Kerry Tarrant

14 MacLean Hall
Iowa City, Iowa 52242-1419
kerry.d.tarrant@gmail.com

Currently, I am a PhD candidate at the University of Iowa, working with Zahra Aminzare on mathematical models for cell biology.

Previously, I worked as a research assistant and lab manager in the Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences at the University of Iowa in the LaLumiere Lab and in the Blumberg Lab.


Research

I study the steady states and stability of a generalized pump-leak model to understand how electrochemical and osmotic dynamics enable robust cell volume homeostasis.

Department of Mathematics 3-Minute-Thesis talk (2025)

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SIAM on the Life Sciences (2024)

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Publications

In preparation

Tarrant, K., Kay, A., & Aminzare, Z. (in preparation) Stability and Robustness in Two-Compartment Pump-Leak Models.

2020

Garnett, C., Tarrant, K., & Winter, J. (2020). Edge Turncoat Graphs in the Game of Cops and Robbers: The Good, The Bad and The Ugly. Journal of Combinatorial Mathematics and Combinatorial Computing.


Work Experience

Mathematician Intern

Hero Journey Club

From 2023 to 2024, I was trained by an NSF-funded program to transition math PhDs from academia to industry. I interned at Hero Journey Club (a company that connects therapists and patients through online video games). At Hero Journey Club, I applied NLP to analyze session transcripts and developed LLM-based tools for market research.

May 2024 - August 2024

Research Assistant

University of Iowa

Learning and Memory lab in the Psychological and Brain Sciences Department. As lab manager, I worked directly with institutional review boards and compliance committees. My day-to-day resposibilities included managing undergraduate research personnel, run self-administration experiments, inventory and equipment management.

Sleep lab in the Psychological and Brain Sciences Department. As a research assistant, I worked in EEG and EMG data collection of postnatal (P5-P12) rats.

July 2018 - August 2020

Mathematics Mentor

Black Hills State University

Mentored undergraduate students. Courses include College Algebra, Calculus I-III. Proctored exams for College Algebra.

August 2017 - May 2018

Undergraduate Research Assistant

Black Hills State University

Cognition lab. I worked in data collection and organization of data. Utilized E-Prime software in experiment design.

August 2015 - May 2018

Student Technology Fellow

Black Hills State University

Web Development in Marketing and Communication. Maintained website content, collected and managed web forms, developed informative content, and advertised events on the website and public web calendar.

August 2013 - June 2017

Education

Doctor of Philosophy [in progress]

Mathematics
University of Iowa

Advisor: Dr. Zahra Aminzare
Thesis: Stability and robustness analysis of generalized pump-leak models for cellular volume regulation

January 2026

Master of Science

Mathematics
University of Iowa
Qualifying Exam Results (Scale: Fail/Masters Pass/Ph.D. Pass)
  • Analysis: Ph.D. Pass
  • Differential Equations: Ph.D. Pass
  • Numerical Analysis: Ph.D. Pass

December 2025

Bachelor of Science

Double Major: Mathematics and Psychology
Black Hills State University

May 2018

Teaching Assistant

Engineering Math II: Multivariable Calculus

MATH: 1560 (0002, 0003)
Instructor: Dr. Cynthia Farthing

Discussion Times: TTh 9:30 AM to 10:20 AM (0002), TTH 10:30 AM to 11:20 AM (0003)
Location: 205 MLH (0002, 0003)
Office Location: B20F MLH
Office Hour: 11:30 AM to 12:30 PM Tuesday.
Syllabus: PDF
Books: Stroyan, K.D. (2016). Advanced Calculus using Mathematica: Notebook Edition. Wolfram.

Spring 2025

Mathematics for the Biological Sciences

MATH: 1440 (0A20)
Instructor: Dr. Olga Sokratova

Discussion Times: TTh 11:00 AM to 11:50 AM (0A20)
Location: 213 MLH (0A20)
Office Location: B20F MLH
Office Hour: 1:30 PM to 2:30 PM Thursdays
Syllabus: PDF
Books: Lial, Hornsby, Schneider, and Daniels. (2020). yLab Math with PreCalculus, 7th edition.. Pearson.

Fall 2024

Engineering Math II: Multivariable Calculus

MATH: 1560 (0002, 0003)
Instructor: Dr. Olga Sokratova

Discussion Times: TTh 9:30 AM to 10:20 AM (0002), TTH 10:30 AM to 11:20 AM (0003)
Location: 205 MLH (0002, 0003)
Office Location: B20F MLH
Office Hour: 11:30 AM to 12:30 PM Tuesday.
Syllabus: PDF
Books: Stroyan, K.D. (2016). Advanced Calculus using Mathematica: Notebook Edition. Wolfram.

Spring 2024

Mathematics for the Biological Sciences

MATH: 1440 (0A08, 0A11)
Instructor: Dr. Colleen Mitchell

Discussion Times: TTh 2:00 PM to 2:50 PM (0A11), TTH 5:00 PM to 5:50 PM (0A08)
Location: 205 MLH (0A08, 0A11)
Office Location: B20F MLH
Office Hour: 3:00 PM to 4:00 PM Tuesday.
Syllabus: PDF
Exam Review Sheets:
Books: PreCalculus, 6th editionem> and Finite Mathematics, 11th edition.
Note:

Spring 2023

College Algebra

MATH: 1005 (0083)
Primary Instructor: Kerry Tarrant
Course Supervisor: Dr. Cynthia Farthing

Time: MTWTh 8:30 AM to 9:20 AM (0083)
Location: 27 MH (0083)
Office Location: B20F MLH
Office Hour: 9:30 AM to 11:30 AM Tuesday.
Syllabus: PDF
Exam Review Sheets:
Book: Bianconi, R., Farthing, C., Oswald, A., & Poudel, A. (2022). College Algebra Workbook MATH:1005 (Version 5). Department of Mathematics at University of Iowa.
Note:

Fall 2022

Engineering Mathematics II: Multivariable Calculus

MATH: 1560 (0003)
Instructor: Dr. Walter Seaman

Discsussion Time: TTh 10:30 AM to 11:20 AM (0003)
Discussion Location: 117 MLH (0003)
Office Location: 261 MacBride Hall (MH)
Office Hour: 12:30 PM to 1:30 PM Tuesday. Other times also available by appointment.
Syllabus: PDF
Exam Review Sheets: Practice final (S16) | Practice final (S17)
Book: Stroyan, K.D. (2016). Advanced Calculus using Mathematica: Notebook Edition. Wolfram.
Note: Dr. Nicholas Camacho has compiled his own helpful notes and examples available on his site.

Spring 2022

Calculus for the Biological Sciences

MATH: 1460 (0091, 0332, 0431)
Instructor: Dr. Xiaoyi Zhang

Discussion Times: TTh 9:30 AM to 10:20 AM (0091), TTh 3:30 PM to 4:20 PM (0332), TTH 5:00 PM to 5:50 PM (0431)
Discussion Locations: 218 MLH (0091), 210 MLH (0332), 221 MLH (0431)
Office Location: 261 MacBride Hall (MH)
Office Hour: 10:30 AM Tuesday. Other times also available by appointment.
Syllabus: PDF
Exam Review Sheets: Exam 1 | Exam 2 | Final
Book: Greenwell, R., Ritchey, N., & Lial, M. (2014). Calculus for the Life Sciences (2nd Ed.). Pearson.

Fall 2021

Skills

Programming Languages
Software Tools
  • Matlab
  • Julia

Awards

  • SIAM Travel Grant 2024
  • Sloan Mini-Grant 2022

Seminars and Workshop Teaching

Mathematical Biology Seminar Organizer

Department of Mathematics, University of Iowa

Coordinated deparmental seminar.

Fall 2022

Workshop Leader

Trigonometry Review
Math Tutorial Lab, University of Iowa

Notes: Trigonometry Review Notes | Trigonometry Review Worksheet

Fall 2022

Workshop Leader

Factoring & Solving Quadratic Equations
Math Tutorial Lab, University of Iowa

Notes: Factoring Notes | Factoring Worksheet | Special factorization

Fall 2021

Mathematical Biology Journal Club Organizer

Department of Mathematics, University of Iowa

Developed a biweekly meeting for graduate students to review and discuss work in Mathematical Biology.

Spring 2021

Iowa City BrainHack Committee

Leadership & Engagement, University of Iowa

Drafted the organization's constitution and registered Iowa City BrainHack as student organization with the University of Iowa. Invited speakers and developed workshops that bridge research and analyzing data.

Fall 2020 - Present