Professor
317 MacQuarrie Hall
Phone: (408)924-5119
Email: day AT math DOT sjsu DOT edu
All my degrees are from the University of Florida. My early research was in topological algebra, in particular compact semigroups with periodic properties. I had an AAUW postdoc which I spent at the Institute for Advanced Study, then came to the bay area. I taught first at the College of Notre Dame in Belmont, then moved to SJSU in 1982. I became interested in numerical linear algebra, which led to matrix theory. I was intrigued by a conjecture that had been made by Alfred Horn in 1962, which described all possible eigenvalue inequalities for the sum of two Hermitian matrices. R.C. Thompson, Wasin So and I tried to finish the partial proof that Horn had published, using his methods, but it was a daunting task. In 1997 the conjecture was established by others, using an array of new tools. My most recent work has been with Wasin So, studying properties of a graph related to the singular values of its adjacency matrix.
Lots happened in our department during the 1980's. With much help from Math Chairman John Mitchem, Dean Les Lange and many math/CS faculty, I helped start our CAMCOS program. This was modeled on the Math Clinic at Harvey Mudd College. It prospered during that economic boomtime and inspired us to design a new degree, the BS in Applied and Computational Mathematics. Also in the 80's, engineering and science programs all over the country began to want their students to take linear algebra. The classic pure theory courses which had been taught for decades were not so appropriate for this large new audience. These students needed a matrix-oriented course which included some theory but also applications and computer use. In 1990 I became part of a loose-knit group of linear algebraists who began to develop more appropriate course descriptions and methods. Eventually, NSF funded a program of workshops for faculty on this topic, called ATLAST, and I helped lead some of those.
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