Mathematics and Computer Science embody artistry and analytical thought. It’s both pragmatic and irrational (pun intended). While mathematics and computer science are the foundational knowledge of many professions, it also provides valuable life skills that allow us to problem-solve every day.

WHY STUDY MATHEMATICS AT SEWANEE?

The study of mathematics at Sewanee prepares you to be a discerning citizen capable of critically analyzing information, weighing alternatives, and presenting reasoned arguments. Math is a valuable skill set with innumerable applications. While the concepts are crucial for students in the discipline, their lessons can extend to far-ranging fields like law, science, economics, and theology.

Like a sculpture or a concerto, a theorem or an algorithm is a creative work. The department here at Sewanee seeks to expose you to the beauty of mathematics. As a mathematics major, you will take foundational courses, and then you’ll choose advanced level courses to narrow your focus. Whether it’s theory or statistics, you’ll glean from each class an understanding of reading and presentation, as well as the ability to formulate substantial proofs of your own.

FIRST DESTINATIONS: MATHEMATICS MAJORS

Sewanee graduates secure positions in a variety of fields. Some you would expect, others are a bit of a surprise. Sewanee prepares you for your profession and your passion. Below is a sampling of recent graduates' first jobs.

  • Software engineer, Mindtree, Gainesville, Florida.
  • Actuarial assistant, Protective Life, Birmingham, Alabama.
  • Investment analyst, Edgehill Endowment Partners, New Haven, Connecticut.
GRADUATE SCHOOL & PRE-PROFESSIONAL PROGRAMS: MATHEMATICS MAJORS

Sewanee graduates enjoy extraordinary acceptance rates to top graduate and pre-professional programs–about 95 percent to law school and over 85 percent to medical school. Below is a sampling of where Sewanee grads continue their education.

  • Ph.D. in physics, University of California Davis.
  • M.S. in mathematics, Washington University of St. Louis.
  • Ph.D. in geophysical fluid dynamics, Florida State University.

WHY STUDY COMPUTER SCIENCE AT SEWANEE?

There’s perhaps no more applicable field of study as we move further into a digital age. The world has come to depend on rapid rates of digital progression, and computer scientists are in great demand. That’s right—we’re talking to you. Sewanee’s computer science program will instill a deep understanding of both the mathematics of the field and the social forces behind it. As esoteric as it may seem, computer science solves people’s problems, making it a valuable and relevant language for everyone.

With diverse electives like graphics, robotics, artificial intelligence, and programming, you’ll have the option to focus on what interests you most. Co-curricular opportunities in the department include a National Science Foundation-sponsored initiative for undergraduate research in software development.

FIRST DESTINATIONS: COMPUTER SCIENCE MAJORS

Sewanee graduates secure positions in a variety of fields. Some you would expect, others are a bit of a surprise. Sewanee prepares you for your profession and your passion. Below is a sampling of recent graduates' first jobs.

  • System developer analyst, Accenture Federal Services, Arlington, Virginia.
  • Technology analyst, Credit Suisse, Raleigh, North Carolina.
GRADUATE SCHOOL & PRE-PROFESSIONAL PROGRAMS: COMPUTER SCIENCE MAJORS

Sewanee graduates enjoy extraordinary acceptance rates to top graduate and pre-professional programs–about 95 percent to law school and over 85 percent to medical school. Below is a sampling of where Sewanee grads continue their education.

  • Ph.D., in Computer Science, Clemson University.

A Sewanee Math Professor Soars In and Out of the Classroom

Catherine Cavagnaro is honored for her pioneering work in aviation safety.

Sewanee Math Professor Catherine Cavagnaro developed a fascination for flying at an early age. Growing up in the flight path of Moffett Federal Airfield in the Bay Area of California, she spent hours in her backyard watching military aircraft take off and land, and “flying” her pet guinea pigs around in shoeboxes she had turned into toy airplanes.

Years later, that early infatuation has ripened into a singularly remarkable career in aviation and, in November 2018, a singularly impressive honor: induction into the Tennessee Aviation Hall of Fame.

The Hall of Fame honor arrived in the same year that Cavagnaro was named the National Safety Representative of the Year by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and received Sewanee’s Award for Teaching Excellence. “After 2018, 2019 is going to be a real bummer,” Cavagnaro jokes.

Cavagnaro’s specialty is training pilots to recover from dangerous flight conditions, particularly aerodynamic stalls, when an aircraft’s wings stop providing lift because they’ve been angled too steeply. After an airplane experiences a stall, it goes into a spin—corkscrewing toward the ground—and that’s where Cavagnaro comes in, teaching pilots the techniques necessary to right their aircraft and live to fly another day. Pilots from all over the world —including military pilots, airline pilots, and flight test pilots—come to train with Cavagnaro in Sewanee.

“A lot of pilots are afraid of stalls and spins,” says Cavagnaro. “To me, it’s a challenge, and it’s something that I love doing. I can take someone in a matter of a day or two and get them completely comfortable with stalls and spins. In a safe, controlled environment, I take people over the edge so they know what the edge looks like.”

Though she had been fascinated by flight since those early days in California, Cavagnaro didn’t take her first flight lesson until 1999, after she earned tenure at the University. In Sewanee, she trained with aerobatic pioneer Bill Kershner, who quickly realized that a talented mathematician with a passion for aviation brought a special set of skills to the field. Soon, Cavagnaro was contributing her mathematics expertise to the technical aspects of Kershner’s flight manuals.

Kershner introduced Cavagnaro to the University of Tennessee Space Institute, where she took graduate classes in aeronautical engineering and did flight testing and math research for the institute. She started teaching aerobatics with Kershner in 2003 and has helped extend his legacy by continuing the work of his Ace Aerobatic School since his death in 2007. 

A Sampling of Courses

Mathematics and Computer Science

Programs of study & related programs

Requirements for the Major and Minor in Mathematics

Requirements for the Major and Minor in Computer Science

Meet Some Professors

Contact

catherine cavagnaro
Gaston swindell bruton professor of mathematics and computer science

department Chair

ccavagna@sewanee.edu

Woods Labs 133A, 931-598-1716

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