Although it’s only his first semester teaching at Hillsdale College, Assistant Professor of Mathematics William Abram has exciting ideas for the future.
The new addition to the Hillsdale Mathematics department said he hopes to start up a lot of student research.
“I do a lot of research, and some of that is of a level appropriate for undergraduates,” Abram said. “I’m really hoping to recruit students, start working with students one-on-one on research and maybe even get some publishable results. That sort of thing can be really good for a student’s career and also for their development in mathematics.”
This semester, Abram is teaching two sections of Integrated Calculus I-A and one section of Non-Euclidean Geometry. He said his experience in this 300-level class has been one of his favorite things about teaching at Hillsdale so far.
“My non-Euclidean geometry class has only four students in it, and so I get to talk about advanced topics and go on tangents more than I would in a larger class,” he explained. “I really cater the course to the needs of the specific students and to their interests, and that’s always a good experience to get to do on that level.”
Abram holds a Masters and a Doctorate in Mathematics from the University of Michigan. Abram also received a dual degree from the University of Chicago: a B.S. in Mathematics combined with a B.A. in Economics. He hopes to put his interest in economics to use here at Hillsdale.
“I’m hoping to help to organize the students who are interested in actuarial science,” he said. “I have a background interest in actuarial science and finance. I’ve taken some of the exams myself and I’d be interested in helping students prepare for the exams.”
Abram recently bought a house nearby, where he lives with his wife, his 3-month-old daughter and their four bunnies.
