Rate My Professor Jenny Sharpe

Jenny Sharpe serves as Chair and Professor of Mathematical Sciences at High Point University, a position she has held since assuming the chair role following a national search, within her tenure at the institution since August 2009. She earned a B.S. in Mathematics from Texas A&M University in 2002 and a Ph.D. in Mathematics from the same university in 2007, with a dissertation titled 'Hypergeometric functions over finite fields and relations to modular forms and elliptic curves,' advised by Matt Papanikolas. Prior to High Point University, Sharpe was an Assistant Professor of Mathematics at the United States Military Academy at West Point from July 2007 to June 2009. Her research focuses on number theory, particularly hypergeometric functions over finite fields and their connections to elliptic curves, modular forms, and Gaussian hypergeometric functions. Additional interests include cryptography, mathematics related to the EvenQuads card game, and undergraduate research projects in number theory, graph theory, and recreational mathematics. She has also investigated mathematics pedagogy, such as flipped classrooms, growth mindset in introductory college mathematics, and teaching and learning of mathematics.

Sharpe has published extensively in leading mathematical journals. Key publications include 'Computing supersingular endomorphism rings using inseparable endomorphisms' (Journal of Algebra, 2025, with A. Iezzi, M. Kozek, T. Morrison, C. Namoijam); 'Hypergeometric functions over finite fields' (Memoirs of the American Mathematical Society, 2022, with L. Long, R. Ramakrishna, H. Swisher, F.T. Tu); 'Hypergeometric series, truncated hypergeometric series, and Gaussian hypergeometric functions' (Directions in Number Theory, 2016, with A. Deines, L. Long, H. Swisher, F.T. Tu); 'Generalized Legendre curves and quaternionic multiplication' (Journal of Number Theory, 2016, with A. Deines, L. Long, H. Swisher, F.T. Tu); 'Hypergeometric type identities in the p-adic setting and modular forms' (Proceedings of the American Mathematical Society, 2016, with D. McCarthy); 'Flipping Freshman Mathematics' (PRIMUS, 2015, with A. Graham-Squire, R. Lamb, K. O’Hara, L. Zack); 'Mahler measure of some singular K3-surfaces' (Contemporary Mathematics, 2013, with M.J. Bertin, A. Feaver, M. Lalin, M. Manes); 'Traces of Hecke operators in level 1 and Gaussian hypergeometric functions' (Proceedings of the American Mathematical Society, 2013); and 'Hypergeometric functions over F_p and relations to elliptic curves and modular forms' (Proceedings of the American Mathematical Society, 2010). In September 2025, she received High Point University's Extraordinary Leadership Award for advancing excellence in innovative programs, university service, scholarly work, and creative expression. Sharpe is a member of the American Mathematical Society, the Mathematical Association of America, and the Association for Women in Mathematics.