Home - mathgrrl

Now

Spring 2022

Current teaching
MATH 103 – The Nature of Mathematics
MATH 232 – Calculus with Functions II
MATH 297 – Undergraduate Research in Knot Theory

Current collaborations
Spatial graphs, Celtic knots, karst modeling, wave function collapse design

New this fall!
Haynes Scholars Residential Learning Community

Stuff I’m making
Catalan snaps, volume nets, knots and graphs, knitting machine punch cards, secret project involving squares

Recent

Recent publications and events

2021 AMS Calendar

Perko Morph is Mr. March!

Catalogs for Mathematical 3D-Prints

Downloadable files, print-on-demand, and interactive 3D visualizations

Catalog of 3D-Printable Catalan Solids

Catalog of 3D-Printable Spatial Graphs

Catalog of 3D-Printable Knots (coming soon)

Academic

Recent Publications

Recent peer-reviewed published articles

Modeling Dynamical Systems for 3D Printing

Stephen Lucas, Evelyn Sander, and Laura Taalman
Notices of the American Mathematical Society, Vol. 67, No.11, p. 1692-1705, 2020

Wallpaper Patterns for Lattice Designs

Laura Taalman and Carolyn Yackel
Proceedings of Bridges Aalto, p. 223-230, 2020

Optimizing Morton’s Tritangentless Knots for Rolling

Abigail Eget, Stephen Lucas, and Laura Taalman
Proceedings of Bridges Aalto, p. 367-370, 2020

Opportunity costs in the game of best choice

Madeline Crews, Brant Jones, Kaitlyn Myers, Laura Taalman, Michael Urbanski, and Breeann Wilson
Electronic Journal of Combinatorics, Vol. 26, Issue #1, 2019

→ See all papers

Selected Courses

Classes taught at James Madison University

Calculus with Functions I

MATH 231
*now online!*
STEM Calculus I with Precalculus

Fabrication and Analysis of 3D Puzzles

UNST 300E
General Education pilot course

Discrete Mathematics and Introduction to Proof

MATH 245
Bridge course for the major

→ See all classes

Active Labs

Learning spaces at James Madison University

JMU Experimental Mathematics Lab

Early exploratory undergraduate research in computational and experimental mathematics

JMU 3SPACE

General Education 3D Printing Classroom

→ Learn More

Selected Presentations

Talks at conferences and events

Software for Mathematical 3D Printing

Geometry Labs United Seminar

Making Math Real: Knot Theory

MAA Distinguished Carriage House Lecture

Knot Theory, Experimental Math, & 3D Printing

Math Encounters Public Lecture at MoMath

Printing Perfect Pentagons

5-minute talk at Gathering for Gardner G4G13

→ See all talks

mathgrrl

mathgrrl Designs

3D models and other geeky stuff

Perko Morph

Designed with KnotPlot, MeshLab, TopMod, and Meshmixer; 3D printed in full color powder with binder.

Giant Spiky Perko Knot

Designed with KnotPlot, TopMod, and Cura; 3D printed with FDM in Polylactic Acid with custom supports.

→ See all designs

HACKTASTIC

A blog about design, math, and failure

May 21, 2022

REMOTE LEARNING DRAFT POST https://mathgrrl.com/wp-content/themes/crocal/images/empty/thumbnail.jpg 150 150 mathgrrl mathgrrl https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/de00911e0a27aa527aae53a60fc5b663?s=96&d=retro&r=g May 21, 2022 May 23, 2020

Ended up getting LearnPress (which is free): https://wordpress.org/plugins/learnpress/ Via the theme Eduma (which is not free; about $70): https://themeforest.net/item/education-wordpress-theme-education-wp/14058034, and started with one of the Demos And this gradebook (about $20): https://thimpress.com/product/gradebook-add-on-for-learnpress/ Set up Zoom integration as described in part 5 of this: https://docspress.thimpress.com/eduma/#zoom-integration Set up MathJax for doing LaTeX:…

May 10, 2022

3D Printed Conformations of Spatial Graphs

3D Printed Conformations of Spatial Graphs https://mathgrrl.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/five_graphs_modified.gif 1000 750 mathgrrl mathgrrl https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/de00911e0a27aa527aae53a60fc5b663?s=96&d=retro&r=g May 10, 2022 May 10, 2020

—————— As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases, so if you’ve got something you need to pick up anyway, going to Amazon through this link will help us keep Hacktastic running. Thanks! :)

May 10, 2022

sample blanket

sample blanket https://mathgrrl.com/wp-content/themes/crocal/images/empty/thumbnail.jpg 150 150 mathgrrl mathgrrl https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/de00911e0a27aa527aae53a60fc5b663?s=96&d=retro&r=g May 10, 2022 May 10, 2019

could even use different size squares and pieces and rectangles maybe crochet seams of knitted samples: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V9MkWJ6aveA

June 30, 2021

Space-Filling Terrazzo – Getting Started

Space-Filling Terrazzo – Getting Started https://mathgrrl.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/IMG_5906-1.jpeg 640 480 mathgrrl mathgrrl https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/de00911e0a27aa527aae53a60fc5b663?s=96&d=retro&r=g June 30, 2021 July 1, 2021

This is the first in a series of posts about a space-filling riff on Tinna’s Terrazzo Afghan. Our design is going to start off looking like one of Tinna’s Terazzo squares, but it’s going to continue as a larger and larger square, with lots of different but “space-filling” patterns along the way. It won’t be ONE space-filling curve (sorry, math geeks), but it will fill space efficiently as we build the pattern out from the center.

October 29, 2020

Electoral State Stackers

Electoral State Stackers https://mathgrrl.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/pencil_stands_lead.jpg 2016 1512 mathgrrl mathgrrl https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/de00911e0a27aa527aae53a60fc5b663?s=96&d=retro&r=g October 29, 2020 October 31, 2020

I haven’t been stress-printing before the election, YOU have. Well, maybe you will after this post, at least. Fire up your 3D printer(s) because there are dozens of things you need to print before Tuesday, including each of the 50 states (and DC, which has 3 electoral votes), sized to each have approximately the same area, with heights determined by number of electoral votes.

→ See all posts