Alaina Hogan from Noblesville, IN, is the 2025 recipient of the Excellence-in-the-Discipline Award from the GVSU Department of Mathematics.  Alaina was also named one of the university’s 2025 Niemeyer Award winners, an annual award that goes to only 2 or 3 undergraduate students from across the entire university.

Alaina came to GVSU planning to double major in dance and computer science.  She completed the requirements for the dance major in 2024, and received the Excellence-in-the-Discipline Award from the GVSU Department of Dance a year ago.  While studying mathematics was not part of her original plans, Alaina learned through several early courses that she could see herself both enjoying and being successful in mathematics.

In her mathematics courses, she especially enjoyed being able to determine why ideas make sense and fit together, and to build connections between different topics such as graph theory with topology, or the theory of automata with CS.  Alaina is grateful for an institution with small classes where she’s been able to be curious and ask her professors questions.  She also loves the community the math department builds through events and activities such as math circles, major recruitment, research presentations, and tutoring.

Alaina’s favorite courses include all (!) of the linear algebra courses (MTH 204, MTH 205, and MTH 406), graph theory (MTH 480), automata and theory of computation (MTH 465), and numerical analysis, which she took as an independent study.  Outside of math, modern dance (DAN 451), the dance capstone (DAN 495), algorithms engineering (CIS 380), and music, culture, and aesthetics (HON 350), were other classes she especially enjoyed.

Being a tutor in the Math Center for seven semesters has shaped Alaina significantly. In helping people, she has learned how to explain mathematical ideas to others in personalized ways that are understandable to them. She has also learned how to become a quick problem-solver, figuring out what each person is struggling with and determining what questions to ask that will assist them in furthering their own understanding. Alaina has especially appreciated her collaborative fellow tutors in the Center and her wonderful supervisor, Prof. Marcia Frobish.

Alaina says that the best part of her experience at GVSU has been meeting so many people (both students and professors) who both support and encourage curiosity. She’s been fortunate to have engaged in five different undergraduate research projects through which she met such mentors as Dr. Lora Bailey (Mathematics), Dr. Erin Carrier (Computer Science), Dr. Susan Mendoza (the Office of Undergraduate Research and Scholarship), and Prof. Edgar Page (Dance), all of whom encouraged and challenged her to both better herself and the world around her.  Indeed, doing research has been a central part of Alaina’s GVSU experience.  

Alaina’s honors senior project, completed under the supervision of Dr. Lora Bailey, explores the intersection of mathematics and dance through an interdisciplinary project that uses motion capture equipment to gather data from the movement of dancers and non-dancers that they then analyze and compare using data visualization and mathematics tools such as the Singular Value Decomposition. This project gave Alaina experience in developing a research project by being curious, asking questions, and working with collaborators.

Alaina also participated in a research project in minesweeper under Drs. Lora Bailey and David Clark; a summer REU program at Michigan State where she studied experimental mathematics to find central elements of the skein algebra corresponding to the Lie group G2 on the annulus; and research in numerical linear algebra with Dr. Erin Carrier.  All of these projects have helped Alaina become more curious and creative, learn to think in new ways, effectively communicate her work, and collaborate with others from a wide range of disciplines.  Her research has been funded by the National Security Agency (for the REU) and by GVSU as an Alayont Fellow in Mathematics, a Kindschi Fellow, and a Student Summer Scholar.

In the year ahead, Alaina will begin furthering her studies as she pursues a PhD in Computer Science at Purdue University. Her research focus will be in numerical linear algebra and scientific computing/numerical methods and analysis; she currently has the goal of becoming a professor at a university so that she can inspire and help others like her professors and mentors have inspired and helped her.

When asked to share advice for students getting started in mathematics at GVSU, Alaina offers this encouragement: “Be curious! Mathematics is about problem-solving, but to solve problems you first need problems to solve. Do not be afraid to ask questions and try to find connections among the different mathematical ideas you are learning in each of your classes (pro tip: usually you can find one through linear algebra). Although learning the concepts in your classes is important, what is more important is building your problem-solving and critical-thinking skills.”  She also highly recommends getting involved in undergraduate research for the many benefits and rewards research offers.

Outside of her academic life, Alaina enjoys reading, watching documentaries, hiking, and crocheting and other crafts.  She loves history as well, so she often reads or watches things that are historical in nature.  Alaina also continues to pursue her passion for dance through choreography and performance, and has twice performed at the Frederick Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park.

Alaina shares that her professors and mentors have made a big positive difference in her life.  In particular, she’s exceptionally grateful for Dr. Matt Boelkins and Dr. Lora Bailey in the math department for always believing in her, supporting her, and pushing her to be the best she can be. Alaina also notes her immense gratitude for her good friend and fellow math major Sarah Zaske who has been a source of encouragement, collaboration, and support.  

The math department is proud of all the work Alaina has accomplished in her time with us and we are excited to see her future develop.  We wish her the very best in all of her endeavors!