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Department of Mathematical SciencesFamily Orientation

Welcome to the Best Math Department in the Army!

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Agenda

• Overview / History of USMA

• Things to know about the Department

• Tour of the Department

• Mathlete Luncheon

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•Oct. 6, 1777 Battle of Ft. Montgomery

•Oct. 7, 1777 Battle of Saratoga

•Washington wanted to prevent British from splitting the colonies. He considered it “key to the continent and “the most important post in America”

•Jan. 1778 work begins on Fortress West Point

West Point (a strategic goal)

The post itself, at 16,000 acres, is slightly larger than Manhattan

USNA = 338 acresUSAFA = 18,000 acres

History of West Point • In 1780, the commander of the post, Maj.

Gen. Arnold offered it to be traded to the British port 10,000 gold pounds and a general’s commission in the Royal Army

• In 1793 Washington held a Cabinet meeting to discuss an academy.

“The establishment of a military academy, upon a respectable and extensive basis, has ever been considered by me to be an object

of the highest national importance.”

-George Washington (Dec. 12, 1799)

• March 16,1802 − Academy founded under Jefferson− The Army established the Corps of Engineers as a separate, permanent

branch, and gave the engineers responsibility for finding and operating the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. (caused problems that were changed in 1812)

Congress had concerns about creating a military aristocracy.

Sylvanus Thayer, USMA 1808“Father of the Military Academy”

• Assistant Professor of Mathematics USMA, 1809-1811

• Knew WP did not have quality mathematicians, scientists, and engineers to meet the requirements of a top-notch engineering school (America’s 1st engineering school).

• Visited technical and military schools in France and England, 1815-1817

• Superintendent (1817-1833)– In less than a decade, established

the Academy as one of the premier educational programs in the world.

The Thayer Method of Teaching“a quiet revolution in American education”

• Cadets prepare; no lectures• Every cadet is graded every day• Small sections of 10-12• Sections grouped by performance• Professors have to turn in weekly

reports

• Instituted demerits which were based on conduct in military training and academic effort

• Limited summer vacations to once – between 2nd and 3rd year.

• By 1823, applications lead to over 1000 a year for 250 openings

• A major problem in Thayer’s merit system (Jefferson Davis and Edgar Allan Poe)

Thayer’s Legacy

• After Thayer resigned, he left a school that had become world-famous – a model for other American schools in science and engineering.– Virtually all 19th century

American engineering schools were started with West Point-educated faculty or adopted its texts.

• Founded the Thayer School of Engineering at Dartmouth, 1867

Robert Edward Lee, USMA 1829

• Taught mathematics as a cadet as a third and second classman.

• Superintendent 1848-1852

• Civil War General– Acknowledged as one of

the Army’s best officers.– Offered command of the

Union Army in 1861.

• Applied four times to become an instructor in Mathematics, but was turned down. 

• Prof Church believed Grant’s mediocre performance in mathematics did not qualify him to teach in the department.

• “It is easier to become President of the US than to become an instructor in the Department of Mathematical Sciences.”

Ulysses S. Grant, USMA 1843

Douglas MacArthur, USMA 1903* (Superintendent 1919-1922)

• If Sylvanus Thayer was the Father of the Military Academy, then MacArthur was its “savior.”

− “How long are we going on preparing for the war of 1812?“ - MacArthur

– "During the great war, West Pointers were unable to adapt to new methods in the field... because of their stifling training.” President emeritus of Harvard University, Dr. Charles Eliot.

• The country’s needs had changed.– A new type of officer was needed, one possessing

• An understanding of human feelings • A comprehensive grasp of world and national affairs.

• MacArthur made reforms in an institution that was highly resistant to change.– Modernized the curriculum– Formalized the honor code - Truth was

always expected but it was never written down and there was no investigating or enforcing agency

– Created a system of intramural athletics– Liberalized regulations; more privileges,

ensured they came in contact with civilians, gave them $5 / month to spend, granted upperclassman leave on weekends…

– Changed the basis for final class standings. • Grades included military bearing and

efficiency, leadership, personality, athletic performance, and cadet participation in extracurricular activities.

He bought a new spirit to the Academy, a willingness to experiment, to break with tradition, to question everything.

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Omar N. Bradley USMA, 1915

"Whatever the case, I know I benefited from this prolonged immersion in math. The

study of mathematics, basically a study of logic, stimulates one's thinking and greatly

improves one's power of reasoning. In later years, when I was faced with infinitely

complex problems, mathematics helped me think more clearly and logically."

- Instructor of Mathematics at USMA, 1920-24

ROBERT E.LEE

Class of 1829

H. NORMAN SCHWARZKOPF

Class of 1956

ULYSSES S.GRANT

Class of 1843

JOHN J.PERSHING

Class of 1886

DOUGLASMACARTHURClass of 1903

DWIGHT D. EISENHOWERClass of 1915

OMAR N.BRADLEY

Class of 1915

GEORGE S.PATTON, JR.Class of 1909

“Much of the history we teach was made by people we taught.”

“Much of the history we teach was made by people we taught.”

MARTIN E. DEMPSEY

Class of 1974

DAVID H. PETAEUS

Class of 1974

JOHN P.ABIZAID

Class of 1973

RAYMOND T. ODIERNO

Class of 1976

STANLEY A. MCCHRYSTAL

Class of 1976

REBECCA S. HALSTEADClass of 1981

ANNE F. MACDONALD

Class of 1980

Two West Point Grads served as US President:President Ulysses S. Grant (1869-1877) USMA 1843

President Dwight D. Eisenhower (1953-1961) USMA 1915

Four Heads of State:Jefferson Davis USMA1828 (1861-1865)

Anastasio Somoza Debayle USMA 1946, Nicaragua (1967–72, 1974-79)Fidel V. Ramos USMA1950,. Philippines (1992-1998)

José María Figueres USMA1979, Costa Rica (1994-1998)

Only Five “5 Star Generals” Title - “General of the Army”:Douglas C. MacArthur USMA 1903

Henry H. Arnold (Gen of Air Force*) USMA 1907Omar N. Bradley USMA 1915

Dwight D. Eisenhower USMA 1915 George C.Marshall * VMI 1901

18 Astronauts

West Point, 1980 - Present• Better problem solvers, decision makers, critical and creative

thinkers, and more culturally diverse…• Changed the overarching intellectual goal:

Graduates anticipate and respond effectively to the uncertainties of a changing technological, social, political, economic world.

• Summer programs - 519 Cadets in 37 Countries• Semester Abroad - 140 Cadets in 10 countries,

(up from 1 cadet in 2001)

West Point Leaders

USMASuperintendentLTG Huntoon

USMAChief of StaffCOL Stafford

DirectorStrategic Communications

Ms. Fitzgerald

G-1 G-3 G-5 G-6 G-8 PAO Protocol BAND DAA AOG

SJA IG Chaplain DiversityEO

DeanOf the Academic Board

BG Trainor

CommandantUnited States Corps of Cadets

BG Rapp

DirectorIntercollegiate Athletics

Mr. Corrigan

Director of Admissions

COL McDonald

CommanderUS Army Garrison West Point

COL Tarsa

Commander KellerArmy Community Hospital

COL Land

Great Intellectual Capacity

Grounded in

an individual’s self-concept

Socially Adept

Solid Moral/Ethical Foundation

Physically Fit

Militarily Competent

Necessary Components of an Officer

Present Day

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• Of the newly minted 2LTs - West

Point contributes approximately 20% , ROTC 60%, OCS 20%.

• As a minimum, graduates serve five years on active duty and three years in a reserve status

• 4400 cadets from all 56 U.S. states and territories, as well as 36 foreign countries

• Provides the Army with approximately 1000 second lieutenants each year

Typical Class (2015)

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13,954 Applicants4,344 Nominated 2,554 Qualified1,249 Admitted

97 Valedictorians122 Class Presidents704 Team Captains1,090 Varsity Letters

17% Women10% Hispanics

11% African Americans6.5% Asians

14 International Cadets17 Combat Veterans

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Academic (55%)Core Academic Curriculum

Majors ProgramClubs

Advanced Developmental Activities

Military (30%)Summer Training

Military Leadership Simon Center – PME2

Military Science CoursesClubs

(Note: % s reflects weighted averages of the Cadet Performance Score)

Three Developmental Programs

Physical (15%)Department of Physical Education

Physical TestingClub Sports

Company AthleticsCharacter in Sports

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Majors in Engineering

Math and ScienceHumanities and Social Sciences

(Each with 8 to 12 Electives)

Army OfficerBachelor of Science Degree

8 Military Science 7 Physical Education

3 English 4 History

2 Leadership1 Philosophy/Ethics

2-4 Foreign Language*3 Social Sciences

1 Law

4 Math 2 Chemistry

1 Physical Geography 2 Information Technology

2 Physics 3 Engineering Science/Design

The Core

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First Year

Chemistry x 2

History x 2

Math x 2

Information Technology

English x 2

Psychology

Fourth Year

Military History x 2

Law

Engineering x 2

Electives in major x 5-8

Third Year

Leadership

International Relations

English

Foreign Language x 2

Information Technology

Engineering x 1

Electives in major x 3-5

Second Year

Physics x 2

Philosophy

Math x 2

Foreign Language x 2

Economics

American Politics

Geography

Physical Education

Military Science

Physical Education

Military Science

Physical Education

Military Science

Physical Education

Military Science

The Academic CurriculumAcademic Development

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The Core Mathematics Program

MA103COL Kobylski, MAJ Weld

MA104LTC Lunday, MAJ Trujillo

MA205COL Hartley, MAJ LaCasse

MA206LTC Jackson, MAJ Cummiskey

MA101MAJ Jackson

MA104LTC Lunday, MAJ Trujillo

MA205COL Hartley, MAJ LaCasse

MA206LTC Jackson, MAJ Cummiskey

MA100MAJ Jackson

MA153LTC Outing, MAJ Swedberg

MA255LTC Outing, MAJ Swedberg

MA206LTC Jackson, MAJ Cummiskey

Cadet Academic ScheduleMorning Event

0630 Reveille0705-0720 Breakfast0730-1155 Classes1210-1235 Lunch

Afternoon1250-1345 Values Classes, Labs, Tests1355-1600 Classes1615-1830 Athletics, Drill and Ceremony1830-1930 Dinner

Evening1930-2330 Evening Study Period (ESP)

2330 Taps2400 Lights Out

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Teaching

Cadet Development

Service

Faculty Development

Scholarship

Faculty Blend of Excellence

Rotating Military 55% Civilian Faculty 27% Senior Military 18%

Faculty Blend of Excellence

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Five Domains of Faculty Excellence

• Teaching– Number one priority– Not easy, not 9-5

• Scholarship - May start in 2nd year• Service

– Committees, the Department and the Community– Additional Department Responsibilities

• Cadet Development– Professionally – TAC for a day, Academic Officer in Charge– Socially

• Faculty Development - Usually starts in 2nd year

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Department Daily Routine

• Mornings – Teaching• Afternoons

– Lesson Preparation – Daily– Course Meetings – Tuesdays– Faculty development - Wed / Thurs

• As Required– Additional Instruction (AI)– Grading

Average Instructor Schedule

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Morning Event0630-0730 Arrive Work0715-0730 Transition to Classroom0730-1155 Teaching1155-1245 Lunch

Afternoon1250-1345 Cadet Development / Additional Instruction (AI)1345-1600 Meetings / Lesson Prep / AI / Scholarship1600-UTC Cadet Development / Lesson Prep

Evening1930-2330 Academic Officer In-Charge (1-2 x Semester)

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Supporting Cadets, the Academy, and Our Country

• National Leader in Mathematics Education – National Science Foundation Grants– Participation in the National Joint Meetings of the American

Mathematical Society (AMS) and the Mathematical Association of America (MAA)

“The West Point mathematics department is broadly viewed as one of the most creative mathematics departments in the country. The attention to student mathematical growth in problem solving, the

thoughtful use of technology, and the use of applications is a national model that others could well emulate.”

Dr. Liz Teles, NSF

• Junior Faculty are Combat Proven Leaders• Active Support to the Global War on Terrorism

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Summer Planning

• 1st Summer: FDW

• 2nd and 3rd Summers (Approximately 10 weeks): Buckner, Research, or the Q-course, Course Prep, and leave

• Final Summer: Summer School (STAP) and Out-processing

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D/Math Social Calendar

Date Event Location3 Jul Welcome Picnic P6’s

Quarters18 Jul Boat Ride South Dock15 or 16 Aug Softball Game / Welcome Back Picnic PX Fields15 Sep Tailgate Pig Roast TBDSep – Nov Other Tailgates Various Dec Children’s Christmas Party Math Dec Adult Holiday Party / Progressive Dinner TBD Mar - Apr Bowling WP B. AlleyTBD Spring Formal TBDMay Farewell Bash TBD

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13 Aug CBT (Plebe) March Back13-17 Aug Reorganization Week

18 Aug Acceptance Day Parade20 Aug First Day of Class for Cadets16 Aug First Day, West Point Schools2 Sep Band Concert at Trophy Point (1812 Overture)5 Sep First Day, O’Neill High School

22-25 Nov Thanksgiving Leave8 Dec Army-Navy Football Game

17-21 Dec Term End Exams22 Dec - 3 Jan Winter Leave for Cadets22 Dec - 6 Jan Winter Leave for West Point Schools22 Dec - 1 Jan Winter Leave for O’Neill High School

3-7 Jan Winter Reorganization Week8 Jan First Day of Classes for Second Term

8-10 March Plebe Parent Weekend11-17 March Spring Leave (Cadets and West Point Schools)

10 May Last day of Classes for Cadets11-17 May Term End Exams

25 May Graduation USMA Class of 20135 Jun Last Day, West Point Schools

Other Important Dates

Math Spouse’s Activities

• Coffees• Bunko group• Lunch group• Various department committees

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Questions / Comments?