jedediyah.com

Jedediyah Williams

Hi! I am a STEM teacher at Nantucket High School. I was previously the Science Department Head (2008-2010) and Mathematics Department Head (2014-2017).

In 2019 I was named as a finalist for the Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching. In August 2020 I was named as the Massachusetts awardee in Mathematics.

In 2017 I was a finalist in the NASA Space Robotics Challenge (Team Whalers).

In 2013-2014 I worked with Lockheed Martin on the DARPA Robotics Challenge (Team TROOPER).

In 2011 I was awarded a National Science Foundation Graduate STEM Fellowship in K-12 education and worked with Prof. Ron Eglash and Prof. Mukkai Krishnamoorthy on the Culturally Situated Design Tools.

EDUCATION | RESEARCH | TEACHING | PUBLICATIONS | HONORS

Education

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY

Ph.D. Computer Science, 2014
- Thesis: A contact model for geometrically accurate treatment of polytopes in simulation (PDF)
- Adviser: Jeff Trinkle, Ph.D.

Fitchburg State University, Fitchburg, MA

M.Ed. Curriculum and Teaching, 2018
- Capstone: An investigation of the conceptual-procedural gap in mathematics
- Director: Catherine Leahy Brine

University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA

B.S. Computer Systems Engineering, 2006
- Senior design project: Embedded wireless sensor networks for smart homes

Research

Advised Projects

Pre-Calculus Curriculum Development — A. Dhar, 2020
An Autonomous Rover for Assisting Search and Rescue Operations — E. Borzilleri, 2017
Digital Electronics and Computer Programming — N. Davidson, 2017
Implementing and Improving Facial Recognition in Python — W. Pittman, 2016
A Genetic Algorithm for Path Finding Optimization — E. Borzilleri, 2016
Design, Simulation, and Calibration of Robotic Systems for Grasping Experiments — R. Gupta, 2013
Observations of Exoplanet Transits at the Maria Mitchell Observatory — E. Mitchell, 2009
Microprogramming for Robotic Control — M. Ivanova, 2008
Game Programming in Java — D. Renner, 2007

My Projects

NASA Space Robotics Challenge, Phase 2, 2020-present

Captain of Team Whalers, Finalists

Program details are available here.

NASA Space Robotics Challenge, 2016-2017

Captain of Team Whalers, Finalists

Letter from State Representative Fernandes after the qualifying round

Code

DARPA Robotics Challenge, 2013-2014

Member of Team TROOPER, Finalists

I ran experiments to characterize the behavior and grasping capabilities of the iRobot hand used on the ATLAS robot, and developed simulation models in Gazebo.

RPI-MATLAB-Simulator

• J. Williams, Y. Lu, S. Niebe, M. Andersen, K. Erleben, and J. C. Trinkle. RPI-MATLAB-Simulator: A Tool for Efficient Research and Practical Teaching in Multibody Dynamics. In J. Bender, J. Dequidt, C. Duriez, and G. Zachmann, editors, Workshop on Virtual Reality Interaction and Physical Simulation. The Eurographics Association, 2013. doi:10.2312/PE.vriphys.vriphys13.071-080

NASA Sample Return Challenge, 2013-2014

Member of RPI Rock Raiders

I worked on the computer vision for near and far object recognition for identifying objects of interest and simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM).

Simulation Data Standard

• Y. Lu, J. Williams, C. Lacoursiere, and J.C. Trinkle. A framework for problem standardization and algorithm comparison in multibody dynamics. ASME International Design & Engineering Technical Conferences and Computers & Information in Engineering (IDETC/CIE) 2014.

Stochastic Characterization of Traction on Granular Terrain
• J. Williams, B. Frank, W. Burgard, J.C. Trinkle. Stochastic characterization of traction on granular terrain. Technical Report 12-06, Department of Computer Science, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. December, 2012.

Observations and Modeling of Extrasolar Planets

• J. Williams, M. Davidson, V. Strelnitski, and G. Walker. Improving the Precision of Differential Photometry on a Determined Target Using SysRem. In American Astronomical Society Meeting Abstracts #213, volume 41 of Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society, page 193, Jan. 2009. URL http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2009AAS...21340214W

• S. Marshall, J. Williams, T. Mazeh, G. Walker, and V. Strelnitski. Using SysRem as an Alternative Photometry Technique. In C. Sterken, N. Samus, and L. Szabados, editors, Variable Stars, the Galactic halo and Galaxy Formation, February 2010. URL http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2010vsgh.conf..221M

Teaching

Overview

Nantucket High School
- Mathematics Department Head, Aug. 2014 - June 2017
- Science Department Head, Aug. 2008 - June 2010
- Mathematics & Computer Science Instructor, Aug. 2014 - present
- Physics & Astronomy Instructor, Aug. 2006 - June 2010
- Service
  - Teacher Mentor / Committee - 2010, 2016, 2019, 2020
  - District Mathematics Review Committee - 2015
  - District Technology Committee - 2009, 2010, 2017
  - Graduate Vision, Rubric Committee - 2019
  - NEASC Steering Committee - 2019
  - Scholarship Committee - 2015
  - Teaching and Learning, Return to School Committee - 2020
  - Wind Turbine Committee - 2010
  - Science Fair Director - 2009, 2010, 2016, 2017
- Advisorship
  - Ballroom Dance Coach - 2007, 2008
  - Chess Club - 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2016
  - Hip Hop Culture Organization - 2009
  - Math League - 2020
  - Philosophy Club - 2019
  - Quidditch Club - 2009, 2010
  - Students for Sustainability - 2010
  - Technology/Robotics Club - 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020
- Grants Awarded
  - Cape Cod 5 Educational Mini Grant, Cape Cod 5. $400, 2020.
  - STEM Innovation Grant, MIT Club of Cape Cod. $300, 2019.
  - MassDevelopment Commonwealth Advanced Manufacturing Futures Program. $500, 2017.
  - Blue Hills Bank. $5000, 2015.
  - Blue Hills Bank. $10000 split between Mathematics and Science Departments, 2014.
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
- NSF Graduate STEM Fellow in K-12 Education, Aug. 2011 - July 2012
- Teaching Assistant, Spring 2011
- Teaching Assistant, Fall 2010

Courses Taught at Nantucket High School

Advanced Quantitative Reasoning - 2016
Algebra 1 - 2010
Algebra 2 - 2015, 2017
AP Calculus AB - 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020

Broke school records for most 5s or highest average score in 2017, 2018, 2019
Broke school record for most passing scores (17) in 2020

AP Calculus BC - 2020
AP Computer Science Principles - 2018
- Received the AP Computer Science Female Diversity Award
- 31% of my students scored 5, compared to 13.5% globally
Astronomy - 2007, 2008, 2009
Computer Science 1 - 2010, 2019
Digital Electronics - 2015
Essentials of Physical Science - 2010
Exhibition (independent study) - 2007, 2008, 2009, 2016, 2017
Global Science - 2007, 2008, 2009
Java Programming - 2015
Physics - 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010
Honors Physics - 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2020
Honors Precalculus - 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020
School to Carreer - 2017, 2020

Publications

Journal Publications

1.: J. Williams, Y. Lu, and J. C. Trinkle. A geometrically exact contact model for polytopes in multirigid-body simulation. J. Comput. Nonlinear Dynam., 12(2), 2016. doi:10.1115/1.4034390
2.: D. M. Flickinger, J. Williams, and J. C. Trinkle. Performance of a method for formulating geometrically exact complementarity constraints in multibody dynamic simulation. J. Comput. Nonlinear Dynam., 10(1), 2014. doi:10.1115/1.4027314
3.: M. Bedell, A. Villaume, L. Weiss, D. Sliski1, V. Strelnitski, G. Walker, J. Williams, A. Henden, and T. Krajci. Monitoring Hα emission and continuum of UXORs: RR Tauri. The Astronomical J., 142(5), November 2011. doi:10.1088/0004-6256/142/5/164

Conference Papers

1.: J. Williams, Y. Lu, and J. C. Trinkle. A complementarity based contact model for geometrically accurate treatment of polytopes in simulation. In 10th International Conference on Multibody Systems, Nonlinear Dynamics, and Control, volume 6, Buffalo, NY, 2014. ASME. doi:10.1115/DETC2014-35231
2.: Y. Lu, J. Williams, J. C. Trinkle, and C. Lacoursire. A framework for problem standardization and algorithm comparison in multibody system. In 10th International Conference on Multibody Systems, Nonlinear Dynamics, and Control, volume 6, Buffalo, NY, 2014. ASME. doi:10.1115/DETC2014-35041
3.: Y. Lu, J. Williams, C. Lacoursire, and J. C. Trinkle. Standard interface for data analysis of solvers in multibody dynamics. In 4th Canadian Conference on Nonlinear Solid Mechanics (CanCNSM), Montreal, QC, Canada, 2013
4.: J. Williams, Y. Lu, S. Niebe, M. Andersen, K. Erleben, and J. C. Trinkle. RPI-MATLAB-Simulator: A Tool for Efficient Research and Practical Teaching in Multibody Dynamics. In J. Bender, J. Dequidt, C. Duriez, and G. Zachmann, editors, Workshop on Virtual Reality Interaction and Physical Simulation. The Eurographics Association, 2013. doi:10.2312/PE.vriphys.vriphys13.071-080
5.: D. M. Flickinger, J. Williams, and J. C. Trinkle. Evaluating the performance of constraint formulations for multibody dynamics simulation. In 9th International Conference on Multibody Systems, Nonlinear Dynamics, and Control, volume 7A, Portland, OR, 2013. ASME. doi:10.1115/DETC2014-35231
6.: D. M. Flickinger, J. Williams, and J. C. Trinkle. What’s wrong with collision detection in multibody dynamics simulation? In Robotics and Automation (ICRA), Karlsruhe, Germany, October 2013. doi:10.1109/ICRA.2013.6630689

Reports

1.: J. Williams, Y. Lu, and J. Trinkle. RPI-MATLAB-Simulator User Guide. Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, November 2013
2.: J. Williams, B. Frank, W. Burgard, and J. C. Trinkle. Stochastic characterization of traction on granular terrain. Technical Report 12-06, Department of Computer Science, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, December 2012

Invited Talks and Presentations

1.: J. Williams. Feedback En Passant. Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education Share-A-Thon: Feedback Strategies. November 2020.
2.: J. Williams. Machine learning and the future of mathematical modeling. NCTM Centennial Annual Meeting and Exposition, Chicago, IL, April 2020 (conference cancelled).
3.: J. Williams. Robotics and education. Science Speaker Series, Maria Mitchell Association, September 2016
4.: J. Williams, Y. Lu, and J. C. Trinkle. A complementarity based contact model for physically accurate treatment of polytopes in simulation. BIRS Workshop on Computational Contact Mechanics: Advances and Frontiers in Modeling Contact, February 2014. URL http://www.birs.ca/events/2014/5-day-workshops/14w5147/videos/
5.: Y. Lu, J. Williams, and J. C. Trinkle. A framework for problem standardization and algorithm comparison in multibody dynamics. BIRS Workshop on Computational Contact Mechanics: Advances and Frontiers in Modeling Contact, February 2014. URL http://www.birs.ca/events/2014/5-day-workshops/14w5147/videos/
6.: J. Williams and J. C. Trinkle. Determining contact and contact response between moving geometries in simulation. In 10th annual New England Manipulation Symposium (NEMS), Columbia University, New York, NY, May 2013
7.: J. Williams, J. Dong, D. M. Flickinger, and J. C. Trinkle. Team TROOPER in the DARPA Robotics Challenge (DRC). Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute CS Poster Session, April 2014
8.: J. Williams and J. C. Trinkle. A stable and geometrically accurate contact model. Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute CS Poster Session, April 2014
9.: Y. Lu, J. Williams, and J. C. Trinkle. Team TROOPER in the DARPA Robotics Challenge (DRC). Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute CS Poster Session, April 2014
10.: Y. Lu, J. Williams, C. Lacoursiere, and J. C. Trinkle. Standard interface for solver comparison in multibody dynamics. In 9th annual New England Manipulation Symposium (NEMS), Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, May 2013
11.: J. Williams, Y. Lu, and J. C. Trinkle. Improving multibody dynamics. Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute CS Poster Session, March 2013
12.: D. M. Flickinger, J. Williams, and J. C. Trinkle. Evaluating the performance of constraint formulations for multibody dynamics simulation. Portland, Oregon, 2013. ASME International Design Engineering Technical Conferences (IDETC), 9th International Conference on Multibody Systems, Nonlinear Dynamics, and Control (MSNDC)
13.: D. M. Flickinger, J. Williams, and J. C. Trinkle. Simulation accuracy and computational performance of a rotating slender rod impacting a bed of rocks. Montreal, QB, Canada, 2013. 4th Canadian Conference on Nonlinear Solid Mechanics (CanCNSM)
14.: J. Williams and J. C. Trinkle. Stochastic characterization of traction on granular terrain. DARPA Maximum Mobility and Manipulation (M3) annual PI meeting, July 2012
15.: S. Marshall, J. Williams, T. Mazeh, G. Walker, and V. Strelnitski. Using SysRem as an Alternative Photometry Technique. In C. Sterken, N. Samus, and L. Szabados, editors, Variable Stars, the Galactic halo and Galaxy Formation, February 2010. URL http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2010vsgh.conf..221M
16.: J. Williams, M. Davidson, V. Strelnitski, and G. Walker. Improving the Precision of Differential Photometry on a Determined Target Using SysRem. In American Astronomical Society Meeting Abstracts #213, volume 41 of Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society, page 193, Jan. 2009. URL http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2009AAS...21340214W
17.: J. Williams, G. Walker, and V. Strelnitski. Observations of exoplanets at Maria Mitchell Observatory. 97th meeting of the American Association of Variable Star Observers (AAVSO), October 2008

Honors

NASA Space Robotics Challenge Phase 2 Finalist, 2021
Captain, Team Whalers

Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching, 2020
2019 Massachusetts Awardee in Mathematics

Finalist for Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching, 2019
Massachusetts Finalist in Mathematics

AP Computer Science Female Diversity Award, 2018
Awarded by the College Board

NASA Space Robotics Challenge Finalist, 2017
Captain, Team Whalers

DARPA Robotics Challenge, 2014
Member of Team TROOPER, Finalists

McKinney Contest Winner, 2014
First Prize for Graduate Poetry

NSF GK-12 Teaching Fellowship, 2011
Awarded through RPI’s Triple Helix Project, directed by Prof. Ron Eglash

Valuable contribution to Nantucket Public Schools, 2010
Awarded by Nantucket School Committee

Valuable contribution to Nantucket Public Schools, 2009
Awarded by Nantucket School Committee

Microcontroller Master, 2005
This playful title was granted annually to a UMass Amherst computer engineering major for the best (most efficient) PIC implementation of a challenge algorithm. My winning strategy was to simply double the memory space required, which saved a clock cycle with each swap of values in an array.