Arthur Hobbs, Professor
Photo shows me in PhD robes of the University of Waterloo
My office is Room 218 in Milner Hall.
My mailing address is:
Prof. Arthur M. Hobbs AMS Classification 05C
Department of Mathematics Also interested in 05B35, 01-XX
Texas A&M University
College Station, TX 77843
Office phone: (979)-845-3250
Home phone: (979)-846-9376
e-mail: hobbs@math.tamu.edu
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FRIENDS AND FAMILY
Here are my wife, Barbara, and myself at a new years party:
I have been very fortunate in the many friends I have had. The following photograph shows me between two of them. The one on my left is my thesis advisor, the outstanding graph and matroid theorist, William T. Tutte. The one on my right was one of the most prolific mathematicians who ever lived and was the founder of several branches of mathematics, Paul Erdos. (There should be a Hungarian umlaut above the o of Erdos's name, but I don't know how to produce one in html.) So here we are, from left to right, Paul Erdos, Arthur Hobbs, and William T. Tutte. The picture was taken at Western Michigan University at the Quadrennial conference on May 7, 1980, by my mother, Helen Hobbs.
VIGRE COURSE, Math 662, Section 601, Fall 2002.
Prof. Borosh and I taught a course in the intersection of graph theory and
number theory. We taught enough of the elements of our specialties that
students could read a research paper including elements of both subjects.
Then students were asked to select a paper from a list we provided, read
it, and report on it to the class. An important aspect of the course
was gaining a feeling for the discovery process involved in research.
We asked about each idea presented, "Are there questions that are not
addressed here? Can these ideas be extended in ways the authors did
not discuss?" There was a test on each of number theory and graph
theory just after the lectures on that topic, and the grade was based
on the results of those tests and on the presentations made. One
consequence of this course was a published research paper. The
homework assignments were as shown.
The eighth annual Texas combinatorics conference, called CombinaTexas,
will be held on February 24 at Texas A&M University, College Station. Click on the title above for more information.
COMBINATEXAS was held at Texas A&M University on March 31 through April 2,
2000, for the first time. It has continued as an annual event, changing venue
from year to year.
COMBINATORICS AT TAMU
The web page of the Algebra and Combinatorics Group contains announcements of interest in this area. Moreover, the Group runs a
weekly seminar . Take a look at the seminar offerings.
I was President of our AAUP chapter in 2001-2002. The chapter has
slightly revised the
New Faculty Brochure originally distributed
to all new faculty in 2000. The revised brochure was distributed to the new
faculty of 2001 and 2002. We worked on the rewrite of System Policy 12.01
(academic freedom and tenure) proposed by the System attorneys. The Faculty
Senate formed a committee to prepare an alternative rewrite, and faculty
members from throughout the System had a role in formulating the final
document.
THE SPECIAL ISSUE OF DISCRETE MATHEMATICS IN MEMORY OF PAUL CATLIN:
Paul Catlin, 1948-1995, painting by Ying Wu, Univ. of West Virginia
Prof. Hong-Jian Lai of West Virginia University and I prepared a special issue of Discrete Mathematics in honor of the memory of Paul Catlin . It appeared as volume 230 in 2001.
A STORY
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Texas is rather hotter than the part of the world where I grew up (northern Indiana) and got my PhD (Ontario, Canada). To understand just how much hotter, the following story, which was written during the 1996 heat wave, will help.
Why I was Late .
COURSE INFORMATION
I am now retired and no longer teach mathematics courses. I do teach round
dance as a hobby. Contact me if you might be interested in learning this
cued variety of ballroom dance.
My office is 205 Milner Hall.
THE PUTNAM EXAM
The William Lowell Putnam mathematics competition is a national undergraduate mathematics compentition of the highest order. Preparing for it and taking it are valuable learning experiences. All students interested in mathematics should give it a try. The names of winners and of high scoring students are published, and being on that list is a valuable reference for those who succeed. Check out the latest information about the Putnam contest.
PROJECT TO PROVIDE ANSWERS TO FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
On Monday, January 12, 1998, the Faculty Senate approved the Answers to Frequently Asked Questions as finally submitted to it, and during the following months the Executive Committee of the Faculty Senate agreed to adopt the official name of "TAMU Faculty Facts: Answers to Questions About Faculty Roles and Responsibilities at Texas A&M University" for these papers. They have been revised since then, and the revision was approved by the Faculty Senate at its meeting on September 14, 1998. The following file contains the complete second edition of "Faculty Facts:"
TAMU Faculty Facts: Answers to Questions About Faculty Roles and Responsibilities at Texas A&M University
This document is now out of date. I hope another faculty member will someday
update it and get it published again.
Personal
In addition to being a graph theorist with interests in Hamiltonian
cycles, packings and coverings by trees, and matroid theory relating to
packings and coverings, I collect books, paintings, and stamps, and I
sing with the Brazos Valley Chorale .
I have a substantial interest in history, and
particularly in the history of mathematics. I care very much about space
flight and see it as essential for the future of mankind. I have attended
several launches; 
here is a nice picture of a night launch as photographed by my friend Tom Dow.
For more about Tom Dow, see
Tom's home page.
In 1999, I completed 6 years on the
Faculty Senate of
Texas A&M University. I am married to
Barbara J. Hobbs and have two children,
Melissa Best and
Patty Brunson . We attend
St. Andrew's Episcopal Church.
I am a member of TACT and of
AAUP.
Square Dancing, round dancing, and Contra
