Faculty Explores the Universe, Alongside His Father, in New Article
You don鈥檛 need an astrophysicist father to understand the cosmos. But it doesn鈥檛 hurt.
Keith Brandt, Ph.D., professor of mathematics, and John C. Brandt, Ph.D., a retired astronomer, are the authors of an upcoming article in the AMATYC Educator titled 鈥淎ndromeda鈥檚 Distance: An Activity in Exponential and Logarithmic Functions,鈥 which explores the relatively simple mathematical principles that in 1923 allowed Edwin Hubble to determine that Andromeda actually lies outside the Milky Way Galaxy 鈥斅爏omething that, at the time, was a major scientific discovery.
鈥淥ur precalculus class focuses on modeling, the art/practice of finding a mathematical formula that describes some real-life situation,鈥 Keith said.聽鈥淭hen we can use the formula to study the situation.聽I am always on the lookout for example applications that fit within the topics for the class.鈥
He said he stumbled upon a video about Andromeda and had a hunch the math was relatively elementary. But he needed to brush up on the astrophysics. He called dad.
John 鈥淛ack鈥 Brandt, Keith鈥檚 father, is a retired astronomer who at one time was a principal investigator on the Hubble Space Telescope project. Jack said the idea evolved from casual conversations between the two about the nature and method of Hubble鈥檚 discovery. Jack said he brought that firsthand expertise, as well as a sense of the history of astronomical discovery, to the project. With that knowledge and experience, Keith developed a classroom-tested activity based around the case, using feedback from his students to write the article outlining the concepts and how to lead a similar activity.
鈥淲e made a good pair,鈥 Keith said. 鈥淛ack was the expert in astronomy, and I was the expert in teaching mathematics.鈥
They collaborated in the writing process. Working with his father in such a way was a new experience, Keith said, but one that was rewarding in how it underscored what they share 鈥斅燡ack was, after all, a mathematics major as an undergrad.
鈥淢athematics is the language of science,鈥 Jack said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 one of the most important tools used in science and engineering, and it goes way beyond the things that people encounter in their everyday life.鈥
But more than an interest in the way that numbers can be used to better understand the universe, the experience underscored a familial bond that extends way beyond the realm of math. Jack said working with his son was a pleasure.
鈥淚鈥檓 a proud father. It was absolutely wonderful to be doing this work with my son,鈥 he said. 鈥淲hat he鈥檚 grown up to be has been a source of pride for the family.鈥
Similarly, Keith said he believes that his father passed on broad-based interests that influence his work in the classroom and in his research.
鈥淚 would say he influenced me mostly to be curious about everything, not just math and science,鈥 he said.聽