Rate My Professor Mark Bollman

Mark E. Bollman is Professor of Mathematics and Computer Science in the Department of Mathematics and Computer Science at Albion College, where he joined as a visiting instructor and assistant professor in 1999 and advanced to his current full professorship in 2002. A Michigan native, he earned his B.A. in 1986 from Northwestern University, M.A. in 1988 from the University of Michigan, and Ph.D. in mathematics in 2001 from Central Michigan University, with a dissertation on combinatorial and algebraic number theory. Bollman's earlier career includes serving as a graduate student teaching assistant at the University of Michigan from 1986 to 1989 and at Central Michigan University from 1997 to 1999, visiting instructor of mathematics at Hope College from 1989 to 1991, supplemental mathematics instructor at Jackson Community College from 1991 to 1992, and assistant professor of mathematics and director of the physics program at Olivet College from 1992 to 1997. Over his career spanning six institutions, he has taught 121 different courses, ranging from algebra and calculus to advanced topics like abstract algebra, real analysis, and mathematical modeling.

Bollman's academic interests center on the mathematics of gambling, particularly applied probability, alongside combinatorial number theory, auction theory, mathematics education, mathematics history, chaos theory, and probability. He has made significant contributions through authorship of multiple books on gambling mathematics published by CRC Press/Taylor & Francis, including Basic Gambling Mathematics: The Numbers Behind the Neon (first edition 2014, second edition 2023), Mathematics of Keno and Lotteries (2018), Mathematics of Casino Carnival Games (2020), Mathematics of the Big Four Casino Table Games (2021), and Intermediate Poker Mathematics (2024), with Blackjack Mathematics for Non-Mathematicians under contract for 2026 release. Other works include Calculator Labs for the TI-15 Explorer (2012) and the paper 'Fibonacci Numbers Which Are Sums of Three Factorials' in Publicationes Mathematicae Debrecen (2010). At Albion College, Bollman teaches courses such as Math of the Gaming Industry, Perspectives on Gambling in the Honors Program, Precalculus, Calculus I and II, Financial Math for Actuaries, and Abstract Algebra, reflecting his passion for applying mathematics to real-world contexts like casino games and lotteries.