Michael Penn
Michael Penn is a mathematician and educator sharing worked problems, curious ideas and full university-level courses through MichaelPennMath and MathMajor on YouTube.
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Latest
Michael’s happenings, collected from public sources, plus his backstory and Starbook, where fans write.
Known for
YouTube
YouTube
YouTube
YouTubeOverview
- Work
- Mathematician, teacher and YouTube creator
- Academic home
- Randolph College in Lynchburg, Virginia
- Online beginnings
- Math videos for his classes, with uploads beginning in July 2019
- Research
- Vertex operator algebras, representation theory and q-series
Mini bio
Before the videos.
Penn studied at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, Indiana University and SUNY Albany. After visiting teaching positions at several colleges, he joined Randolph College in 2017. His research focuses on vertex operator algebras and their connections to representation theory, combinatorics and q-series.
From classes to a wider audience.
Wikitubia traces his channel’s beginnings to videos made for his classes, with the first upload in July 2019. By Randolph’s 2022 research symposium, his two channels had more than 220,000 subscribers combined, reaching viewers in over 100 countries.
Choose your next problem.
His main channel ranges across calculus, differential equations, number theory and proofs. MathMajor offers structured course material that supports his teaching. For a taste of his collaborations, watch him introduce Tom Crawford to Lie algebras in their 2022 two-part exchange.
Creditschronological, newest first
Online courses and collaborations
- 2023Abstract AlgebraMathMajor lecturer
- 2022Lie algebras with Tom Rocks MathsHost and collaborator with Tom Crawford
- 2022Complex AnalysisLecturer
- 2021Number TheoryLecturer
Interviews
- 2024Math Plus YouTube Equals?Guest on The Mark Lewis Podcast
Quotes
I like to have an active classroom.Michael Penn, Randolph College News and Events
In his September 2017 faculty introduction, he described wanting students to solve problems together in groups.
Trivia
- Away from mathematics, he enjoys rock climbing and names Rifle Mountain Park and Hueco Tanks as favorite climbing spots.
- He enjoys baking naturally leavened sourdough bread and pizza.
- His own research interests include the connections between vertex algebras, combinatorics and q-series.
Find Michael
Follow him for the next problem, proof or full course.
Are you Michael Penn?
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