Department of Mathematics and Philosophy

Lia Petracovici

Lia Petracovici, Associate Professor

Specializing in Analysis and Topology

Education

Ph.D. (2003), University of Illinois (Complex Dynamics, Aimo Hinkkanen)
M.S. (1996), Truman State University (Mathematics)
B.S. (1989), Babes-Bolyai University, Romania (Mathematics)

Contact Information

Office: Morgan Hall 482
Phone: (309) 298-1346
Email: L-Petracovici@wiu.edu

Courses Taught

  • Math 101: Concepts of Mathematics
  • Math 123: Modeling with Mathematical Functions
  • Math 128: Precalculus Algebra
  • Math 129: Precalculus Trigonometry
  • Math 134: Calculus II
  • Math 137: Applied Calculus I
  • Math 138: Applied Calculus II
  • Math 211: Euclidean Geometry
  • Math 231: Calculus III
  • Math 255: Discrete Mathematics for Computer Science
  • Math 311: Linear Algebra
  • Math 333: Ordinary Differential Equations
  • Math 407: Number Theory Concepts in School Mathematics
  • Math 433: Complex Variables and Applications
  • Math 435: Introduction to Real Variables
  • Math 551: Methods of Classical Analysis
  • Stat 171: General Elementary Statistics
  • Stat 276: Introduction to Probability and Statistics

Research Interests

Research: My main interests lie in the areas of analysis and dynamical systems. In particular, I am interested in the local dynamics of holomorphic systems.

Research with graduate students: I welcome inquiries about research opportunities in areas close to my interests from motivated graduate students in our program.

Research with undergraduate students: I am interested in guiding research projects that explore topics beyond the curriculum, or investigate applications of concepts studied in courses such as differential equations or complex analysis. In some cases, we will work on an actual problem (or a special case that is more accessible); in others, we will learn about the background and the reasons why a problem is interesting.

Selected Publicatons

  • Petracovici, B., Petracovici, L., & Zaharescu, A. (2009). Divisors, measures, and critical functions. Proceedings of the Indian Academy of Sciences: Mathematical Sciences, Vol. 119, no. 3, 351-368.
  • Petracovici, L. (2006). Non-accessible critical points of certain rational functions with Cremer points. Annales Academiae Scientiarum Fennicae, Mathematica, Vol. 31, no. 1, 3-11.
  • Petracovici, L. (2005). Cremer fixed points and small cycles. Transactions of the American Mathematical Society, Vol. 357, no. 9, 3481-3491.
  • Petracovici, B., Petracovici, L., & Zaharescu, A. (2004). A new distance between Galois orbits over a number field. Mathematical Sciences Research Journal, Vol. 8, 1-15.