Three Neumann math majors receive STEM Research grants
ASTON » Three young women at Neumann University, all math majors, have won Clare Boothe Luce undergraduate research scholar awards. They will receive grants of $5,000 each to conduct 150 hours of research in the field of mathematics this summer.
Maria Ramunno and Kendra Warren will conduct a statistical analysis of available data to determine the epidemiological and societal factors most closely related to the spread of COVID- 19 in Pennsylvania. Ollie DiDonato will use artificial intelligence applications to assess the skill levels of participants in karate matches and predict the outcomes.
The goal for Ramunno and Warren is to collect and analyze current COVID data for every zip code in Pennsylvania.
“We want to find out whether there is a correlation between the determinants that we collect and the infection rate,” explains Ramunno. “For instance, does a high vaccination rate actually help mitigate the infection rate of a specific zip code?”
Besides the vaccination rate, the pair will also examine population density, the number of schools in each zip code, and perhaps the type of vaccinations administered (Pfizer, Moderna, or Johnson & Johnson) if that data is available. They had hoped to examine the effect of mask wearing as well but could find no reliable statistics on this behavior.
According to Ramunno, their goal is “to collect as much data as we can this summer and identify any trends to let the public know what we find.” “I was always the weird kid who liked math,” admits Ramunno, who is considering a career in biostatistics or computer programming. “I’ve been interested in being a biostatistician since my sophomore year in high school.”
Warren had set her sights on being a math teacher, but when this research opportunity arose, she decided to see what other options are available for math majors.
DiDonato, who is a black belt in karate, combined the interests in math and martial arts last summer to create a predictive model for Shotokan karate matches, employing data collected from 30 contests. The final model predicted match outcomes with nearly 92% accuracy, using only the skills of punches and counterattacks.
DiDonato will add an AI component to the model this summer, working with two faculty mentors, one from Neumann and one from Gwynedd Mercy University.
This grant is the second consecutive summer research award for Ramunno and DiDonato, who began working on their projects in May of 2021. Both students have been accepted to present the work they did last summer at MathFest, the national conference of the Mathematical Association of America, in Philadelphia in early August.
According to the Luce Foundation website, the Clare Boothe Luce (CBL) bequest provides support to women in STEM fields. The goal of the program is to close the gender gap in STEM disciplines and in higher education leadership roles.
Dr. Ryan Savitz, professor of mathematics, is the faculty mentor for all three Neumann students. He describes the CBL awards as “highly competitive.”
To learn more about Neumann University, visit .http:// www.neumann.edu
Delco Veterans Memorial Association hosts veterans resource and outreach fair
The Delaware County Veterans Memorial, 4399 West Chester Pike, Newtown Square, will host a Veterans and Families Outreach Fair, “Delco Welcomes Veterans,” 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 13. The free event for veterans and their families will include resources for veterans, live entertainment, food and fun. For more information, visit https://delcowelcomesvets.eventbrite.com/ or call the Delco Veteran Network Team at 484-744-3269.
White Dog Café Glen Mills hosts ‘Paws On The Patio’ book signing yappy hour
Those who always wondered what wine pairs best with a Bichon Frise or a Chihuahua can join Fearless Restaurants Director of Wine and Beverage Michele Gargiulo as she talks about these pooch pairings and more in her first book, “Pairing Paws, Dog Breeds, and their Spirit Wines.” Dog-lovers can join Gargiulo on the patio at White Dog Cafe Glen Mills located at The Shoppes at Brinton Lake, 981 Baltimore Pike, Concord Township, 5-7 p.m. Tuesday, July 19 for the launch of her book. Well-behaved pups are welcome for this yappy hour event. The book explores how to pair the personality and soul of wine with a wellknown dog breed.
Gargiulo pairs her love of wine and dogs to create a fun and informative book. Gargiulo featured many shelter dogs in the book, as well as dogs of coworkers, and plans to donate a portion of the proceeds to local animal shelters as well as to Alpha Bravo Canine, the primary benefactor of Fearless Restaurant’s yearly Dining Out for the Dogs event that takes place at their White Dog Cafe locations in August. Alpha Bravo Canine™ was founded to help the local community of veterans which provides trained service dogs to U.S military veterans suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), and other combat-related disabilities.
Gargiulo previously served as the sommelier of Jean Georges Restaurant at the Four Seasons Philadelphia. She is a Certified Sommelier from the Court of Master Sommeliers, a WSET Diploma student (currently Advanced), a Certified Sake Advisor from the Sake School of America, an Executive Bourbon Steward from the Stave and Thief Society, and a Certified Specialist of Wine from the Society of Wine Educators. She was the beverage director of a restaurant called Savona on the Main Line of Philadelphia for just over four years. She graduated from The Culinary Institute of America, and before that studied Genetics at Rutgers University. She was the Teaching Assistant for the Wines Class at The Culinary Institute of America for a year under Professor Weiss and has taught wine classes at Montgomery Culinary Institute. She was named amongst Philly Mag’s New Faces of Wine in 2017. She is among the youngest Sommeliers in the area, as well as one of the very few females in the industry. She has made her career about making wine more approachable and fun for those who are too intimidated to learn more. She often pairs wine with things that others would not think to, like art, music, feelings, and now, dogs.
Tickets are $50 and include a glass of White Flower by Penns Woods Winery of Chadds Ford, which is featured in the
book, an autographed copy of the book and small bites. Tickets can be purchased at https://www.eventbrite.com/ preview?eid=367717311377/
Swarthmore art exhibit features work of Mary Pax
The Swarthmore Friends of the Arts will present the mixed media artwork by local artist Mary Pax in the exhibit, “Where You Are,” Friday, July 1 through Friday, July 29 at Swarthmore Borough Hall, 121 Park Ave., Swarthmore. The exhibit is free and open to the public. Pax is a mixed media artist who draws inspiration from people and places around her. Most of her original work involves drawing and painting in reverse on clear acrylic panels with Sharpie markers, acrylic, and spray paint. Certain works include collage elements or sparkles of glitter. She has exhibited in various venues in and around Philadelphia, and is a contributor to the Souls Shot Project.
The exhibit’s hours are 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Mon.- Thurs.; 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., Fri.; 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sat.,; and 1-5 p.m. Sun.
Additional information about the artist is available @MaryPaxArtist on Instagram.
Swarthmore Friends of the Arts is the community group responsible for the rotating art exhibits at Swarthmore Borough Hall. For information about Swarthmore Friends of the Arts, visit http:// www.swarthmorearts.org/.