Laura Taalman
Full Professor

Department of Mathematics
Roop 123, MSC 1911
James Madison University
Harrisonburg, Virginia 22807

Voice: (540) 568-3355
Fax: (540) 568-6857
E-Mail: taal@math.jmu.edu


Current Courses (Spring 2012)

Math 232: Calculus with Functions II
Math 434: Advanced Linear Algebra

Schedule:
Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday
10:10-11:00
Math 434
Roop 105
  10:10-11:00
Math 434
Roop 105
  10:10-11:00
Math 434
Roop 105
lunch/prep   lunch/prep   lunch/prep
12:20-1:10
Math 232
Roop 213
  12:20-1:10
Math 232
Roop 213
12:30-1:45
Math 232
Roop 213
12:20-1:10
Math 232
Roop 213
1:15-3:00
Office Hours
(call first 8-3355)
Roop 123
  1:15-3:00
Office Hours
(call first 8-3355)
Roop 123
  1:15-3:00
Office Hours
(call first 8-3355)
Roop 123


Previous Courses

103: The Nature of Mathematics - Fall 2006, Spring 2007, Fall 2007
107: Fundamentmals of Mathematics I - Fall 2009
231: Integrated Calculus I - Fall 2001, Fall 2002, Spring 2003, Fall 2003, Fall 2004, Fall 2005, Fall 2008, Spring 2011
232: Integrated Calculus II - Spring 2002, Fall 2002, Spring 2003, Spring 2004, Spring 2009, Fall 2011
235: Calculus I - Fall 2000, Fall 2010
236: Calculus II - Spring 2001, Summer 2002, Spring 2011
245: Introdution to Proof and Discrete Mathematics - Fall 2005, Spring 2006, Fall 2009
353: Graph Theory - Fall 2008
430: Abstract Algebra I - Spring 2004, Fall 2004, Spring 2005
435: Topology - Fall 2006
434: Advanced Linear Algebra - Fall 2007
REU: Knot Theory - Summer 2003, Summer 2004, Summer 2007
REU: Mancala - Summer 2011


Publications

Calculus Books
Calculus (with Kohn), W.H. Freeman, First Edition to appear in 2012.
Integrated Calculus, First Edition Houghton Mifflin 2004, W.H. Freeman 2009; Second Edition to appear in 2012.

Sudoku Books
Taking Sudoku Seriously (with Rosenhouse), Oxford University Press 2012.
Beyond Sudoku (with Riley), Puzzle Wright Press, to appear mid-2012.
No-Frills Sudoku (with Riley), Puzzle Wright Press 2011.
Naked Sudoku (with Riley), Puzzle Wright Press 2009.
Color Sudoku (with Riley), Sterling Publishing 2007.

Algebraic Geometry Papers
• "An exact sequence of weighted Nash complexes," Illinois Journal of Mathematics, Volume 52, Number 2, Summer 2008.
• "Complete resolutions, Hsiang-Pati coordinates, and the Nash sheaf," Manuscripta Mathematica 106, no. 2, 249-270, 2001.

Knot Theory Papers
• "Spiral knots" (with Van Wyk, Brothers, Evans, Witczak, and Yarnall), Missouri Journal of Mathematical Sciences, Vol. 22, Issue #1, 2010.
• "p-Coloring classes of torus knots" (with Breiland and Oesper), Missouri Journal of Mathematical Sciences, Vol. 21, Issue #2, 2009.
• "Counting m-coloring classes of knots and links" (with Brownell and O'Neil), Pi Mu Epsilon Journal, Volume 12, Number 5, Fall 2006.

Sudoku Papers
• "Minimal complete Shidoku symmetry groups" (with Arnold, Field, and Lucas), Journal of Combinatorial Mathematics, to appear 2012.
• "Gröbner basis representations of Sudoku" (with Arnold and Lucas), College Math Journal, March 2010.

Mancala/Tchoukaillon Papers
• "Solitaire Mancala games and the Chinese Remainder Theorem" (with Jones and Tongen), submitted for publication in December 2011.

General Interest Articles and Media
•  Podcast on Wild About Math with Sol Lederman, about Sudoku and mathematics, with Jason Rosenhouse, February 2012.
•  Interview on The Spark about mathematics and why anyone would do such a thing, WMRA radio, February 2012.
• "Taking Sudoku Seriously," Math Horizons, September 2007.
• "Puzzling Over Sudoku," Madison Magazine, September 2007.
•  Interview on With Good Reason about Sudoku and mathematics, Virginia Public Radio, May 2006.
• "Simplicity is not simple: Tesselations and modular architecture" (with Hunsicker), Math Horizons, September 2002.

Relatively up-to-date vita (2012)


Related Websites

SUMS Conference 2011 will be held on Saturday, October 22. Registration and abstract submission are now open!
The Online Journal of Undergraduate Papers in Knot Theory seeks submissions from undergraduates who want to share their work.
Integrated Calculus information.
Brainfreeze Puzzles, if you're feeling uber-geeky.

Other Stuff

too tired to put other stuff here now. maybe later. go read BoingBoing instead.