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I earned a BS degree in Mathematics at UNCW. I also did a senior honor's project in the foundations of Computer Science and earned a Secondary Teachers Certificate. My extra courses were mostly in Physics.

I did teach Mathematics and Physics at the secondary level for two years before entering graduate school

I did earn a graduate degree in Mathematics and then went to on to teach Mathematics and Computer Science at the junior-college level.

After my teaching years I joined the Computer industry where I have worked for, about, the past 30 years.

I attended UNCW after completing four years of active duty with the United State Navy. I was a member of the Naval Weather Service. I additionally worked for the National Weather Service for a year before coming to UNCW. The entire time I attended UNCW I was funded by the GI-BILL.

I was an older student having spent six years or so after High School in the US Navy and the National Weather Service. I did feel that academics had progressed since my High School graduation and I was anxious about doing well at the University.

For me at that time of my life with my past experiences UNCW was a perfect fit.

While working for the National Weather Service I did take three Math and Logic courses at the University College of the University of Maryland with mixed results. The more technical Math course was something of a disaster while the general Math and the Logic course were very successful.

When I arrived at UNCW I did take two semesters of introductory analysis. Dr Halsey and Dr Norris taught those courses and was able to start the Calculus sequence that summer and was right on track for third semester Calculus and Linear Algebra by the next fall and from then on felt very comfortable in my course of study.

My Senior honors paper was concerned with Turning Machines, my advisor was Dr Halsey; along with the symbolic logic course I took under Dr Susan Dankel left me with a life long interest in the foundations of Mathematics and Computer Science.

While my undergraduate experience at UNCW left me plenty of challenges when I arrived in graduate school, I did do well. I do not think one should experience graduate school as a bed of roses. My Masters Thesis was in Geometric Function Theory and I often though of Dr Hernandez's introductory course in Complex Analysis I took at UNCW.

All in all it was a wonderful four years and I would do it the same way again if given the opportunity.

Weather Event - Saturday 16 April - A Note From Raleigh

The weather event that swept through North Carolina last Saturday did leave some major destruction in it's path.  Additionally Raleigh, where we live was struck by a tornado.  It passed well to the east of our neighborhood (2-3 miles).

Evelyn, and Robert are working each day with the Red Cross, yesterday they even drove a ERV (Emergency Response Vechicle) to hand out snacks and supper to folks in neighborhoods that were struck and to workers in those neighorhoods who were putting things back together.

Today they again are working with the local Redcross.  Robert is helping out with logistics (computers and such) and Evelyn is helping out with management of the actual event itself.

I'm continuing to go to work as usual and admiring them for doing what they are doing.

Zach

NOTE:  I think one of the most dramatic graphic images associated with the event is this cumulative radar track image of the major 'super-cells' that were part of this event.  The graphic does not represent a single time but the accumulated radar images over the life of the event.

From Random Graphic Images

IIS Overpasses Next 10 Days

Here in Raleigh, NC we get two very bright overpasses in the next ten days.  The first one comes up on Sunday night just after sunset.

Below is a graphic that has a recap of each of the overpasses (click for a larger view).  Also at the web site (click here) you can visit and set up an account and put in your longitude and latitude and get ground tracks for each pass of interest.  Also here is a link to an account of this morning's overpass and yesterday morning's overpass. (click here)

From Random Graphic Images

Now All I Have To Do Is Go Out And Wave At It :o)

Here are the next few days. Tomorrow morning looks especially good since the magnitude is near the maximum for the ISS.

From Random Graphic Images

[ADDED 14 APR 2011 - Morning] And I did wave! That was "Something Wonderful!" I arrived at Shelly Lake just seconds before the overpass was to occur. As I was walking up the path to the top of the dam when I looked up and thought, "It should be right there, all I see is a high fast jet." Wait, wait, that's no jet, that's the IIS. It had, essentially the same magnitude as Venus does which is also visible just above the horizon in the east. The apparent motion was that of a aircraft but it was quite clear that this was no aircraft passing over.

Also - Here is a link to my previous post that explains how you can find when the IIS will b passing over you so you too can go out and wave "http://zachcox.blogspot.com/2010/12/isswave-30-december-2010-1729-shelly.html"



[ADDED 15 APR 2011] Another pass this morning starting at 0511 (am).  I just stepped out on the back deck of the house and looked up and right on schedule there was the IIS.  I set the digital cameral for 15" exposure and clicked, just holding it in my hand ... The result is just below (pretty cool - but I need a tripod to do this again) Those dark bits in the picture are branches of trees.  The ISS proceeded across the gap between the trees and on toward the east. (Very Cool!)

From 14_APR_2011_IIS_OVERPASS

Radio Eyes

This is something: "http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap110413.html".

Imagine that you could see the night sky in the radio wavelength of the electromagnetic spectrum ...

Then you woud see this specter rising in the sky each night. This extended astronomical object is the radio image of the galaxy Centaurus A.  This link: "Centaurus A" goes to a youtube video of a 'zoom-into' this galaxy.

Your Radio Eyes would need some time to collect the 'light' from this object the picture is a composite representing over 1,000 hours of radio telescope time.

A Visit To The Char-Grill Burger Joint

My order number was 6367.
Just as I completed the test divisions
of all the primes up to it's square root,
Determining that 6367 is prime,
My order completed.