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Celebrating the life of Dr. Alex White

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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Location:
Zoom
Cost:
Free
Contact:
vi11@txstate.edu
Campus Sponsor:
Department of Mathematics
This study seeks to address the causal role of advocacy groups activity on Twitter and media as drivers of firearm acquisition in the United States. Firearm injuries are a leading cause of death in the United States, where a greater number of people die by firearms than in motor vehicle crashes. Although firearms present a significant public health risk, Americans continue to purchase them in large amounts. Three drivers of firearm acquisition are commonly cited in literature, namely fear of violent crime, fear of mass shootings, and panic-buying. These drivers have been shown to have causal links on a weekly scale. In addition, the activity of relevant interest groups on social media, which capitalize on emotions such as fear, may impact impulsive firearm acquisition in the short time scales of days. The combined role of all factors in driving firearm purchases has never been tested in the causal framework, PCMCI+.

Zoom link:

https://txstate.zoom.us/j/84237982936?pwd=4IDhjLs66LazkmpoPg8RA7jrIbIwAR.1

 

Meeting ID 842 3798 2936     Passcode SS_DERR325

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Location:
Derrick 240
Cost:
Free
Contact:
ebr21@txstate.edu
Campus Sponsor:
Department of Mathematics
Math can feel abstract and distant from everyday life, but these concepts help us understand the
world better. In this talk, we’ll start with a simple vector addition puzzle and see how Euler’s
Formula can prove it in a beautiful way. If you're new to concepts like complex numbers, this is a
great introduction. I’ll use programmatic animations, inspired by 3 Blue 1 Brown, to help visualize
these concepts and make them come to life. Along the way, we’ll also touch on real-world
applications, like how these ideas are used in physics, engineering, and even chemistry. You’ll see
how math connects to the world around us in ways you might not expect!
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Location:
DERR 333
Cost:
Free
Contact:
Hamilton Hardison - hhardison@txstate.edu
Campus Sponsor:
Department of Mathematics
In this presentation, we will present an analytical framework we developed to unpack student thinking related to a graphing task, “Family Frenzy.” This framework is a work in progress, and we would like to use the seminar as a “workshop” in which the audience engages with the framework to analyze students’ graph creations. We will seek feedback on a) the framework and b) the presentation as we prepare for our upcoming NCTM practitioner talk in October. Click here for more information
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Location:
Derrick 329
Cost:
Free
Contact:
pcd27@txstate.edu
Campus Sponsor:
Department of Mathematics
The math department hosts a colloquium series in which distinguished researchers present their recent work to a general mathematical audience.  All faculty, graduate students and undergraduate students are welcome. Click here for more information
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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! Click here for more information
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