Tara Davis
Assistant Professor of MathematicsEmail: tdavis@hpu.edu
Phone: (808) 544-0856
Office: UB 210A, Downtown campus
Education: B.A., Mathematics, Minor, English, University of Hawaii at Manoa; M.S., Mathematics, McMaster University; M.A., Mathematics, Teaching Certification, Ph.D., Mathematics, Vanderbilt University
Awards: Golden Apple Award for Distinguished Undergradaute Teaching by a Full-time Faculty Member, Hawaii Pacific University; B.F. Bryant Award for Excellence in Teaching, Vanderbilt University Mathematics Department
Professional Interests: Asymptotic Group Theory; Mathematics Education; Inquiry-Based Learning; Subgroup Distortion; Relative Subgroup Growth; Varieties of Groups.
Courses: Math 3305, Linear Algebra; Math 1130, Precalculus I; Math 3330, Abstract Algebra; Math 3316, Problem Solving for Mathematics Teaching
Personal Interests: Travel, hiking, gardening, cooking
Research Interests-
Dr. Davis’s research interests are in pure mathematics and mathematics education. In terms of pure math, she studies asymptotic group theory. Although groups are algebraic structures defined by three simple axioms, this rich and modern field encompasses areas of algebra, geometry, topology and algorithmic theory. The particular “large-scale” geometric invariants of groups that she is interested in are the relative subgroup growth function, as well as the subgroup distortion function. She is also interested in innovative and active teaching and learning, including inquiry-based learning.
