Monica Jackson

Mathematics is not only about theorems and proofs. Just ask AU math professor Monica Jackson. In addition to teaching introductory and graduate-level courses, Jackson also conducts medical research by developing statistical models of disease outbreak.

Although she has a master’s degree in mathematics from Clark Atlanta University and a PhD in applied mathematics from the University of Maryland, she began to focus on applied math after interning at a hospital and dealing with biostatistics and medical research.

 “I’ve never done just straight math; it’s  always been applied math,” she said. That may be why Jackson takes a special interest in helping math  and non-math majors alike appreciate the importance and practical applications of mathematics.

Her post at AU is the most recent addition in a long list of research work, internships, and teaching positions. She received teaching experience at Clark Atlanta University for two years and at the University of Maryland for seven years. Though she was on a career trajectory to become an engineer, it was not until she interned at a hospital that she became deeply involved in biostatistics and medical research.

Her area of expertise is spatial statistics, correlating factors, specifically diseases in this case, with locale. The objective is to determine which diseases, if any, people are more likely to develop because of where they live. Once the numbers and data from a study are collected, partnering epidemiologists and medical doctors determine what it actually means. Presently, her work has advanced to include disease surveillance, which creates models to simulate how the early stages of a disease outbreak would look.

“I’ve always loved math. I had no clue what I would do with it. Research programs got me excited about math even more,” Jackson said.

Now, Jackson can easily rattle off a list of programs she would like to put into action and additional work she would like to do, using the resources at AU. One of her major goals is to add to AU’s undergraduate research program because such a program jump-started her own interest. “I hope to get funding in the next couple years to build upon the math department’s current program, 15 to 20 students, not just to work on my research with me, but with all faculty.” Jackson also seeks to introduce a new course in disease surveillance. It would involve epidemiology and biostatistics geared toward students who aren’t necessarily in math but have a general interest in science, and would show them how math and statistics are used to help scientists. Longer-term goals include having her papers published and conducting new research.

Reprinted by permission of Catalyst, Fall 2006.