Magdalena D. Toda
Associate Professor
Director of Undergraduate Studies
Department of Mathematics and Statistics
Texas Tech University
Lubbock, TX 79409-1042

EDUCATION

2000. PhD Mathematics University of Kansas
2000. PhD Mathematics Polytechnic University Bucharest
1997. MA Mathematics University of Kansas
1991. MS Mathematics University of Bucharest

EXPERIENCE

2010-         Director of Undergraduate Studies, Mathematics and Statistics, Texas Tech University.
2008-         Associate Professor, tenured, Texas Tech University
2001-2008. Assistant Professor, tenure-track, Texas Tech University
2000-2001. Assistant Professor, tenure-track, Ball State University
1995-2000. Graduate Student, Teaching Assistant, University of Kansas
1992-1995. Asistent Universitar, Polytechnic University Bucharest (Politehnica)
1991-1992. Preparator, Polytechnic University Bucharest - Mathematics

RESEARCH AREA

Differential Geometry and Integrable Systems

SELECTED HONORS, AWARDS and DISTINCTIONS

2008. Presidents Award for Excellence in Teaching, Texas Tech University
2008. Professor of the Year at Texas Tech University (Math Undergraduate)
2002. Professor of the Year at Texas Tech University (Math Undergraduate)
2000. Outstanding Teaching Assistant of the University of Kansas
1997. Florence Black Award for Excellence in Teaching
1995. George Soros Young Career Grant

STUDENTS

  1. Graduate Students

    • Kose, Zeynep,PhD, continuing, research supported from grants - Summer 2008.
    • De Silva, Nadeeka, MS/PhD, continuing, research supported from grants - Summer 2007.
    • Alin Tomoiaga, MS,defended Nov, 2006.
    • Casey Hume, MS, defended June 2003; co-advised with G. B. Williams.

  2. Students Advised as a Mentor

    • • Dallas Evertts, SPMS Scholarship Recipient, since 2009.
    • Xiaoxiao Jiang , TLTC Programs, Texas Tech University, 2008-09.
    • Ellen Durant, REU-NSF Program, Texas Tech University, Summer 2007.
    • Richmond Tarrant, REU-NSF Program, Texas Tech University, Summer 2007. Co-mentored with R. Iyer; project: Modeling the compound eye of insects.
    • Robin Krenz, Honors College, Undergraduate Research Fellow, 2007-2008. Project: Almost Minimal Surfaces.

SELECTED PUBLICATIONS (out of a total of 25)

Appeared or in press in refereed journals (J) or in refereed proceedings (P)

  1. (J/P). Aulisa, E., Ibraguimov, A., Toda, M. Geometric Methods in the Analysis of Non-linear Flows in Porous Media, Contemporary Mathematics Proceedings of the AMS, Spectral Theory and Geometric Analysis, in honor of M. Shubin; editor: Leonid Friedlander; accepted, in press – 2010.

  2. (J). Toda, M., Rossman, W. Corresponding constant mean curvature surfaces in hyperbolic and Euclidean 3-spaces, Pacific Journal - Applied Mathematics, accepted, in press - 2010.

  3. (J/P). Kose, Z., Aulisa, E., Toda, M. Solving Bonnet Problems to construct families of surfaces, Differential Geometry - Dynamical Systems, International Conference DGDS 2010, Aug 2010.

  4. (J). Toda, M, Ibraguimov, A, Aulisa, E, Geometric Frame-Work for Modeling Non-Linear Flows in Porous Media and Its Applications in Engineering, Journal of Non-linear Analysis - Real World Applications, vol. 11, Issue 3, 2010, 1734-1751, published on line by Science Direct, April (2009).
    5.  
  5. (P). Toda, M., Spectral Deformations of Constant Mean Curvature Surfaces, Proceedings of the 2nd Symposium on Mathematical Methods in Theoretical Physics, Baltimore, Maryland, (2009); in press.
    6.  
  6. (J). Iyer, R., Toda, M., Holsapple R., On an Optical Inertial Navigation System - II, IEEE Transactions on Automatic Control, ISSN: 0018-9286, vol. 53, no. 8, (2008), pp 1864-1875.
    7.  
  7. (J).Paige, R., Seshaiyer, P., Toda, M., Student Misconceptions Caused by Misuse of Technology, International Journal for Technology in Mathematics Education (former International Journal of Computer Algebra), vol. 14, no.4, (2007).

  8. (J).Toda, M., Initial Value Problems of the Sine-Gordon Equation and Geometric Solutions, Annals of Global Analysis and Geometry, vol. 27, no. 3, (2005), pp 257-271.
    9.  

  9. (J).Toda, M., Immersions of Constant Mean Curvature in Hyperbolic Space, Differential Geometry Dynamical Systems, vol. 7, no.1, (2005), pp 111-126.


  10. (J).Inoguchi, J., Toda, M., Timelike Minimal Surfaces via Loop Groups, Acta Applicandae Mathematicae, vol. 83, no. 1-2, (2004) , pp 313-355.

  11. (P).Dorfmeister, J., Inoguchi, J., Toda, M., Weierstrass-type Representation of Timelike Surfaces with Constant Mean Curvature in Minkowski 3-Space, Differential Geometry and Integrable Systems, Contemporary Mathematics AMS, vol. 308 (2002), pp 77-100.

  12. (J).Toda, M., Weierstrass-type Representation of Weakly Regular Pseudospherical Surfaces in Euclidean Space, Balkan Journal of Geometry and Analysis, vol. 7 (2002), no. 2, pp 87-136.

  13. (J).Toda, M., Udriste, C., Optimal Approximations on Riemannian Manifolds, Balkan Journal of Geometry and Analysis, vol. 4 (1999), no.1, pp 135-144.

  14. (J).Dorfmeister, J., Pedit, F., Toda, M., Minimal Surfaces via Loop Groups, Balkan Journal of Geometry and Analysis, vol.2 (1997), no.1, pp 25-40, app. 1998.

  15. (J). Sandru, M., Toda, M., Topological Aspects in Elementary Geometry, TENSOR, N.S., Japan, vol. 57 (1996) , no.1, pp 80-83.

  16. (P).Toda, M., Udriste, C., Influence of the Evolution Riemannian Metrics on the Volume, Proceedings of 23rd European Conference on Geometry and Topology - Babes-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca, 1993 - app. (1994), pp 194-202.

  17. (P).Toda, M., Udriste, C., Volume Dependence on the Riemannian Metric, Proceedings of the International Workshop on Differential Geometry and Applications, 1993, Politehn. Univ. Bucharest Sci. Bull. Ser. A, Appl. Math. Phys., vol. 55 (1993), no. 3-4, pp 285-298.

  18. (J).Toda, M., A Family of Riemannian and Naturally Reductive Homogeneous Spaces: A Classification, Polytech. Inst. Bucharest Scientific Bulletin, vol. 53 (1991), no. 3-4, pp 329-335.

FUNDED RESEARCH

  1. External Funding

    2. 2009-2012
    Analysis of Non-Linear Flows in Heterogeneous Porous Media and Applications, total amount $239,000, National Science Foundation, Division of Mathematical Sciences, DMS 0908177, CO-PI. (Principal Investigator A. Ibragimov)

    2008-2012
    South Plains Mathematics Scholars, total amount $571,580, National Science Foundation, STEM: SCHLR SCI TECH ENG&MATH, CO-PI (PI: George Brock Williams).

    2004-2010
    Integrable systems, harmonic maps and Weierstrass representation, Central European Science Foundation; total award $58,000, Programme 010603. PI.

    2008-2009
    The Emmy Noether Mathematics Days, MAA, Tensor Projects, $4,500, PI.

    2006-2008
    Multidisciplinary Summer Undergraduate Research Program in Computation and Control of Biological and Biologically Inspired Systems, total amount $170,707, National Science Foundation (REU Program) and Department of Defense (ASSURE Program). Senior Personnel. Project advised: Geometric Modelling of the Compound Eye

    2003-2006
    The Joy of Thinking, MAA-Tensor Foundation, $5,000 (graduate student stipend). PI. (Co-P.I. J. Dwyer)

    2001-2002
    Project NexT(New Experiences in Teaching) Travel Grant supported by an AMS grant and the Department of Mathematics and Statistics at Texas Tech University

    1998-2000
    U.G. Mitchell Summer Research Grant for Graduate Students

  2. Internal Funding by Texas Tech University

    3. 2005
    The Geometry of Backlund Transformations, Research Enhancement Fund, Summer 2005, $2,725.

PRESENTATIONS

  1. External Talks

    2. 2010. Solving Bonnet Problems to Construct Families of Surfaces, International Conference of DGDS 2010, joint work with E. Aulisa and Z. Kose (presenter), Aug 2010.

    2008. An up-scaling algorithm for non-Darcy flows in porous media, Special Session 19, Multiscale Numerical Methods for PDEs, 7th AIMS International Conference on Dynamical Systems, Differential Equations and Applications, joint work with E. Aulisa and A. Ibragimov (presenter), May 2008.

    2007. Geometrical Framework for Modeling Non-Linear Flows in Porous Media and Its Applications in Engineering, SIAM-NSF Conference on Mathematics for Industry: Challenges and Frontiers (MI07), Sec. on Numerical Analysis, Numerical PDE and Clustering, joint work with E. Aulisa and A. Ibragimov, Philadelphia, Oct 9-11, 2007.

    2006. CMC Surfaces in Hyperbolic Space, CMC seminar talk, London Math Symposium, University of Durham, Conference on Geometric Methods on Integrable Systems, Aug 11-22, 2006.

    2005. Harmonic maps into Lie groups, invited talk, AMS Central Sectional Meeting #1006, Lubbock, Apr 8-10, 2005.

    2004. Lorentz surfaces and the wave equation, invited talk, Texas Topology and Geometry Conference, TCU - UTA, Dallas Fort Worth, Feb 28, 2004.

    2003. Immersions of arbitrary constant mean curvature in hyperbolic space, invited talk, International Conference on Differential Geometry and Its Applications and Sixth German-Romanian Seminar, Babes-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca, Sep 1-6, 2003.

    2003. Constant mean curvature surfaces in hyperbolic space, invited talk,Southeast Geometry Conference, Charleston, South Carolina, March 30, 2003.

    2002. Constructing constants mean curvature surfaces in the hyperbolic space, invited talk, Discrete, Computational and Combinatorial Geometry Conference Satellite of the International Congress of Mathematicians, Beijing University, Beijing, August 13-19, 2002.

    2001. Constant mean curvature surfaces in Minkowski 3-Space, invited seminar talk, Northern Illinois University, April 20, 2001.

    2001. Timelike surfaces of constant mean curvature and their corresponding PDEs, invited talk, AMS Meeting, Lawrence, Kansas, March 30-31, 2001.

    2000. Pseudospherical surfaces via moving frames, Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Texas Tech University, February 11, 2000, colloquium talk.

    2000. Pseudospherical surfaces via moving frames, Department of Mathematical Sciences, Ball State University, February 4, 2000, colloquium talk.

    2000. Hyperbolic surfaces, 30 min invited talk, Special Session of Complex Hyperbolic Geometry, AMS Joint Meeting, Jan 18-22, 2000.

    1997. Minimal surfaces with loop groups, invited talk, Special Session of Differential Geometry, AMS Meeting, University of Wisconsin Milwaukee, Oct 24-25, 1997.

    1994. Geometric optimization methods, invited talk, 3rd International Conference on Differential Geometry of the TENSOR Society, Japan, Athens University, Greece, August 1994.

  2. Talks given at Texas Tech University/Special Teaching and Research Activities

    • Geometry Seminar, 2001-2008, 20 talks total.
    • Colloquium Talk - Integrable Systems in Geometry, Texas Tech University, Sep 27, 2007 - tenure promotion candidate.
    • REU-NSF (Research Experiences for Undergraduates) Lectures:
      • What every professional mathematician should know, June 2007.
      • Minimal surfaces, June 2007.
    • Emmy Noether High-School Day Workshops/Lectures
      • Emmy Noether High-School Day, May 4, 2005: Hyperbolic Geometry: the whole world compressed in a disk
      • Emmy Noether High-School Day, May 4, 2004:2-D and 3-D tiling: our dream houses - workshop for students and their teachers
      • Emmy Noether High-School Day, May 14, 2003: Geometric Models in Physics workshop for students and their teachers
    • Summer Math Academy, June 2004. 2 workshops, 1 hr each.
    • Aftermath in the Afternoon (a series of geometry videos preceded short introductory talks)
      • Outside In (sphere eversion)
      • Geodesics and waves/Curvature and the Gauss-Bonnet Theorem
      • The Optiverse/ Knot Energies
    • Math Extravaganza (Math Festival for K-12 students and their teachers), Oct. 2001.
      • How do mathematicians color their drawings? (one hour talk)
      • Playing with soap films and soap bubbles (one hour talk)

SERVICE

  1. Departmental Service

    • Director of Undergraduate Studies, Dept. Of Mathematics and Statistics, since Summer 2010.
    • Co-organizer of TGTC Texas Geometry and Topology at Texas Tech University, Spring 2002, 2005 and 2008 (most recent Feb 2008, 39th meeting).
    • Co-organizer (local) of an AMS sectional meeting at Texas Tech University, Mar 9-14, 2005.
    • Co-organizer of the TTU Red Raider Mini Symposium, Oct 29-Nov 1, 2009.
    • KME Advisor and Representative of the Texas Alpha Chapter.
    • Member of the Undergraduate Committee, Mathematics and Statistics - Texas Tech Univ.
    • Chair of the Organizing Committee for the Emmy Noether Mathematics High-School Day, Texas Tech University, organized five editions: 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010 (see event website at http://www.math.ttu.edu/~enoether).
    • Member of the Hiring Strategy Committee, 2007.
    • Member of the Hiring Committee, 2007-2008.
    • Served as REU Program Coordinator, June 11-25, 2007, (with E. Aulisa, P. Seshaiyer).
    • Co-organizer of the Advanced Analysis and Geometry Seminar (2003-2009).

  2. University Service

    • Member of the Faculty Senate at Texas Tech University (2006-2011) and Senate Committee C.
    • Member of University Childcare Committee.
    • PI of the Child Care Survey Proposal at Texas Tech University, 2007.

  3. Professional Service

    • Referee for 4 professional journals
    • Reviewer of scientific articles for Mathematical Reviews and Zentralblatt Math
    • Reviewer of scientific textbooks for:
      • Springer-Verlag NY
      • W.H.Freeman and Company Publishers
      • Mathematical Reviews AMS
    • Books reviewed in consideration for publication: 4
    • Books reviewed after publication :1

MEMBERSHIP IN PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS