Beth Claire Branman

My name is Beth and I am a postdoc at University of Virginia. My mentors here are Tom Mark and (unofficially) Thomas Koberda.

Me wearing a red shirt

Mathematical Interests

If a surface has an infinite number of holes, what symmetries does the surface have? That's the kind of thing I like to think about in my research on big mapping class groups, which brings together elements of geometry, topology, and group theory.

You can find a full list of my publications in my cv.

Outside of my research, I enjoy discussing and reading about methods of teaching, including those related to active learning, alternative grading, and inclusivity in the classroom.

A Möbius strip scarf with black, gray, white, and purple stripes
A nonorientable scarf, made with the help of one of my geometry lab students. Observe that due to the asymmetric color pattern, the stripes do not match up at the place I stitched the ends together. This demonstrates the nonorientability of a Mobius strip.

Other Interests

Outside of math and math pedagogy, I enjoy musical theater, and I love my cat.

A gray and white tabby cat lying down on a bed

Why does this website design look so outdated?

Because I prefer simple HTML over something more complicated.