Veselin Jungić

Veselin Jungić
Born	(1955-06-12) June 12, 1955 (age 69)
Alma mater	University of Sarajevo (BS) University of Zagreb (MS) Simon Fraser University (Ph.D.)
Scientific career
Fields	Mathematics
Institutions	Simon Fraser University
Doctoral advisor	Tom Brown

Veselin Jungić (born June 12, 1955) is a Canadian mathematician who is a teaching professor of mathematics at the Simon Fraser University, in its Department of Mathematics. His research interests are in Ramsey theory and mathematical education.

Early life and education

Veselin Jungić was born in the city of Banja Luka in former Yugoslavia and completed his undergraduate degree in mathematics at the University of Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, earning a Bachelor of Science in 1977. He then pursued a master's degree in mathematics at the Faculty of Science, University of Zagreb in Croatia. In 1992, Jungić and his family moved to Vancouver, British Columbia, to escape the Bosnian War. He continued his academic journey in mathematics, earning his Ph.D. in 1999 from Simon Fraser University under the supervision of Tom Brown. His Ph.D. thesis was titled Elementary, Topological, and Experimental Approaches to the Family of Large Sets.^[1]

Career and research

After completing his Ph.D., Jungić began his academic career in Canada as a Postdoctoral Fellow in the Department of Mathematics at the University of British Columbia under the supervision of David William Boyd. From 2001 to 2006, he served as a lecturer at Simon Fraser University's Department of Mathematics. In 2007, he was promoted to Senior Lecturer in the same department. In 2015, Jungić was appointed as a Teaching Professor at Simon Fraser University, a position he continues to hold.

Jungić's academic research primarily focuses on Ramsey Theory. In one of his early papers, Rainbow Arithmetic Progressions and Anti-Ramsey Results,^[2] Jungić and a group of researchers explored rainbow Ramsey Theory, investigating the existence of rainbow arithmetic progressions, where each element is a distinct color. The paper demonstrates that any 3-coloring of the natural numbers, with each color appearing at least 1/6 of the time, must contain a 3-term rainbow arithmetic progression. The study extends these findings to similar colorings of the integers and discusses the broader implications for anti-Ramsey theory.^[3][4]

Jungić has also written numerous papers and articles aimed at promoting Ramsey Theory to a broader audience within the mathematical community.^{[5][6][7][8][9]}

In addition, Jungić has contributed extensively to Crux Mathematicorum, authoring articles that present problems, examples, and notes on topics such as the Hales-Jewett Theorem,^[10][11] Ramsey Theorem,^[12][13] the chromatic number of the plane problem,^[14][15] and van der Waerden's Theorem.^[16][17]

Jungić's research also encompasses a broad range of educational initiatives, with a focus on innovative teaching strategies and experimental mathematics. His work in large-class pedagogy addresses the challenges faced by both students and instructors, emphasizing the importance of building dialogue and mutual trust in such environments.^[18] He has also explored experimental mathematics, using dynamic visual models to bridge ancient ideas with modern technologies, offering fresh insights into mathematical education.^[19][20][21]

Math Catcher Outreach program

Since its inception in 2011, the Math Catcher Outreach program, developed by Jungić, has aimed to promote mathematics among elementary and high school students by demonstrating its relevance in everyday life and decision-making. The program places a strong emphasis on Indigenous education, creating learning resources in various First Nations languages.^[22] It includes original stories, problem-solving activities, and hands-on tasks, ensuring that math education is enjoyable, inclusive, and culturally relevant for young learners. Map of the places visited by the Math Catcher Outreach Program

Awards and honours

Veselin Jungić was inducted into the Canadian Mathematical Society's 2021 Class of Fellows, recognizing his significant contributions to mathematics education, research, and service within the Canadian mathematical community. This Fellowship honors members who have demonstrated excellence in their field and provided distinguished service to Canada's mathematical community, highlighting Jungić's ongoing commitment to advancing mathematics education.

In 2020, Veselin Jungić received the Adrien Pouliot Award^[23] for his outstanding contributions to mathematics education, particularly through his leadership in the Math Catcher Outreach Program and initiatives that enhance learning experiences for Canadian post-secondary students. He co-organizes the Teaching Matters Seminar Series^[24] at Simon Fraser University and collaborates on educational initiatives like the "First Year Math and Stats in Canada"^[25][26] program.

In 2015, Veselin Jungić was awarded the 3M National Teaching Fellowship, a highly respected recognition for excellence in educational leadership and teaching at the university and college level. Conferred by the Society for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education (STLHE), this Fellowship acknowledges Dr. Jungić's exceptional contributions to teaching and learning in Canadian post-secondary education. As a recipient, Jungić became a member of the STLHE Council of Fellows, joining a distinguished group of educators committed to advancing the quality of education in Canada.^[27]

Veselin Jungić was awarded the 2012 CMS Excellence in Teaching Award^[28] for his innovative contributions to undergraduate mathematics education at Simon Fraser University. His pioneering use of online tools in large calculus classes, along with his dedication to student success and integration of Indigenous culture into mathematics education, underscores his effectiveness as an educator.

In 2011, Veselin Jungić received the PIMS Education Prize from the Pacific Institute for the Mathematical Sciences^[29] for his role in enhancing public awareness and appreciation of mathematics. His contributions include leading educational programs like "Taste of Pi^[30]" for high school students, mentoring Indigenous students, and creating the animated film "Small Number Counts to 100,^[31]" which integrates Indigenous storytelling into mathematics lessons.

Other publications

In 2023, Veselin Jungić published Basics of Ramsey Theory,^[32] an introductory textbook aimed at undergraduate students. The book is designed to introduce readers to Ramsey theory, a mathematical field at the intersection of number theory and combinatorics.

In the same year, Jungic co-authored a textbook on differential calculus with Petra Menz and Randall Pyke, both from Simon Fraser University. The book offers over 900 problems covering key topics like limits, continuity, derivatives, and their applications, including optimization and curve sketching.

Veselin Jungić is the creator and producer of the podcast No Strangers At This Party, which celebrates Ramsey theory and the mathematicians working in this vibrant field. The podcast features interviews with contemporary mathematicians who are actively engaged in Ramsey theory, discussing their early experiences with mathematics, their academic journeys, and their perspectives on Ramsey theory and mathematics as a whole.^[33]

Jungić has contributed several writings addressing key issues in education, including the significance of mathematics, personal academic challenges, and the impact of academic dishonesty. Through a combination of personal reflection and professional insight, these works highlight the importance of integrity, perseverance, and the role of mathematics in developing critical thinking skills. His writings advocate for a deeper understanding of the educational process and the promotion of academic honesty.^{[34][35][36][37]}

References

1. Jungić, Veselin (1999). Elementary, Topological, and Experimental Approaches to the family of Large Sets (PhD thesis). ISBN 978-0-612-51878-0. ProQuest 304561478 – via ProQuest.
2. Jungić, V; Licht, J; Mahdian, M; Nesetril, J; Radoicic, R (2023). "Rainbow Arithmetic Progressions and Anti-Ramsey Results". Combinatorics, Probability and Computing. 12 (5–6). Cambridge University Press: 599–620. doi:10.1017/S096354830300587X.
3. Jungić, Veselin; Nešetřil, Jaroslav; Radoičić, Radoš (2005). "Rainbow Ramsey Theory" (PDF). Integers: Electronic Journal of Combinatorial Number Theory. 5 (2). doi:10.5281/zenodo.7948593.
4. Landman, Bruce M.; Robertson, Aaron (2014). Ramsey Theory on the Integers (2nd ed.). American Mathematical Society. ISBN 978-0-8218-9867-3.
5. Singh, K.; Mei, J.B.; Jungić, V (January 2022). "Life of a Working Ramsey Theorist: Conversation With Tom C. Brown". Journal of Humanistic Mathematics. 12 (1): 399–407. doi:10.5642/jhummath.202201.30.
6. Jungić, V. (10 Mar 2023). "Still Spinning: The Moser Spindle at Sixty". Mathematics Magazine. 96 (2): 157–162. doi:10.1080/0025570X.2023.2176684.
7. Blanck, N.; Jungić, V. (12 Mar 2024). "A Threading Path to a Ramsey Number". The Journal of Mathematics and Arts: 1–14. doi:10.1080/17513472.2024.2321562.
8. Jungić, Veselin (2023). "The Never-Ending Happiness of Paul Erdős's Mathematics". Math Intelligencer. 46: 33–41. doi:10.1007/s00283-023-10267-5.
9. Jungić, Ozren; Jungić, Veselin (2015). "F. P. Ramsey: The Theory, the Myth, and the Mirror". Math Intelligencer. 37 (3–7): 3–7. doi:10.1007/s00283-014-9508-7.
10. Jungić, Veselin (2023). "Hales-Jewett theorem through examples and exercises: Part I". Crux Mathematicorum. 49 (4): 206–212 – via Canadian Mathematical Society.
11. Jungić, Veselin (2023). "Hales-Jewett theorem through examples and exercises: Part II". Crux Mathematicorum. 49 (6). Canadian Mathematical Society: 313–321.
12. Jungić, Veselin (2014). "Ramsey's Theorem Through Examples, Exercises, and Problems: Part I". Crux Mathematicorum. 40 (2). Canadian Mathematical Society: 65–69.
13. Jungić, Veselin (2014). "Ramsey's Theorem Through Examples, Exercises, and Problems: Part II". Crux Mathematicorum. 40 (4). Canadian Mathematical Society: 157–160.
14. Jungić, Veselin (2020). "An introduction of the problem of finding the chromatic number of the plane (I)". Crux Mathematicorum. 46 (8). Canadian Mathematical Society: 390–396.
15. Jungić, Veselin (2021). "An introduction of the problem of finding the chromatic number of the plane (II)". Crux Mathematicorum. 47 (8). Canadian Mathematical Society: 384–391.
16. Jungić, Veselin (2022). "An introduction of van der Waerden's theorem (I)". Crux Mathematicorum. 48 (7). Canadian Mathematical Society: 412–420.
17. Jungić, Veselin (2022). "An introduction of van der Waerden's theorem (II)". Crux Mathematicorum. 48 (8). Canadian Mathematical Society: 468–476.
18. Jungić, Veselin (2018). "Strategies for teaching large classes effectively in higher education". In Golding, J. M.; Kern, K.; Rawn, C. (eds.). Students and Instructors in Large Classes: Building Dialogue and Mutual Trust.
19. Jungić, Veselin; Jungić, D. (2020). "From analysis to visualization: A celebration of the life and legacy of Jonathan M. Borwein". In Bailey, D. H.; Borwein, N.; Brent, R. P.; Burachik, R. S.; Osborn, J.-A.; Sims, B.; Zhu, Q. (eds.). Dynamic Visual Models: Ancient Ideas and New Technologies. Springer Proceedings in Mathematics & Statistics. Vol. 313. Springer. pp. 189–201. doi:10.1007/978-3-030-36568-4. ISBN 978-3-030-36567-7.
20. "Adventures of Small Number". www.sfu.ca. Retrieved 2024-09-09.
21. Jungić, Veselin (2022). "Math Catcher Outreach Program" (PDF). Notices of the American Mathematical Society. 69 (8): 1369–1375.
22. Jungić, Veselin; MacLean, Mark (2010). "Adventures of Small Number: A collection of short stories".
23. "Veselin Jungic Receives the 2020 Adrien Pouliot Award". Canadian Mathematical Society. July 3, 2020.
24. "Teaching Matters Seminar Series: CEE What We're All About: A Conversation with Elizabeth Elle and the Centre for Educational Excellence Leadership Team". Simon Fraser University. October 28, 2019.
25. Burazin, Andie; Jungić, Veselin; Lovrić, Miroslav (2020). "Three Countries, Two Continents: Common Challenges and Opportunities in Teaching First-Year Mathematics" (PDF). Notices of the American Mathematical Society. 67 (1): 64–67.
26. "First-Year Math & Stats in Canada". FYMSiC. Retrieved August 29, 2024.
27. "Council of National Fellows for Excellence in Teaching and Learning". Society for Teaching and Learning in Higher Education. Retrieved Aug 29, 2024.
28. "BC Professor Recognized as Exceptional Math Educator: Veselin Jungic to Receive the 2012 CMS Excellence in Teaching Award". Canadian Mathematical Society. Feb 21, 2012.
29. "SFU's Veselin Jungic awarded 2011 PIMS Education Prize". Pacific Institute for the Mathematical Sciences. March 29, 2011.
30. Jungić, Veselin. "A Taste Of Pi - Talks and Activities for High School Students". Retrieved August 29, 2024.
31. Jungić, Veselin; MacLean, Mark; Roy, Simon. "Small Number Counts to 100". Retrieved August 29, 2024.
32. Jungić, Veselin (2023). Basics of Ramsey Theory (1st ed.). New York: Chapman and Hall/CRC. pp. 1–238. doi:10.1201/9781003286370. ISBN 9781003286370.
33. Jungić, Veselin (November 2024). "No Strangers at This Party". American Mathematical Society. 71 (10).
34. Burazin, A.; Jungić, V.; Lovrić, M. (September 2020). "Let them cheat: Why it's tempting for college and university instructors to look the other way". CBC News.
35. Jungić, Veselin (September 2019). "Math, a necessary subject - Interview, by Harry Jing". The Source.
36. Jungić, Veselin (2019). "My experience as a 'dumb' student". University Affairs.
37. Jungić, Veselin (January 2020). "A math teacher's plea: Let's keep pi irrational". The Conversation.