Alexander Diesl

Professor of Mathematics

Contact
Phone:
+1 (781) 283-3143
Email:
adiesl@wellesley.edu
Department
Mathematics & Statistics

Noncommutative ring theorist, sees mathematics as a central part of a well-rounded liberal arts education.

My research concerns a type of abstract algebraic structure known as a ring. A ring is a set of elements (familiar examples include such things as numbers, polynomials, matrices, or functions) endowed with both an addition operation and a multiplication operation. My current research interests involve classification questions and the visualization of algebraic structures.

At Wellesley, I have taught courses at the introductory, intermediate, and advanced levels. I view mathematics very much as a liberal art, and I strive to adhere to this philosophy in every class that I teach. During the summer of 2010, I advised three Wellesley students in a research project concerning zero-divisor graphs of rings.

I am also interested in the future of mathematics education at the secondary level in the United States.

In my spare time, I am often found playing with my kids.

Education

  • B.A., Johns Hopkins University
  • M.A., Johns Hopkins University
  • Ph.D., University of California-Berkeley

Current and upcoming courses

Calculus I

MATH115P

Introduction to differential and integral calculus for functions of one variable. The heart of calculus is the study of rates of change. Differential calculus concerns the process of finding the rate at which a quantity is changing (the derivative). Integral calculus reverses this process. Information is given about the derivative, and the process of integration finds the "integral," which measures accumulated change. This course aims to develop a thorough understanding of the concepts of differentiation and integration, and covers techniques and applications of differentiation and integration of algebraic, trigonometric, logarithmic, and exponential functions. In addition to the material from Math 115, this course spends additional time strengthening students' precalculus skills, covering topics such as proportions and percents, linear and exponential growth, and logarithms. MATH 115P is an introductory course designed for students who have not seen calculus before and who would benefit from extra academic support on precalculus topics.