Vira Babenko

Associate Professor of Mathematics
317 Collier-Scripps Hall
515-271-1900
vira.babenko@drake.edu

Dr. Babenko is an Assistant Professor of Mathematics. She received her PhD in Mathematics from the University of Utah. Prior to coming to Drake University, she was an Assistant Professor of Mathematics at Ithaca          College, NY.

Currently, her research focuses mainly on two interrelated areas of Applied Mathematics. The first stream of research lies at the intersection of Analysis, Numerical Analysis, and Integral Equations Theory, and explores the fundamental properties and applications of functions with values in L-spaces. Her second research stream is connected to Approximation Theory and dives deeper into the analysis of functions with values in specific classes of              L-spaces (in particular, L-spaces of sets and fuzzy sets).

Dr. Babenko's primary overarching goal as a teacher is to help students develop higher-level thinking skills. She strongly believes that this is crucial for all students, no matter what they end up doing later in their careers.

On the academic mentorship and service side, Dr. Babenko believes that we live in times when women and minorities are still disadvantaged in STEM-related areas (in both academia and industry) and faculty have the responsibility to provide all support and guidance in order to eliminate the existing imbalances and biases, empowering all student groups to best take advantage of their education. She participates actively in Tensor Women and Mathematics Program and various AWM (Association for Women in Mathematics) activities.