mathematical modeling

My name is Andy Heeszel, and I am joining as a Arthur J. Krener Math Fellow. I previously graduated with my PhD in Statistics from Ohio State in May 2026. My primary research interests are in applied probability and interacting particle systems. I have most recently been interested in stochastic epidemic models that do not have the attractiveness property and studying the outbreak size and speed of the outbreak. I also enjoy playing disc golf, watching football, running, and cooking.

It has been another busy year for our undergraduate mathematics programs, with many exciting changes on the horizon. This year, our Undergraduate Program Committee is leading teams of faculty members in a review of all four of our majors – Mathematics, Applied Mathematics, Analytics and Operations Research, and Scientific Computation – with a view towards modernizing and improving what our current programs offer. The intent is to both add breadth to our current course offering, and to add support to mathematics students in the form of discussions across all of our classes.

Our undergraduate math programs are thriving! Last Winter, undergraduate programs underwent its seven-year Program Review. The external reviewers described our Department “to be dynamic, welcoming and a great place to study Mathematics” and said that our program’s strength was centered around “committed faculty, lecturers, staff and TA’s that come together to deliver a strong program to incoming students through to graduate education.”

This past academic year, the Department awarded 184 degrees!