2025 Camp Faculty
Interested faculty applicants for 9- to 12-year-old classes must be mathematicians who have published in mathematical journals in their field of research. All applicants should have interest and experience in working with children 7 to 12 years of age with extreme intelligence and a love of mathematics.
Faculty are paid honorarium, provided room and board, and reimbursed for travel to and from camp. To apply, please send an email along with your CV to facultyjobs@epsiloncamp.org.
Tom Edgar is an associate professor of mathematics at Pacific Lutheran University in Tacoma, Washington and is the editor for the MAA periodical Math Horizons. He received a Ph.D. from the University of Notre Dame after beginning his advanced studies at Colorado State University. His mathematical interests lie in the areas of algebraic combinatorics and the representations of Coxeter groups. More recently he has been interested in number theory as related to integer sequences and visualizing mathematics. He has worked closely with undergraduates on a number of summer research projects. He has taught at Epsilon from 2018 - 2021, and is enthusiastic about working with future mathematicians of all ages.
Danielle Champney is an associate professor of mathematics at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo. She received her Ph.D. from UC Berkeley in Undergraduate Mathematics Education, after completing undergraduate and masters degrees in Applied Mathematics and Statistics. Danielle's primary research interests are twofold: the study of how students connect their understanding of mathematics, physics, and engineering at all grades and ages; and the study of how students use visual images when problem solving and learning new topics in mathematics. She is also active in cultivating K12 partnerships with Cal Poly, with an emphasis on building mentorship opportunities between college and pre-collegiate students, and works with students and teachers of all ages to promote active learning in math classes from grades K through 16+.
Scott Aaronson is Professor of Computer Science at the University of Texas at Austin, and founding director of its Quantum Information Center. His research interests center around the capabilities and limits of quantum computers, and theoretical computer science more generally. He received his PhD in computer science from UC Berkeley in 2004. Prior to coming to Austin, he did postdocs at the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton and the University of Waterloo, and taught at MIT for 9 years. Prof. Aaronson has written a popular blog about quantum computing, math, and other topics for 20 years, as well as articles in Scientific American and the New York Times. He published a popular book, "Quantum Computing Since Democritus," in 2013, and has received multiple awards for undergraduate teaching and public outreach. He attended Canada/USA MathCamp in 1996 and returned to lecture there in 2008, the first former camper to do so. This is his first year at Epsilon Camp; he's incredibly excited to share some of his favorite math with the campters.
Kyle Petersen is a Professor and Chair of the Department of Mathematical Sciences at DePaul University in Chicago. He earned his PhD from Brandeis University and spent three lovely years as a postdoc at the University of Michigan before joining DePaul in 2009. He is the author of more than forty mathematics articles and two books, primarily in the field of algebraic and enumerative combinatorics. He has a deep passion for the teaching and learning of mathematics, and draws strength and inspiration from seeing young mathematicians blossom. The father of three, he also enjoys soccer, cooking, and games.
Adam Groce is a professor of Computer Science at Reed College. He is a cryptographer, with a particular research focus on methods for analyzing sensitive data while protecting privacy. He is interested in all areas of theoretical computer science, as well as fairness in machine learning and public policy questions related to technology. He got his PhD in computer science from the University of Maryland and bachelors degrees in mathematics and political science from MIT.
Ryan Tully-Doyle is an assistant professor of mathematics at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo. He received his Ph.D. from the University of California, San Diego. His research interests are in applications of operator theoretic techniques in complex analysis. He has worked with undergraduates on a wide variety of research projects including work on graphs and matrices, rational functions in several complex variables, and complex dynamics. He enjoys playing the guitar, hiking, climbing, board games, and math, especially with his kids.
Cheng Jin obtained his undergraduate degree in mathematics, economics, and secondary education at Northwestern University, and he has a master's in mathematics from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. This will be his sixth year at Epsilon Camp after previously serving as a counselor for two years and faculty for three, and he looks forward to returning to this wonderful community of math enthusiasts! Currently a high school math teacher, Cheng has a passion for teaching, mentoring, and inspiring future mathematicians. In his free time, Cheng enjoys playing basketball, eating exotic foods, and traveling!
Visiting Speakers
Ben Orlin, a.k.a. "the Math with Bad Drawings guy" is the author of four books, including Change is the Only Constant, Math Games with Bad Drawings, and Math for English Majors. His debut book Math with Bad Drawings has sold more than 100,000 copies worldwide. His work has appeared in The Atlantic, Popular Science, and the Los Angeles Times, and he has taught middle school, high school, and college math. He lives in Saint Paul with his wife, his daughters, and his debilitating sweet tooth.
Varuzhan Akobian is the Head Coach of the Saint Louis University Chess Team. Varuzhan learnt to play chess from his father while living in Mongolia. He immigrated to the United States in 2001 and was awarded the prestigious Samford Chess Fellowship which aided his chess career in the United States. Varuzhan was the U.S. Junior Champion in 2003, and the winner of the World Open in 2002, 2004, and 2007. He also played for the U.S. in the 2009 World Team Championship and helped earn the silver medal. He played on the bronze-medal-winning U.S. team in the 2006 and 2008 Chess Olympiads. In 2014, he tied for first in the U.S Chess Championship but finished 2nd on tiebreaks.