Dr. Hope McIlwain

Education

• Ph.D., Mathematics, Rice University
• B.S., Mathematics, Furman University

Specialty

Graph theory and combinatorics

Professional Interests

Dr. Hope McIlwain’s work focuses on studying analytics and ranking methods for a wide-range of sports. She has supervised the following student projects:

• Elijah Evers, USAFA, 2019-20, Using offensive and defensive statistics to predict wins and losses for NHL games
• Jonathan Beall, 2015-16, Modeling the game Humans vs. Zombies using the SIR infection model
• Elizabeth Knapper, 2014-15, Predicting Wins and Losses: A Volleyball Case Study
• Tyler Allee, Jonathan Beall, and Alex White, 2013-14, Modeling population data from three Georgia counties
• Sophia Rivera, 2013-14, Understanding Intra-continental Trade through Ranking Methods

Recent Publications

• Hope McIlwain (2018), ”6-011-T-HumansVsZombies,” https://www.simiode.org/resources/5520.
• Tyler Allee and Hope McIlwain,“A Modified Massey Method Approach to Ranking Players on the PGA Tour,” The UMAP Journal of Undergraduate Mathematics and Its Applications, April 2017.
• Hope McIlwain (2016),“1-95-S-RatingChessPlayers,” https://www.simiode.org/resources/2688.
• Elizabeth Knapper and Hope McIlwain, “Predicting Wins and Losses: A Volleyball Case Study,” College Mathematics Journal, Vol. 46, No. 5 (November 2015), pp. 352-358.

Contact Dr. Hope McIlwain

(478) 301-5637
mcilwain_mh@mercer.edu
Office: Ware Hall, Room 211