Dr. Daniel M Look

I received my PhD from Boston University in 2005 working under Robert L. Devaney. I work in an area of mathematics called Complex Dynamics. This area studies the behavior of iterated functions of the complex plane. Essentially, I try to discover the long-term behavior of points that are run through a feedback loop of sorts. This often involves studying the Julia set for a function, where the Julia set is a (usually very stunning) fractal picture that acts as a type of graph. In terms of teaching, my dream class is one where no student is afraid to ask questions and all students feel challenged, yet not overwhelmed, by the material. I do my best with each class I teach to create such an environment. 

Recent Activity:

Dr. Look’s updated CV can be found on his personal webpage.

Current Research:

I am currently working on a few research projects. In the field of Complex Dynamics I am looking at the dynamics of perturbed complex polynomials as well as a map derived from a form of multiple circle inversion in the complex plane. Outside of Complex Dynamics I have research involving text mining and stylometry (a mathematical/statistical study of linguistic style) as well as the use of mathematics in comic books and other pop culture media.

Publications:

Math Cats: Scratching the Surface of Mathematical Concepts, First edition, Running Press, Hachette Book Group, New York, 2025
French translation: Le theoreme du chat: Apprivoisez (enfin) les maths grace a vos felins preferes (translation by Antoine Houlou-Garcia), Albin Michel, Paris, 2026

"Sequence of complex radius values that yield capture Sierpiński curve Julia sets for n-circle inversion", Topology Proceedings, Vol. 64, 2024

Additional Contributions to Mathematics and Popular Culture:

• 2024: Wrote a review of "Intersections between boundaries of bounded hyperbolic components of cubic polynomials" by Qui and Wang (Math. Z. 305 (2023), no. 4, Paper No. 55) for the American Mathematical Society’s Mathematics Review
• 2024: Co-PI on a successfully funded MAA Tensor Grant to host Math and Everything: Inspiring College Math Study in Women High School Students in Northern NY at St. Lawrence University (bringing ~200 high school women to campus for mathematical programming).
• 2023-Present: Area Co-Chair for the Pulp Studies section of the national PCA Conference
• 2023-Present: MAA Seaway Section Randolph Lecture Committee (Chair)

Talks & Workshops:

April 17-18, 2026: MAA Seaway Section, St. John Fisher University, Rochester, NY   
Talk: What "Math Cats" Taught Me About Explaining Math to Humans

April 8-11, 2026: Joint Meeting of the PCA/ACA, Atlanta, GA
Talk: Conan by Committee: A Computational Look at Tor's Conan Era (joint with Jonas Prida, Notre Dame University of Maryland)

January 4-8, 2026: Joint Mathematics Meeting, Washington, D.C.  
Invited Panelist for special session Perspectives on Implementing Alternative Grading

January 4-8, 2026: Joint Mathematics Meeting, Washington, D.C.  
Talk: Ditch Grading Everything: An Assessment Strategy for Growth, Proficiency, and Communication in Upper Level Undergraduate Courses

January 4-8, 2026: Joint Mathematics Meeting, Washington, D.C.   
Talk: Math and Social Justice  (joint with Patti Frazer Lock, St. Lawrence University)

June 12, 2025: The Grading Conference, Online 
Talk: From Napkin Math to Conference Talks: Assessments for Growth, Mastery, and Communication in Upper Level Mathematics Courses

April 16-19, 2025: Joint Meeting of the PCA/ACA, New Orleans, LA  
Talk: Stylometry and Psychohistory: Text Mining the Novels comprising Asimov's Foundation Universe

March 28-29, 2025: MAA Seaway Section, SUNY Oneonta 
Talk: Of Robots and Writers

Awards:

2025 – J. Calvin Keene Award – Given to a St. Lawrence University faculty member in recognition of high standards of personal scholarship, effective teaching and moral concerns

2025 – Owen D. Young Outstanding  Faculty Award recipient and Last Lecture speaker – Selected by the 2025 graduating class

Media & Interviews

Macmillan's "The What and Who of EDU” podcast

• April 8, 2026: The Hidden Curriculum: 10 Life Skills Students Learn Without Realizing It 
• March 12, 2026: Show Your Work: 10 Ways to Get Students to Reveal Their Thinking 
• February 25, 2026: What Discipline is the Coolest? 10 Professors Explain Why Their Field Rules the School 
• December 3, 2025: 10 Teaching Strategies Teachers Once Doubted and Now Swear By 
• September 24, 2025: 10 Ways to Measure Learning Beyond Grades 
• August 27, 2025: Top 10 Ways to Create Accessible Classrooms that Lower the Barriers (Not the Standards) 

October 17, 2025: North Country Public Radio’s "North Words" -  Interview about the writing of Math Cats: Scratching the Surface of Mathematical Concepts 

September 19, 2025: North Country Matters - Interview about St. Lawrence University's Math & Everything outreach event for Northern New York high school women

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