The mathematics department is delighted to welcome Jordan Pellett, one of two new applied mathematicians in the department.

Growing up in Sauk Prairie, Wisconsin, Jordan’s love of math grew in middle school alongside a group of friends affectionately known as “the lunch bunch.” This group of friends often got together at lunch to play the card game Math 24. Later, this group went on to take accelerated math over the summer with one of their favorite teachers and became members of the math team, traveling to competitions throughout Wisconsin. For Jordan, engaging with mathematics has often involved a social component and she credits much of her continued interest in math to the people she has met along the way.

Like many students, Jordan didn’t have a clear idea of what she could do with math when she arrived at the University of Wisconsin–La Crosse, so she initially explored other subjects like engineering, physics, and accounting. Early in her time there, however, she participated in the Eagle Apprentice program, which created research experiences for students by pairing them with faculty mentors. In her second year of the program, she was paired with two mentors working in mathematical biology. With them, she attended the Biomathematics and Ecology Education and Research conference in Illinois, an experience that opened her eyes to applied mathematics and the possibility of a future career using math to solve interdisciplinary problems.

She continued seeking out research opportunities in mathematical biology, next participating in an REU (Research Experiences for Undergraduates) program at Indiana University-Purdue University at Indianapolis. There she worked on a model of peripheral arterial disease. During a second REU at Williams College in Massachusetts, she was part of a team modeling control strategies for white-nose syndrome in bats. The fall semester of her last year of college found Jordan working at Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Tennessee before returning to La Crosse and completing her math major along with minors in business and statistics.

When looking for a graduate program, Jordan knew she wanted to focus on mathematical biology and was drawn to the University of Tennessee at Knoxville (UTK) and their National Institute for Mathematical and Biological Synthesis. In addition to developing her expertise in mathematical modeling and epidemiology at UTK, she spent a summer working at Takeda Pharmaceuticals in Boston in their Drug Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics department. She describes the summer in Boston as one of her most memorable graduate school experiences and she enjoyed taking advantage of everything the city has to offer.

Jordan’s research now focuses on developing mathematical models for malaria. She is particularly interested in investigating how drug treatment impacts within-human host dynamics and, consequently, the probability of human-to-mosquito transmission.

Jordan was drawn to Grand Valley by her desire to work at a large public university with an established applied math program she could contribute to and help expand. She was also impressed with the environment in the department, which she describes as collaborative, collegial, and supportive. 

She also expressed her desire to help others and sees this position as an opportunity to make a meaningful impact. As a first-generation college student, she says she benefited from many excellent mentors who helped shape her path and she hopes to guide students toward opportunities where they can discover how best to use their talents to serve others.

Outside of work, Jordan enjoys spending time with her dog, Callie, and has recently taken up boxing as a hobby.  She also loves to travel and plans to spend time this summer in Colorado hiking and visiting with friends.

We are so happy that Jordan has joined our department and appreciate everything she does to serve our students.