10 questions for mathematics professor Kenneth Roblee

(CONTRIBUTED/ Kenneth Roblee)

Kenneth Roblee is a professor of Mathematics and the chair of the Department of Mathematics. He joined Troy University in 2004.

Rakshak Adhikari

I like the university because I like working here. It is not a job that I dread going to which is the draw that has kept me here. I have met a lot of great people here as well. The city is pretty great, too, and has done a lot to improve the quality of life.

There have been a lot of changes in the past decade or so. We have had a lot of new infrastructure on campus. There are a lot of new buildings, as well as parking lots. When I first came in, there was a horseshoe-shaped parking lot where the main quad is now.

In terms of the Department of Mathematics, it used to be the Department of Mathematics, Physics, Geomatics and Computer Science -- all of which have grown and now are departments on their own. We have started the annual math conference called Math Fest and also the math honor society.

Maybe once a month get a Monday off. Every now and then we joke about these. We could definitely get used to four-day work weeks.

My field of expertise is graph theory. In simple terms, it deals with configuration of dots and lines and their application in mathematics and elsewhere. I was influenced by my advisor in graduate school who was a good teacher, as well as a good salesman who sold me the idea of pursuing graph theory. I first took a course with him and then later decided to pursue my Ph.D. in graph theory, and 19 years later I still enjoy it.

That is a difficult one. I would say teaching because with teaching you get to have an effect on someone’s education, which is a big deal. Sometimes with classes, like Senior Seminar, research and teaching go hand-in-hand.

I think Calculus I is the class I enjoy teaching the most. It is the beginning of a three-semester sequence in calculus, and for most students it is not just the bridge to calculus but to their first college-level math class. I almost feel like a tour guide of a museum introducing it to the students while appreciating the big concepts in calculus.

We are working on starting a Master of Science program in Mathematics with concentrations in discrete math and statistics. It will be a very unique program, and if everything goes as planned we will begin as early as Fall 2021.

As a chair you get to work with many people in the department in helping resolve issues that may arise. I don’t know if this is a perk, but you are ultimately responsible for a lot of things in your department. Other than that, seeing students grow academically and get into different opportunities is a perk.

I would say Microsoft because I have not had much experience with Apple.

I like sour candy, so I am going to go with Skittles.