About Me
I am an Associate Professor of Mathematics at Christopher Newport University, where I teach all levels of the mathematics curriculum, from foundational courses to the more specialized courses. I especially enjoy teaching our Calculus and programming courses because these provide a holistic introduction to applied and computational mathematics. I study applications of nonlinear and chaotic dynamical systems. This often involves combining dynamical systems theory and mathematical programming in order to examine applications in quantum mechanics, mathematical ecology, neuroscience, and differential topology.
I also enjoy directing student research projects. Recent collaborations have involved chaotic systems, data science and machine learning, fractals, statistics, and ecology.
Background
I completed my graduate work at the University of New Hampshire and my undergraduate studies from Washington and Lee University. In between, I also earned masters degrees at NC State and at the University of Virginia. Before all this, I grew up in rural upstate New York.
In my free time, I enjoy running, visiting friends and family, traveling and visiting national parks, hiking and backpacking, and going to the beach.
Recent Publications
- Matthew A. Morena and Kevin M. Short, Cupolets: Theory and Applications, Dynamics, 4(2), pp. 394-424 (2024).
- Matthew A. Morena and Michael D. Smith, The Euclidean Discus Toss, PRIMUS, 33(10), pp. 1071–1090 (2023).
Recent and Upcoming Activities
- MAA MD-DC-VA Section Meeting, George Mason University, April 2025.
- McGraw Hill Math Symposium, Scottsdale, AZ, March 2025.
- Dynamics Days 2025 Conference, Denver, CO, January 2025.
- SIGCSE TS 2024, Portland, OR, March 2024.