JACOB P.

DUNCAN
Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Utah State University, Logan, UT 84321
(507) 202 3809  jacob.duncan@aggiemail.usu.edu

EDUCATION
Utah State University, Logan, UT
Ph.D Candidate, Mathematics

Defense scheduled November 2015

Dissertation: A spatiotemporal mountain pine beetle outbreak model:

predicting severity, cycle period, and invasion speed
Advisor: James Powell (Applied Mathematics/Mathematical Biology)
Committee Members: Nghiem Nguyen (Nonlinear Waves)
Barbara Bentz (Forest Ecology and Entomology)
Minnesota State University, Mankato, MN
M.A. Mathematics

2010

Thesis: Ordinals and cardinals: An overview of properties and arithmetic

Advisor: Namyong Lee
Metropolitan State University, Saint Paul, MN
B.S. Applied Mathematics, Honors

2006

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Graduate Teaching Assistant/Tutor

August 2012 - Present

Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Utah State University, Logan, UT

Instructor of record for college algebra, calculus I, and calculus II
Math/Stats tutor in Academic Resource Center
Graduate Research Assistant

Summer and Fall 2014, Summer 2015

Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Utah State University, Logan, UT

Funded by National Science Foundation and USDA Forest Service grants
Mentors: James Powell and Barbara Bentz
Community Faculty Mathematics Instructor/Tutor

December 2010 - July 2012

Metropolitan State University, Saint Paul, MN

Instructor of record for college algebra, statistics and calculus I
Math/Stats Tutor in Center for Academic Excellence
Graduate Teaching Assistant
Minnesota State University, Mankato, MN
Instructor of record for college algebra

August 2007 - May 2010

 Recitation leader for intermediate algebra

Metropolitan State University, Saint Paul, MN

August 2003 - July 2007

Undergraduate/Graduate Mathematics Tutor

AWARDS AND HONORS
Graduate Teacher of the Year
Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Utah State University

2015

Graduate Student Leadership Award

Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Utah State University
(nominated by students and faculty)

2014

Eagle Scout Award

1998

PUBLICATIONS
1. Duncan JP, Powell JA, Gordillo LF, Eason J. 2015. A model for mountain pine beetle outbreaks
in an age structured forest: predicting severity and outbreak-recovery cycle period. Bulletin of
Mathematical Biology 77(7):1-29
MANUSCRIPTS IN REVIEW
1. Duncan JP, Powell JA. Analytic approximation of invasion wave amplitude predicts severity of
insect outbreaks. SIAM Journal on Applied Mathematics (Submitted September 2015).
2. Bentz BJ, Duncan JP, Powell JA. Predicting thermal refugia from mountain pine beetle outbreaks
in a changing climate: A case study in the US northern Rocky Mountains. Forestry (Submitted June
2015).
MANUSCRIPTS IN PREPARATION
1. Duncan JP, Nydegger R, Powell JA. Modelling the spread of invasive phragmites. (Target submission: Landscape Ecology, January 2016)
FUNDING
Research Assistantships (three)
Funding provided by National Science Foundation and USDA Forest Service grants
Award amount of $15,000.00

2014/2015

Utah State University School of Graduate Studies and Research Travel Grants
Award amount of $1000.00

2014/2015

Society of Industrial and Applied Mathematics (SIAM)

Travel Grant for the 8th International Congress of Industrial and
Applied Mathematics (ICIAM)
Award amount of $2000.00

2015

SIAM Travel Grant for Conference on Applications of Dynamical Systems

Award amount of $650.00

2015

SIAM Travel Grant for Conference on the Life Sciences

Award amount of $650.00

2014

SIAM Travel Grant for Annual Meeting

Award amount of $500.00

2014

CONTRIBUTED TALKS
1. Spatiotemporal IDE model predicts invasion rate and outbreak severity of mountain pine beetle
epidemics The 8th International Congress on Industrial and Applied Mathematics (ICIAM), Beijing,
China, August 2015.
2. A model for mountain pine beetle outbreaks in an age structured forest: Approximating severity and
outbreak-recovery cycle period SIAM Conference on Applications of Dynamical Systems, Snowbird,
Utah, May 2015.
3. Predicting severity and periodicity of mountain pine beetle outbreaks: An age structured forest
demographic model with temperature dependent MPB infestation, Mathematical Association of
America (MAA) Intermountain Conference, Orem, Utah, March 2014.
POSTERS
1. Predicting invasion rates of Phragmites australis, Society for Mathematical Biology Conference,
Atlanta, Georgia, July 2015.
2. Predicting severity and periodicity of mountain pine beetle outbreaks, SIAM Life Sciences Conference, Charlotte, North Carolina, August 2014.
MENTORING EXPERIENCE
Graduate Student Research Mentor - Rachel Nydegger

2014 - Present

Co-mentored with James Powell

Poster: Predicting invasion rates of Phragmites australis
Presented at 2015 Annual Meeting of the Society for Mathematical Biology
Co-mentor in USU Mathematical Biology Lab
(graduate and undergraduate students)
Undergraduate Student Research Mentor - Ethan Williams

2013 - Present
Spring 2014

Co-mentored with Brynja Kohler

Modeling stretch-reflex motoneuron pools and clonus
Manuscript in preparation
Undergraduate Student Research Mentor - Timothy Schaefer

Spring 2009

Co-mentored with Namyong Lee

Poster: Synchronization of coupled oscillators in space: A modified Kuramoto model
Presented at Undergraduate Research Conference 2009,
Minnesota State University, Mankato, MN
PROFESSIONAL SERVICE
President, Utah State University SIAM Student Chapter
Vice President, Utah State University SIAM Student Chapter

January 2015 - present

January 2014 - January 2015

Member, Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics

2013 - present

Member, Society for Mathematical Biology

2013 - present

Manuscript Reviewer, Bulletin of Mathematical Biology.

2015