Shira Viel

Assistant Professor of the Practice of Mathematics

Department of Mathematics
Duke University

Email: shira.viel [at] duke.edu	Office: Physics Building #035	CV
Mailing Address: 120 Science Drive, Durham NC 27708

Interests

Mathematics Education

Mathematical attitudes and perception
Graduate teacher professional development

Algebraic Combinatorics

Cluster algebras

Education

Ph.D. in Mathematics with graduate minor in Statistics, North Carolina State University, 2018
M.S. in Mathematics, North Carolina State University, 2014
Post-Baccalaureate in Mathematics, Smith College, 2012
B.A. in Mathematics & Theatre, Rice University, 2009

Teaching

Fall 2020 Office Hours:

Math 111L

MW 3:00-5:00pm on Zoom through Math "L" Help Room. Link available on Sakai, listed at Math 111L Instructional Team Info
F 9:00-10:00am on Zoom, Link available on Sakai, listed at Math 111L Instructional Team Info

All course materials can be found through the course websites on Sakai.

Previous courses taught at Duke:

Spring 2020: Math 105L, Math 202D
Fall 2019: Math 111L Sec 3, Math 202D
Spring 2019: Math 105L, Math 202D
Fall 2018: Math 111L Sections 2 & 3 (Joint Math 111L site)

On-campus resources for assistance:

Math Help Room

Academic Resource Center

Learning STEM at Duke

Keep Learning

Duke Reach

Research

I wrote my thesis in algebraic combinatorics with a focus on surface and orbifold models of cluster algebras
under the direction of Nathan Reading. In general, I enjoy combinatorial questions with a concrete, geometric flavor.
I am also interested in the scholarship of teaching and learning in mathematics.

Papers

Algebraic Voting Theory & Representations of $S_m \wr S_n$, with Hélčne Barcelo, Megan Bernstein, Sarah Bockting-Conrad, Erin McNicholas, and Kathryn Nyman, Advances in Applied Mathematics vol 120, Sept. 2020. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aam.2020.102077.
Universal geometric coefficients for the four-punctured sphere, with Emily Barnard, Emily Meehan, and Nathan Reading, Annals of Combinatorics, vol. 22, no. 1, Mar. 2018. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00026-018-0378-0.
Generalized splines on arbitrary graphs, with Simcha Gilbert and Julianna Tymoczko, Pacific Journal of Mathematics, vol. 281, no. 2, Jan. 2016, pp. 333-64. https://doi.org/10.2140/pjm.2016.281.333.

Outreach

I love sharing my love of mathematics! I particularly enjoy working with younger students and demonstrating that math is for everyone. Selected events listed below.

Workshop leader at FEMMES Capstone, a one-day outreach event aimed at 4th-6th grade girls from Durham sponsored by the Duke student-run organization Females Excelling More in Math, Engineering, and Science (FEMMES). Feb 2020.
Panelist at FEMMES Hacks, a one-day hackathon aimed at high school women sponsored by FEMMES
Faculty keynote address at Sonia Kovalevsky Day, a one-day outreach event aimed at middle school girls sponsored by the Association for Women in Mathematics (AWM) student chapter at North Carolina State University (NCSU). April 2019.
Math circle instructor, Space City Math Circle in Houston, TX, Oct 2009 - May 2011, and Math Circle in the Triangle at NCSU, Jan 2013 - Dec 2015.
Activity lead at Math Doesn't Bug Me, an interactive mathematics activity table organized by Lorena Bociu at NCSU, held at the annual Bugfest festival at the Museum of Natural Sciences. 2012 - 2018.

Miscellaneous

Outside of teaching and doing mathematics, I enjoy baking, Ultimate, crosswords, and spending time outdoors with my family.