Welcome to the Homepage for

Kevin N. Vander Meulen
Professor of Mathematics
Department of Mathematics
Redeemer University College
tel: 905-648-2131 x4238
e-mail: kvanderm@redeemer.ca

[ Education | Teaching | Research | Publications | Presentations ]
Education
  • B.Sc.(Hon.), Calvin College, Grand Rapids, Michigan
  • M.Sc., Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario: "Induced Subgraphs of Kneser Graphs"
  • Ph.D., Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario: "Covers and Decompositions of Graphs by Complete Multipartite Subraphs"
Teaching
During the academic year 2011/12, I am scheduled to teach:
Fall semester
  • MAT 121: Calculus I
  • MAT 126: Introductory Linear Algebra
  • MAT 321: Modern Geometry
Winter Semester
  • MAT 103: History of Mathematics
  • MAT 217/CSC 217: Discrete Mathematics
  • MAT 336: Advanced Linear Algebra
Research
I particularly enjoy having students participate in research with me. My research interests include:
  • linear algebra: combinatorial matrix analysis, sign patterns, inertia
  • graph theory: decomposition problems, eigenvalue problems
  • history of mathematics
Publications
Bold names are students who have participated in summer undergraduate student research projects sponsored by NSERC's Undergraduate Student Research Awards program.
  • Natalie Campbell, K. Vander Meulen, and A. van Tuyl, "Structure of nilpotent matrices over fields," Electronic Journal of Linear Algebra , Vol. 22 (2011), pp. 931-958.
  • Hannah Bergsma, K. Vander Meulen, and A. van Tuyl, "Potentially nilpotent patterns and the nilpotent-Jacobian method," Linear Algebra and its Applications (2011), doi:10.1016/j.laa.2011.05.017.
  • J. Bradley, R. Howell, and K. Vander Meulen, " Ontology " in J. Bradley and R. Howell (eds.) Mathematics Through the Eyes of Faith, HarperOne, 2011.
  • K. Vander Meulen and A. van Tuyl, " Zero-nonzero patterns for nilpotent matrices over finite fields ," Electronic Journal of Linear Algebra, Vol. 18 (2009), pp. 628-648.
  • M.S. Cavers, K. Vander Meulen and Loretta Vanderspek, "Sparse inertially arbitrary patterns," Linear Algebra and its Applications, Vol. 431 (2009), pp. 2024-2034.
  • I.-J. Kim, B. Shader, P. van den Driessche, H. van der Holst, and K. Vander Meulen, "Generating potentially nilpotent full sign patterns," Electronic Journal of Linear Algebra, Vol. 18 (2009), pp. 162-175.
  • AIM minimum rank - special graphs work group, "Zero forcing sets and the minimum rank of graphs." Linear Algebra and its Applications, Vol. 428(7) (2008), pp. 1628-1648. Special graphs work group members: F. Barioli, W. Barrett, S. Butler, S. Cioaba, D. Cvetkovic, S. Fallat, C. Godsil, W. Haemers, L. Hogben, R. Mikkelson, S. Narayan, O. Pryporova, I. Sciriha, W. So, D. Stevanovic, H. van der Holst, K. Vander Meulen and A. Wangsness.
  • M.S. Cavers, R.J. Elzinga, D.A. Gregory, Sarah Vanderlinde, K. Vander Meulen, "Clique partitions of distance multigraphs," Discrete Mathematics, Vol. 308(15) (2008), pp. 3230-3240.
  • Michael S. Cavers and K. Vander Meulen, "Inertially arbitrary nonzero patterns of order 4," Electronic Journal of Linear Algebra, Vol. 16 (2007), pp. 30-43
  • L. DeAlba, I.R. Hentzel, L. Hogben, J. McDonald, R. Mikkelson, O. Pryporova, B. Shader, K. Vander Meulen, "Spectrally arbitrary patterns: reducibility and the 2n conjecture for n=5," Linear Algebra and its Applications, Vol. 423 (2007), pp. 262-276.
  • Michael Cavers, In-Jae Kim, Bryan Shader, and K. Vander Meulen, "On determining minimal spectrally arbitrary patterns," Electronic Journal of Linear Algebra, Vol. 13 (2005), 240-248
  • Michael S. Cavers and K. Vander Meulen, "Spectrally and inertially arbitrary sign patterns," Linear Algebra and its Applications, Vol. 394 (2005), 53-72.
  • Randall J. Elzinga, D.A. Gregory, and K. Vander Meulen, "Addressing the Petersen graph," Discrete Mathematics, Vol. 286 (2004), 241-244.
  • Katrina J. Geertsema and K. Vander Meulen, "Decompositions of complete multigraphs derived from Hadamard matrices," Journal of Combinatorial Theory- A , Vol. 103 (2003), 17-26.
  • D.A. Gregory, Brenda Heyink, and K. Vander Meulen, "Inertia and biclique decompositions of joins of graphs," Journal of Combinatorial Theory- B , Vol. 88 (2003), 135-151.
  • D.A. Gregory and K. Vander Meulen, "Decompositions of complete multigraphs related to Hadamard matrices," Journal of Combinatorial Theory- A, Vol 82, No.2 (1998), 158-167.
  • D.A. Gregory, B. Shader, and K. Vander Meulen, "Skew-rank decompositions," Linear Algebra and its Applications Vol. 244 (1996), 123-154.
  • D.A. Gregory, and K. Vander Meulen, "Sharp bounds for decompositions of graphs into complete r-partite subgraphs," Journal of Graph Theory, Vol.21, No.4 (1996), 393-400.
  • D.A. Gregory, B. Shader, and K. Vander Meulen, "Rank decompositions and signed bigraphs," Linear and Multilinear Algebra, Vol.40, No.4 (1996), 283-302.
  • S. Monson, R. Rees, and K. Vander Meulen, "Clique coverings and maximal-clique partitions: An example," Journal of Combinatorial Mathematics and Combinatorial Computing Vol. 16 (1994), 61-63.
Recent Presentations
  • "Index of nilpotent matrices and the nilpotent-Jacobian method," Session on Combinatorial Matrix Theory, Canadian Mathematical Society Summer Meeting, Edmonton, AB, June 3, 2011.
  • "Mathematics as a Language," inaugural address, Redeemer University College, March 11, 2011.
  • "Structure of nilpotent matrices," Western Canada Linear Algebra Meeting, Banff AB, May 8, 2011.
  • "Nilpotent zero-nonzero patterns over finite fields," Minisymposium on Spectral Properties of Sign and Zero-Nonzero Patterns, SIAM Conference on Applied Linear Algebra, Monterey CA, October 28, 2009.
  • "Historical Perspectives on Probability," 17th Biennial Conference of the ACMS, Wheaton College, Wheaton, Il, May 27-30, 2009.
  • "Potentially Nilpotent Full Sign Patterns," AMS Special Session on Spectra of Matrix Patterns and Applications to Dynamical Systems, 2009 Joint Mathematics Meetings, Washington D.C., January 6-8, 2009.
  • "Probability Through the Eyes of Faith," OCSTA (Ontario Christian School Teachers Association) Convention, Redeemer University College, October 24, 2008.
  • "Sparse Inertially Arbitrary Sign Patterns," Minisymposium on Combinatorial Matrix Theory, 15th ILAS (International Linear Algebra Society) Conference, Mexico, June 16-20, 2008.
  • "Sparse Inertially Arbitrary Sign Patterns," Quantum Information and Geometric Statistics Seminar, University of Guelph, ON, February 12, 2008.
  • "Spectrally Arbitrary Sign Patterns," Faculty Colloquium, Central Michigan University, Mount Pleasant, MI, April 26, 2007
  • "Imaginary Mathematics [History and Application of Complex Numbers]," OCSTA Annual Convention, Redeemer University College, Nov. 4, 2005.
  • "Faithful Mathematics [Implications of Abstraction]," OCSTA Annual Convention, Redeemer University College, Nov. 3, 2005.
  • "On Determining Minimally Spectrally Arbitrary Patterns," AMS (American Mathematical Society) Sectional Meeting, University of Nebraska, Oct. 21, 2005.
  • "Partitions of Distance Graphs by Cliques," Linear Algebra, Graph Theory and Combinatorics Conference, University of Wisconsin - Madison, April 29, 2005.
  • "Clique Partitions of Distance Graphs," Ottawa - Carleton Combinatorics and Optimization Seminar, Carleton University, Jan. 25, 2005.
  • "Inertially Arbitrary Matrices," Queen's - Royal Military College Discrete Mathematics Seminar, Queen's University, Aug. 12, 2004.
  • "On Biclique Partitions and Related Matrices," Directions in Combinatorial Matrix Theory Workshop, Banff International Research Station, May 7, 2004.
  • "Spectrally and Inertially Arbitrary Matrix Patterns," ILAS International Conference on Matrix Analysis and Applications, Nova Southeastern University, December, 2003.
  • "The Amazing Applicability of Mathematics: Is God a Mathematician?" Brock Campus Ministries, Brock University, Nov. 21, 2003.
  • "Mathematics, Stranger Than it Used to be: Mathematical Contributions to Postmodernity," 14th Biennial Conference of the ACMS (Association for Christians in the Mathematical Sciences), Point Loma Nazerene University, May 30, 2003.
  • "Neighbourly Cubes, Hadamard Matrices and Graph Decompositions," CMS (Canadian Mathematical Society) Summer Meeting, Université Laval, June, 2002.
Last Updated: October 2011