Accelerated Academic Degree Programs

Faculty

VERA CHEREPINSKY, PH.d.
Academic Program Manager, MATHEMATICS

Contact info:

203.591.7353
vcherepinsky@post.edu
Office: Lower Level of Traurig Library

Biography


Academic Background:

Ph.D. in Mathematics, New York University                                           2003
Thesis title: “On Mathematical Aspects of Genomic Analysis”
M.S. in Mathematics, New York University                                            2001
M.S. in Computer Science, Polytechnic University                                1999
B.S. in Mathematics, Summa Cum Laude, Polytechnic University          1998

Teaching Background:

Dr. Cherepinsky holds the position of Post University’s Academic Program Manager for Mathematics.  Prior to starting at Post University, she taught mathematics full-time for eight years at Fairfield University, and taught part-time at New York University and Polytechnic University for the preceding seven years.  Dr. Cherepinsky has taught a wide range of courses at these three universities in various capacities, including introductory mathematics courses, such as pre-calculus, differential, integral, and multidimensional calculus (with audiences ranging from mathematics, engineering, and science majors to liberal art and business majors); courses geared towards more advanced students, such as discrete mathematics, probability, statistics, and advanced calculus (real analysis); some introductory computer science courses; and a senior-level mathematics major Honors Seminar course (“Mathematics of Origami”). In addition, she has given guest lectures in biology courses on the mathematics of genomic analysis, with a focus on biostatistics and elementary probability.

Professional Background:

For the past eight years, Dr. Cherepinsky worked as an Assistant Professor of Mathematics at Fairfield University.  Prior to that, she was a Postdoctoral Associate at Yale University in the Department of Applied Mathematics, a Senior Research Scientist in the Bioinformatics Group at New York University, and a consultant for BioArray Solutions, a biotechnology company located in Warren, NJ.  She holds two patents and has another patent application pending based on this work.

Teaching Philosophy:

The only way to learn mathematics is by doing mathematics.  In her interactions with students, Dr. Cherepinsky emphasizes the need for them to be actively involved in the course, and particularly not to be afraid to ask questions.  She believes that main responsibility of a teacher is not so much to present the material to her students, as it is to assist students in learning the material, using any available tool to get the point across.  Dr. Cherepinsky strives to create a classroom environment in which students can feel comfortable asking questions, as well as failing in their first attempt at solving a problem and trying a different approach.  Finding a way of presenting a concept so that a struggling student “gets” it brings her great joy.  Observing such “light bulb” moments first-hand reminds her why she wanted to be a teacher, and encourages her to continuously strive to become a better one.

Awards:

  • Sokol Postdoctoral Research Fellowship (NYU, 2003)                                                        Financial support for research on a postdoctoral level (one year).
  • Bella Manel Prize (NYU, 2003)                                                                                           Awarded for excellence and promise in mathematics on the graduate level by a woman.
  • Harold Grad Memorial Prize (NYU, 2002)                                                                         Awarded for outstanding performance and promise as a graduate student.
  • Henry Mitchell McCracken Fellowship (NYU, 2001)                                                                          Financial support for doctoral training (three years).
  • National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship (NSF, 1998)                              NSF GRF provides three years of support for the graduate education of individuals who have demonstrated their potential for significant achievements in science and engineering research.
  • Alice T. Schafer Prize Honorable Mention (AWM, 1998)                                                     Awarded by the Association for Women in Mathematics to an undergraduate woman for excellence in mathematics.
  • Outstanding Graduate Award (Polytechnic University, 1998)                                            Presented by the Alumni Association to recognize an outstanding record of involvement, service, and leadership that complements academic excellence.
  • Special Services Golden Apple Award (Polytechnic University, 1998)                                    Teaching award.
  • The Board of Trustee Scholarship (Polytechnic University, 1994)                         Full tuition undergraduate scholarship, four years.

Personal Background:

Dr. Cherepinsky is married to her high school sweetheart, with a very active and curious four-year-old son.  She loves music and playing guitar, and sings with her son on a daily basis.  She is fluent in Russian, is an avid reader of science fiction, and enjoys mathematical puzzles and origami.

Research/Academic Interests:

Dr. Cherepinsky’s research interests are in the areas of biotechnology, computational biology, and bioinformatics, as well as the pedagogy of mathematics.
Publications:

  • V. Cherepinsky. “Self-reflective Grading: Getting Students to Learn from their Mistakes.” PRIMUS / Journal of Problems, Resources, and Issues in Mathematics Undergraduate Studies 21 (3): 294–301 (2011)
  • V. Cherepinsky, G. Hashmi, and B. Mishra. “Competitive Hybridization Models.” Physical Review E 82, 051914–051930 (2010)
  • V. Cherepinsky, J. Feng, M. Rejali, and B. Mishra. “Shrinkage-Based Similarity Metric for Cluster Analysis of Microarray Data.” Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 100(17), 9668-9673 (2003)
  • B. Mishra, R. Daruwala, Y. Zhou, N. Ugel, A. Policriti, M. Antoniotti, S. Paxia, M. Rejali, A. Rudra, V. Cherepinsky et al. “A Sense of Life: Computational & Experimental Investigations with Models of Biochemical & Evolutionary Processes.” OMICS: A Journal of Integrative Biology 7(3), 253–268 (2003).

Patents:

  • “Methods, software arrangements, storage media, and systems for genotyping or haplotyping polymorphic genetic loci or strain identification.” US Patent 7,917,297 issued March 29, 2011.                                  Inventors: Vera Cherepinsky, Bud Mishra
  • “Method of probe design for nucleic acid analysis by multiplexed hybridization.”  US Patent 7,858,301 issued December 28, 2010. Inventors: Vera Cherepinsky, Bud Mishra, Ghazala Hashmi, Michael Seul
  • “Methods, software arrangements, storage media, and systems for providing a shrinkage-based similarity metric.” US Patent Application 20070078606 filed April 23, 2004. Inventors: Vera Cherepinsky, Jiawu Feng, Marc Rejali, Bud Mishra

Professional Memberships:

  • Mathematical Association of America (MAA)
  • Society of Industrial and Applied Mathematics (SIAM)
  • Association for Women in Mathematics (AWM)