McLaren and Procon Excel at National Mathematics Competition

2016 Feb 1

Western New England University seniors Samuel McLaren and Tianna Procon were chosen among the top Outstanding Presentation Winners at the Mathematical Association of America Student Poster Session in Seattle, Washington on January 8, 2016.

Their poster, titled "Minimal Forcing Set Algorithm for a Single Vertex Flat-foldable Crease Pattern" was chosen among 340 posters by undergraduate math students from across the country. McLaren and Procons work represents original mathematical research under the supervision of Dr. Thomas Hull from the Western New England University Department of Mathematics. The students trip to the conference was supported by Dr. Hull's National Science Foundation grant, as well as allowing the students to work on the research project for the past two years.

There are complex devices that can be programmed to fold something in predictable ways from a giant solar panel arrays to a micro-drug delivery systems. McLaren, Procon, and their advisors have been working to simplify the design of these folding systems, one vertex at a time. (A vertex means the corner or a point where lines meet.)

McLaren and Procon have both made extreme time commitments over the past years working on this project. I have spent well over 500 hours on the research and approximately 20 hours on the poster remarked McLaren. I was proud to be able to not just compete but excel among so many students from universities like Stanford and MIT. It was a welcome surprised and I'm glad our work was recognized.