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Mathematics
Celebrating the life of Dr. Alex White
Dr. Alexander White, Associate Chair of the Department of Mathematics and Professor of Statistics at Texas State University, passed away on January 30, 2025. A dedicated educator, mentor, and collaborator, Dr. White’s academic journey began with a PhD in Statistics from Michigan State University. He also earned both his MS in Statistics and BS in Chemistry from the University of Texas at El Paso. Dr. White joined American University in 2000 before joining Texas State University in Fall 2005 as an Assistant Professor of Statistics. As a proud bobcat, he dedicated nearly two decades of service to the institution. He served as a Doctoral Program Advisor in Mathematics Education for 12 years, mentoring over 30 PhD students, 10 master’s students, 2 undergraduate honors theses, and many junior faculty. His university-wide service includes his roles as Chair of the Nontenure Line Faculty Committee (2015-2017), Assessment Coordinator for the Departmental General Education Assessment (2019-present), Chair of the Faculty Senate (2017-2019), and active member of the Developmental Education Advisory Committee, General Education Council, and QEP Leadership Team. Most recently, Dr. White’s leadership was instrumental in the approval of the newest Mathematics doctoral program, a lifelong goal of his. For his outstanding dedication to the university, Dr. White has received 7 Teaching, Research, and Service Awards.
However, his impact extended far beyond the university, where he became a trusted collaborator and mentor in the larger mathematics and statistics education community. He worked closely with Texas Mathworks, developing curricula, facilitating professional development for educators, and mentoring over 25 high school students on summer research projects. Dr. White contributed his expertise in test development, sample selection, and evaluation to several global organizations. His scholarly work in mathematics and statistics education included research on innovative statistical analysis for mathematics education settings, the role of technology in teaching geometry, the use of visualization in the classroom, and the integration of real-world applications into statistical education. He was also a co-author of a widely used middle school Algebra I textbook. Dr. White’s legacy lives on in the countless students, colleagues, and educators whose lives he touched. His commitment to academic excellence and unwavering dedication to his students have left a lasting mark on Texas State University and the broader academic community.
Alex is survived by his wife of 32 years, Alejandra, and two daughters, Isabel and Sofia.
In lieu of flowers or food, the family requests donations be made to a scholarship that has been established in his name, allowing us to give back in recognition of his immense contributions. Alexander White Statistics Fellowship. When making a gift, please manually search for his program in the ‘search for other Texas State University programs' section.
A Celebration of Life for Dr. Alexander White was held on Sunday, February 16 at 3:00 p.m. in the Performing Arts Center Recital Hall.
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@TXST Math
- Location:
- Derrick 235
- Cost:
- Free
- Contact:
- vne11@txstate.edu
- Campus Sponsor:
- Department of Mathematics
Divergences are mathematical tools for quantifying the separation or discrepancy between a pair of probability distributions. They have many uses in machine learning, as well as probability and statistics more broadly, including for training generative models, variational inference, mutual information, and privacy-preserving machine learning. In a series of two talks, I will introduce the important class of f-divergences, derive some of their key mathematical properties, and discuss various applications to machine learning.
Click here for more information- Location:
- DERR 325; 325
- Cost:
- Free
- Contact:
- Vera Ioudaina - vi11@txstate.edu
- Campus Sponsor:
- Department of Mathematics
Dr. Tom Grimes, Professor, School of Journalism and Mass Communication, TXSTS
Presents: The Trivialization of Randomization. Is this the Reason Social Science Research Won’t Replicate?
- Location:
- Derrick 240
- Cost:
- Free
- Contact:
- ebr21@txstate.edu
- Campus Sponsor:
- Department of Mathematics
Black holes are cosmic phenomena where gravity is so strong that nothing—not even light—can
escape. Once considered purely theoretical, black holes are now central to modern astrophysics.
This presentation explores the life cycle of black holes, from their formation in the death of massive
stars to the supermassive giants at the hearts of galaxies. We’ll discuss how scientists detect black
holes using gravitational waves and imaging techniques, including the groundbreaking capture of a
black hole's shadow. The talk will also touch on black holes' implications for space-time. Join us as
we journey beyond the event horizon and explore what black holes can teach us about the
universe—and perhaps even about ourselves. Click here for more information
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escape. Once considered purely theoretical, black holes are now central to modern astrophysics.
This presentation explores the life cycle of black holes, from their formation in the death of massive
stars to the supermassive giants at the hearts of galaxies. We’ll discuss how scientists detect black
holes using gravitational waves and imaging techniques, including the groundbreaking capture of a
black hole's shadow. The talk will also touch on black holes' implications for space-time. Join us as
we journey beyond the event horizon and explore what black holes can teach us about the
universe—and perhaps even about ourselves. Click here for more information
- Location:
- Alkek Teaching Theatre
- Cost:
- Free
- Contact:
- gutt@txstate.edu
- Campus Sponsor:
- Department of Mathematics
Mathematics and Statistics Awareness Month is a program of the Joint Policy Board for Mathematics (JPBM) – a collaborative effort of the American Mathematical Society, the American Statistical Association, the Mathematical Association of America, and the Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics. It is held in April around the country and its mission is to increase the understanding and awareness of these fields that not only fuel the innovative side of technology but are present in social sciences, arts, and humanities.
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- Location:
- DERR 333
- Cost:
- Free
- Contact:
- Hamilton Hardison - hhardison@txstate.edu
- Campus Sponsor:
- Department of Mathematics
Faculty and students learn about and discuss issues related to the teaching and learning of mathematics and new findings in mathematics education research. Graduate students in the Mathematics Education programs are expected to attend whenever possible; students from other programs are always welcome.
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- Location:
- Derrick 233
- Cost:
- Free
- Contact:
- clf129@txstate.edu
- Campus Sponsor:
- Department of Mathematics
Love a good problem? Like to solve difficult puzzles? Join professors, graduate students and undergraduates as we tackle problems presented from several mathematical journals. An interest in higher level mathematics is all that is required to join our round table. Offer what you know, learn what you don't in a relaxed environment with some of our department's finest!
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