedings of the ICTCM.

29.   T. LoFaro, K.D. Cooper and R. Huffaker (1995) Model neurons and fast-slow systems, CODEE Newsletter, Spring 1995.

30.   K.D. Cooper, R. Huffaker and T. LoFaro (1995) Rangeland ecosystems, CODEE Newsletter, Winter 1995.

31.   T. LoFaro, N. Kopell, E. Marder and S. Hooper (1994) The effects of ih currents on bursting patterns of pairs of coupled neurons, in Computation and Neural Systems, ed. F.A. Eeckman, Kluwer Academic Publishers.

32.   T. LoFaro, N. Kopell, E. Marder and S. Hooper (1994) Subharmonic coordination in networks of neurons with slow conductances, Neural Computation, 6:69-84.

 

Invited Addresses

1.       Department of Mathematics, Minnesota State University, Mankato, 2006

2.       Center for Applied Mathematics, University of Saint Thomas, 2005

3.       Massey University, 2004

4.       University of Wisconsin, Stevens Point, 2001

5.       Department of Mathematics, Northern Kentucky University, 2000

6.       Department of Mathematics, University of Southern California, 2000

7.       Department of Mathematics, University of Minnesota, Duluth, 2000

8.       Department of Mathematics, Gustavus Adolphus College, 2000

9.       Department of Mathematics, Marshall University, 1999

10.   Department of Mathematics, Central Washington University, 1999

11.   Department of Mathematics, Metropolitan State College of Denver, 1999

12.   Department of Mathematics, University of Idaho, 1998

13.   Pacific Northwest Workshop on Mathematical Biology, 1998

14.   AMS/MAA Southern California Regional Conference, 1997

15.   Midwest Dynamical Systems Conference, 1997

16.   Department of Zoology, University of Washington, 1997

17.   Department of Mathematics, University of Southern California, 1997

18.   Department of Mathematics, University of Washington, 1996

19.   Department of Mathematics, University of Missouri, Rolla, 1996

20.   Department of Mathematics, Boston University, 1995

21.   Pacific Northwest Laboratories, 1994

22.   Department of Mathematics, Washington State University, 1993

23.   Regional Institute in Dynamical Systems, Boston University, 1992

 

Awards

1.       Pew Scholars Fellowship Finalist 1999

2.       Invision Award from NewMedia Magazine for ODE Architect 1998

3.       Undergraduate Computational Science Award, Ames Laboratory 1994

4.       Associated Western Universities Faculty Fellowship 1994

 

Funding

1.       Gustavus Adolphus College RSC grant, $2,200, 2001-2002

2.       IDEA: Internet Differential Equations Activities, NSF, $119,000, 1998-2000

3.       IDEA: Internet Differential Equations Activities, NSF, $99,270, 1996-1998

 

Professional Service

1.       Accuracy reviewer for Academic Press, 2003

2.       Proposal reviewer, NSF, 2002

3.       Proposal reviewer, W.M. Keck Foundation, 2002

4.       Referee, International Journal of Bifurcations and Chaos, 2001

5.       Participant, PKAL F21 National Assembly, 2001

6.       Proposal reviewer, NSF (2 proposals), 2000

7.       Participant, NSF sponsored Tech Ed99, 1999

 

Professional Organizations

1.       Mathematical Association of America

2.       American Mathematical Society

3.       Society for Mathematical Biology.

4.       Project Kaleidoscope, Faculty for the 21st Century (PKAL F21)