What does a barber shop quartet or the National Basketball Association have to do with data analysis? According to CSU math students quite a lot. Research projects featuring these disparate topics were just two of multiple presentations given as part of the Mathematics Senior Student Showcase held earlier this month on campus.

The event, hosted by the CSU Department of Mathematics with assistance from the College of Sciences and Health Professions Visiting Committee, highlighted undergraduate and graduate thesis projects conducted in partnership with faculty advisors. Michelle Hart developed a statistical analysis technique for improving evaluation of NBA player efficiency and Richard Ryan utilized linear regression to develop a predictive model for a barbershop quartet singing contest. The presentations, which also included analyses of robbery statistics in Chicago and biopharmaceutical manufacturing operations, highlighted the increasing use of data analytics to improve evaluation, efficiency and productivity in multiple fields. Additionally, the skills learned through the research will assist students in finding internship and employment opportunities in multiple fields.

Further highlighting the real world importance of the work conducted, the showcase was attended by representatives of numerous area companies, including Sherwin-Williams, Lubrizol, J.M. Smucker, Progressive Insurance and American Greetings.

“Data analytics is becoming an essential resource for companies, governments and non-profit organizations,” notes Meredith Bond, dean of the College of Sciences and Health Professions at CSU. “CSU’s mathematics students are producing some truly amazing research that will help enhance data innovation as a tool for improving society, while also assisting them in ‘hitting the ground running’ in their career of choice.”

To learn more about the educational and research programming being conducted by the Department of Mathematics at CSU, visit www.csuohio.edu/sciences/mathematics.

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