Erin N. Bodine is a professor of Mathematics & Statistics at Rhodes College. She was hired at Rhodes College as an Assistant Professor in 2010, received tenure in 2017, and was promoted to full professor in 2024. Bodine earned her BS in Mathematics (and a BA in Anthropology) from Harvey Mudd College in 2003, and her PhD in Mathematics with a concentration in Mathematical Ecology from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville in 2010. Bodine's dissertation work, and a portion of her current research, focuses on using optimal control theory to analyze conservations measures for endangered species. More broadly, Bodine's current research uses difference equations, differential equations, and agent-based models to analyze and simulate the dynamics of a diverse set of systems: endangered species populations, the spread of infectious diseases within a population, and reproductive effort and success in plants. Since starting at Rhodes College, Bodine has enjoyed several productive research collaborations with Rhodes undergraduates and continues to work with 2-8 students each year on a variety of biomathematics research projects.
During her first three years at Rhodes College, Bodine spearheaded the effort to create a Biomathematics major, which graduated its first major in May 2014. As a part of developing the Biomathematics major, Bodine created two mathematical modeling courses, one which focuses on the modeling process and scientific writing (Math 315), and another which focuses on discrete-time modeling methods (Math 214). She has also created an additional elective course in agent-based modeling (Math 314). Prof B firmly believes that math is for everyone, and strives to make math exciting and accessible in all of her classes.
Prof B wrote a textbook! Mathematics for the Life Sciences is an undergraduate textbook that does not just focus on calculus like most other textbooks on the subject. It covers deterministic methods and those that incorporate uncertainty, problems in discrete and continuous time, probability, graphing and data analysis, matrix modeling, difference equations, differential equations, and much more. The book uses MATLAB throughout (an R supplement is available at http://mathematicsforthelifesciences.com/), explaining how to use it, write code, and connect models to data in examples chosen from across the life sciences.
In service to Rhodes College, Bodine has served on the Academic Advising Committee, the Technology & Academic Space Committee and a variety of hiring and ad-hoc committees, as chair of the Department of Mathematics & Statistics, and currently serves on the Environmental Sciences & Studies Program Committee and as a Faculty Workday Fellow. Bodine’s full CV, selected course materials, and pedagogical presentations can be found at her website Prof B is for Biomath.
Bodine, her husband, and two daughters love living in Memphis, TN, and canoeing the local Wolf River, the Buffalo River in Arkansas, and several of the natural springs in northern and central Florida.
Fun Prof B Trivia Facts
Prof B was born and raised in Southern California. Specifically, she was born and raised in the San Fernando Valley, which technically makes her a “valley girl.” Like, totally!! Prof B met her husband while working at Philmont Scout Ranch in New Mexico. Prof B is an avid (though not particularly fast) knitter and enjoys knitting at meetings she is not leading. Prof B loves tea, especially “Earl Gray, hot!” And yes, that reference outs me as a Trekkie; I was raised on Star Trek: TNG. Prof B is a fan of Hippos and Wonder Woman, which is abundantly clear if you visit her office (OH 419). You can follow Prof B’s musings and research adventures on Instagram @profb.is.for.biomath.
