The Mathematics Program at Southwest Minnesota State University will host the inaugural STEM Symposium 6-7 p.m. Friday, April 25, in the Upper Conference Center. The STEM Symposium Series will to celebrate science, technology, engineering, and mathematics fields.

The symposium will feature keynote speaker, Dr. Trachette Jackson, associate vice president for Research, DEI Initiatives, and University Diversity and Social Transformation at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. The topic of her keynote is “Mobilizing Mathematics for the Fight Against Cancer.” Dr. Jackson is also a professor in the Department of Mathematics in the College of Literature, Science, and the Arts at the University of Michigan teaching courses like Mathematical Modeling in Biology.

“In my work in mathematical oncology, one of the most exciting areas currently being explored is personalized medicine. We are just beginning to scratch the surface of this field, but it is right on the horizon. We can develop computational and mathematical models that describe an individual’s molecular biology and genetics,” Jackson said. “These models can be trained and calibrated using patient-specific data, allowing us to run simulations of various treatment options and protocols for cancer before administering any drugs. This helps us determine how a patient’s unique physiology, genetics, and biology will respond to different treatments.”

She was born in Louisiana into an Air Force family, so she moved often, but settled in Mesa, Arizona when she was 12 years old. She was always interested in math, but the spark ignited when she attended the Math-Science Honors Program (MSHP, now part of the SUMS Institute) at Arizona State University (ASU) as a high school junior, which she credits with starting her on her mathematical career.

In her faculty bio, she states: “the MSHP extended to me an invitation to join the discipline. This was critical. I didn’t know that I was welcome or wanted until I was, for the very first time, encouraged to embrace the discipline. The experience gave me the confidence to believe that I could contribute to the field of mathematics. The program taught me about commitment, self-discipline, and perseverance.”

“I believe STEM is the future, and we have to be a part of that future. People from underrepresented backgrounds like mine have an opportunity to disrupt the space and to bring new energy, new ideas, new insights, and new ways of thinking to a space that’s been moving along at the same pace in the same way for decades upon decades. And we can be that disruptive innovation and catalyst for moving the field forward in all STEM fields,” she said.

The SMSU STEM Symposium series was created to feature a nationally recognized speaker from one of the STEM disciplines to present their research, make the topics accessible, spark interest in the STEM fields, and to break down barriers to careers.

The symposium is free and open to the public. Funding for the STEM Symposium is provided in part by the SMSU Foundation.

In addition to the evening keynote, Jackson will meet with area high school and SMSU students during sessions earlier in the day.