Steven J Kifowit

Email: skifowit@prairiestate.edu  |  Website: http://skifowit.prairiestate.edu/

Education

College/University

  • Ph.D (ABD), Mathematics, Northern Illinois University, 1994-1998
  • M.S., Computational Mathematics, Northern Illinois University, 1994
  • B.S., Professional Physics and Applied Mathematics, Northern Illinois University, 1992
  • Some courses at Northern Virginia Community College, 1987-1988  (I think my classes were at the Arlington Center.)

Military Training

  • Primary Leadership Development Course -  Fort Knox, KY, 1986
  • Air Assault School
  • Basic Training/Advanced Infantry Training - Fort Benning, GA, 1984

Elementary/Secondary

  • East Aurora High School, 1984
  • K.D. Waldo Junior High School, 1981
  • St. Pauls Lutheran School, 1980

Other

  • Kim's Black Belt Academy, Aurora, IL - 1st Dan Black Belt, 1984

 

Employment

  • Professor of Mathematics, Prairie State College, 1998-Present
  • Adjunct Mathematics Faculty, Waubonsee Community College, 1995-2000
  • Graduate Teaching Assistant, Northern Illinois University, 1992-1998
  • Summer Intern, Numerical Algorithms Group, Inc., 1997
  • Infantryman, United States Army, 1984-1988
    • Basic Training/AIT - Fort Benning, GA - Infantry Training
    • Primary Duty - Ft Myer, VA - 3d Infantry Regiment, Continental Color Guard (Some pictures)

Awards/Honors/Grants

  • Improving Math Education in America's Poorest Suburb, Eisenhower Professional Development Grant with Christopher Fogarty, 2002, http://faculty.prairiestate.edu/skifowit/imeaps/
  • D.R. Ostberg Award, Northern Illinois University Department of Mathematical Sciences, 1996
  • Certificate of Teaching Excellence, Northern Illinois University Department of Mathematical Sciences, 1996
  • Physics Chair's Award, Northern Illinois University Department Physics, 1992
  • Chairman's Award, Northern Illinois University Department of Mathematical Sciences, 1992
  • U.S. Army - Good Conduct Medal, Army Achievement Medal (1st Oak Leaf Cluster), Army Commendation Medal
  • U.S. Army - Primary Leadership Development Course Distinguished Leadership Award
  • U.S. Army - Primary Leadership Development Course Distinguished Honor Graduate
  • U.S. Army - Expert Infantry Badge
Some Professional Activities
  • Treasurer, Illinois Mathematics Association of Community Colleges, 2004-Present
  • IAI General Education Mathematics Panel, 2001-Present (Panel Co-Chair since 2008)
  • IAI Steering Panel, 2008-Present
  • Referee for The AMATYC Review, 2004-2006
  • AMATYC state delegate on several occasions
Some Prairie State College Activities
  • Chair of the Math Department, 2002-2005 and 2008-2010
  • Faculty Senate, 2001-2003 and 2005-Present (Senate President 2009-Present)
  • Nine faculty search committees (Chair of three)
  • Seven faculty tenure committees (Chair of four)
  • Curriculum Committee, 1999-2001, 2004
  • Instructional Technology Committee, 1999-2001
  • Numerous Title III grant activities, 2006-2008
  • Local moderator for the AMATYC Student Math League contest, 1998-2005
  • Co-coordinator of annual Integration Bee, 2003-2006
  • Math Department website, 2003-Present
  • Self-Study Criterion III committee, 2007-2008
  • Faculty Communities of Practice, 2007-2009
Publications
Some Presentations
  • Uncommon Approaches to Some Common Calculus Problems, presented at the 35th Annual Conference of the American Mathematical Association of Two-Year Colleges, November 2009
  • Serious About the Harmonic Series II, presented at the 31st Annual Conference of the Illinois Mathematics Association of Community Colleges, April 2006
  • Serious About the Harmonic Series, presented at the 31st Annual Conference of the American Mathematical Association of Two-Year Colleges, November 2005
  • Assessment of Conceptual Understanding in the Calculus Sequence, presented at the 30th Annual Conference of the American Mathematical Association of Two-Year Colleges, November 2004
  • Two-Year College Proofs from the "Book", presented at the 29th Annual Conference of the American Mathematical Association of Two-Year Colleges, November 2003
  • Outcomes Assessment in the Algebra Sequence, presented at the 29th Annual Conference of the American Mathematical Association of Two-Year Colleges, November 2003
  • Tabular Integration by Parts-A Jewel in the Rough, presented at the 28th Annual Conference of the American Mathematical Association of Two-Year Colleges, November 2002
  • Projects and Laboratory Activities for Prospective Teachers, presented at the 27th Annual Conference of the American Mathematical Association of Two-Year Colleges, November 2001
  • A Superfast Version of the Split Schur Algorithm, presented at the 7th Annual Conference of the International Linear Algebra Society, June 1998
  • The Split Levinson and Split Schur Algorithms, presented at the Northern Illinois University Numerical Linear Algebra Seminar, March 1998
Professional Affiliations
  • American Mathematical Association of Two-Year Colleges, 2000-Present
  • Illinois Mathematics Association of Community Colleges, 1999-Present
  • Mathematical Association of America, 1998-Present
  • Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics, 1996-Present
  • American Mathematical Society, 1992-Present
Community Involvement
  • Friends of the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore, 2006-Present
  • Sierra Club, 2006-Present
  • Host parent for YFU foreign exchange student, 2006-2007
  • American Canoe Association, 2005-Present
  • Phillips Park Mastodon Dig, 2004
  • SciTech Hands-On Museum Board of Directors, 2004-2009
  • Brookfield Zoo, 2003-Present
Hobbies
  • Bicycling - road bike (Fuji) and mountain bike (Bianchi)
  • Kayaking - Prijon Calabria and Perception Carolina
  • Running (mostly on a treadmill)
  • Backpacking (mostly in my dreams)
  • Skateboarding (Sector 9, Enjoi, Element)
  • Music (listening, not playing)
  • Math (obviously) and reading