R. Duane Skaggs

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Professor / Shawnee State //

An early interest in architecture led Duane to an undergraduate degree in mathematics, but a course in abstract algebra changed his career path. He began studying combinatorial knot theory and attempted to create a graph-based technique to distinguish knots. At a talk during a graph theory conference, he paid more attention to the application than to the definition. The difference between "open" and "closed" led to his PhD in an area closely related to theoretical computer science. A strong interest in algorithms and what can and cannot be done with a computer led him to work on motion capture with body-worn sensors, machine learning, and gaming. Outside of maths and programming, Duane enjoys history, music, and art.

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