Zvezdelina Entcheva Stankova

Teaching Professor of Mathematics
Founder of the Berkeley Math Circle

Note: Unfortunately, due to UC Berkeley requirements and circumstances outside of our control, after 27 years of serving tens of thousands of Bay Area budding young mathematicians, BMC-Upper was forced to close in May 2025 and will not be offered in Fall 2025 - Spring 2026. BMC-Upper relies on the diverse array of guest speakers that give both in-person and virtual talks to our students, so the new fingerprinting requirements for guest speakers severely limited our ability to sustain the spring 2025 program with a reduced speaker pool and would require us to change the program fundamentally to survive long term. Here are three related articles in the Daily Californian:

1. Genius-producing math program lost to UC Berkeley fingerprinting requirements

2. Berkeley Math Circle alum Hannah Cairo solves 40-year-old math problem at 17

3. MacArthur Fellows, Olympiad gold medalists grieve loss of Berkeley Math Circle

That being said, we do hope to restart BMC-Upper in the future and remain in negotiations for a sustainable agreement that will allow us to continue to nurture a love of mathematics in students, so we hope you will check back the BMC website in summer 2026 for updates.

Office: 713 Evans Hall

Department of Mathematics

University of California at Berkeley, CA 94720-3840

Email: "last name, lowercase" at "university name" dot edu

Tel: 510-642-3768

Webpage: /~stankova

Office Hours

Zvezda's Fall 2025 (no OHs during breaks)

Mon 1:00pm-1:50pm (Evans 736)

Mon 4:00pm-4:30pm (hallway in front of Dwinelle 155)

Wed 12:05pm-12:55pm zoom OHs

Wed 1:05pm-1:55pm (Wheeler 204)

Fri 12:30pm-1:50pm (Wheeler 222)

CJ Dowd, Head GSI for MATH 52, Fall 2025:

Mon 11am-12pm: Evans 941

Tue 3pm-4pm: zoom OHs

Thur 10am-11am: Evans 941

With enrollment questions:

Contact Thomas Brown, Marsha Snow, or Hahn Tran at the Math Department: during their office hours, in person (NOT on email!) if you want your question to be answered quickly.

Write to enrollment@math.berkeley.edu but be aware that lots of people will be writing to this email address, so you are better off going directly in person to Thomas Brown, Marsha Snow, or Hahn Tran.

General administrative question regarding the undergraduate math curriculum/programs at UC Berkeley should be directed to Victoria Lee, Direct of Student Services, Department of Mathematics, UC Berkeley, 967 Evans Hall, Berkeley CA, (510) 664-4603

Do NOT contact the instructor, as I have no impact on enrollment in the classes. Writing to me with enrollment questions will indicate that you have not read my personal website, which is the first thing you need to do before deciding whether to contact or not an instructor with a particular question. Email to me is only for emergencies, and NOT for routine or non-emergency questions.

For availability updates on Fall 2025 Math classes, see the following website:

https://math.berkeley.edu/courses/enrollment

MATH 49 through MATH 52 in Fall 2025

1) Students wishing to take MATH 49 through MATH 52 in Fall 2025 should carefully read and follow:

MATH 49 instructions,

last updated 6/22/2025. These instructions will ensure efficiently registering you for the class in CalCentral and on all platforms of the course, as well as arranging for all logistics that will help you successfully complete MATH 49.

2) In particular, you need to have completed your official enrollment on CalCentral by the 3rd week of classes; by the 7th week of classes, you should have contacted your intended GSI and the Head GSI, to settle on all logistics. We will not accept late MATH 49 students.

Completing an incomplete in MATH 52 in Fall 2025

Students wishing to complete an incomplete in MATH 52 in Fall 2025 need to go to the Head GSI's office hours (see above) and finalize all arrangements for the MATH 52 final exam no later than Nov 15.

1) MATH 54 Final Exams are on Tuesday, Dec 16, 7:00PM-10:00PM (for 3PM class) and on Thursday, Dec 18, 3:00-6:00PM (for 2PM class).

2) The final is 2 hours for 100% time. Be prepared to stay in the exam room for all 3 hours.

3) The two exam slots will cover 150% DSP time.

4) Tentatively, the 200% DSP time is Tue, Dec 16, 6:00PM-10:00PM and Thur, Dec 18, 2:30PM-6:30PM.

5) There are no alternative times or online versions. If you have a conflict with the above final exam times, e.g., another final exam or some activity or emergency, you cannot complete your incomplete through my MATH 52 class in fall 2025.

6) No arrangements will be made after Nov 15. Requests after Nov 15 will not be accommodated in our MATH 52 class.

Current Courses

Fall 2025:

MATH 52 (previously MATH 1B) Calculus II (two classes):

MWF 2-3PM, 150 Wheeler and MWF 3-4PM, 155 Dwinelle.

1) There will be no course capture (recording of lectures) for MATH 52 in Fall 2025. Plan to attend in person. Extensive past study of my large classes for a number of semesters have shown a negative correlation between hours of watching course capture and performance/final score in the classes. Carefully read the syllabus for resources that will be provided.

2) Polls in MATH 52 lectures: We will experiment with 2 polls per lecture on PollEverywhere. The polls are a great way to evaluate one's understanding of the material in real time and to prepare for T/F and M/C questions on the exams, and they are interactive and based on what is happening in the specific lecture when the polls are open. The sheer number of students and the set-up in the lecture hall may present unforeseen technical difficulties. Thus, we will count the polls only as bonus points. Past polls may be accessed on PollEverywhere only by students who submitted them when they were open in lecture.

2a) Remote participation in polls: If you miss lecture, you can participate in polls remotely as long as you submit the answers during the time the polls are open in your own lecture. A student cannot participate in the polls of the other lecture: to keep the situation fair to everyone, such polls will not be counted towards the student's final grade.

2b) Bonus credit: At the instructor's discretion, up to 4% bonus credit may be awarded for correct polls: the exact bonus % (if any) will be announced in due time. Bonus points will not affect the grade cut-offs or anyone else's final grade. They cannot lower anyone's grade. In the past, about 3/4 of students received a final grade increase due to bonus points and/or the exam resurrection policy.

3) To registered students interested in attending some or all lectures in the other class: As long as there is space in the lecture hall, you can sit in the other class. However, you cannot participate in the polls for the other lecture. Please, see the description of the polls above and read the syllabus carefully for more information if needed. You must also take the midterm and final exams in your own lecture. Midterms are planned on Wednesdays.

4) MATH 52 does NOT allow for time overlap with other courses: No student will be allowed to sign up for MATH 52 if another class if theirs overlaps (fully or partially) with the MATH 52 times. Emailing the instructor to override this will not help since this no-overlap policy is encoded in registration on CalCentral. The policy ensures, among other things, that the midterms and the final exams for MATH 52 will NOT overlap with any other exams for any other classes.

5) To students interested in auditing MATH 52: As long as there is space in the lecture hall/classroom, you can listen to the lectures. You cannot participate in the polls though or interfere in any other way with the lecture. Unfortunately, we will not be able to add you to bCourses or other class platforms, as those are reserved only for students officially registered for the class.

Future Courses

Spring 2026: sabbatical, not teaching.

Past Courses

Spring 2025:

MATH 74 Transition to Upper-Division Mathematics (Introduction to Proofs): MWF 11AM-12PM | Etcheverry 3108|

MATH 110 Abstract Linear Algebra: MWF 1PM-2PM | 155 Dwinelle |

Fall 2024:

MATH 54 Linear Algebra: MWF 9:10am-10:00am and MWF 12:10pm-1:00pm, 150 Wheeler

Spring 2024:

MATH 54 Linear Algebra: MWF 11:10am-12:00noon, Pimentel 1

MATH 74 Transition to Upper-Division Mathematics (Intro to Proofs): MWF 1:10PM-2:00PM, Etchevery 3108

Fall 2023:

MATH 54 Linear Algebra, LEC 001-002: Time MWF 12:10PM-1:00PM, 2:10PM-3:00PM | Dwinelle 155

Spring 2023:

MATH 1B Calculus II, Time MWF 9:10AM-10:00AM (LEC 2), MWF 11:10AM-12:00PM (LEC 1) | Wheeler Auditorium 150|

Spring 2022:

Fall 2021:

MATH 110 Linear Algebra, LEC 001-002: Time: MWF 12-1PM, 2PM-3PM| Latimer 120|

Spring 2021:

MATH 53 Multivariable Calculus, LEC 001-002: Time: MWF 12-1PM, 1PM-2PM | On Zoom|

Fall 2020:

MATH 74 Introduction to Proofs, Time: MWF 10-11AM | On Zoom |

MATH 110 Linear Algebra: Time: MWF 12-1PM | On Zoom |

Fall 2019:

MATH 10A Methods of Mathematics: Calculus, Statistics, and Combinatorics: Time: MWF 10-11AM | Stanley 105 | and MWF 12-3PM | Valley Life Sciences 2050 |

Spring 2019:

MATH 10B Methods of Mathematics: Calculus, Statistics, and Combinatorics, LEC 001-002: Time: MWF 1-2PM and MWF 2-3PM | Valley Life Sciences 2050 |

Fall 2018:

MATH 10A Methods of Mathematics: Calculus, Statistics, and Combinatorics, LEC 002: Time: MWF 10:11AM | Stanley 105 |

MATH 10A Methods of Mathematics: Calculus, Statistics, and Combinatorics, LEC 001: Time: MWF 12:1PM | Valley Life Sciences 2050 |

Spring 2018:

MATH 10B Methods of Mathematics: Calculus, Statistics, and Combinatorics: Time: MWF 10:11AM | Valley Life Sciences 2050 |

MATH 53 Multivariable Calculus: Time: 12-1PM | Place: 155 Dwinelle |

Fall 2017:

MATH 10A Methods of Mathematics: Calculus, Statistics, and Combinatorics: TuTh 11:00AM-12:30PM | Valley Life Sciences 2050|

MATH 110 Linear Algebra: TuTh 8:00AM-9:30AM | Valley Life Sciences 2050 |

Spring 2017:

MATH 1B: Calculus II: TuTh 8:00AM-9:30AM | Dwinelle 155 |

MATH 110 Linear Algebra: TuTh 11:00AM-12:30PM | Valley Life Sciences 2050 |

Fall 2016:

MATH 110 Linear Algebra: TuTh 8:00AM-9:30AM | 2050 Valley Life Sciences |

MATH 55 Discrete Mathematics: TuTh 12:30PM-2:00PM | 105 Stanley |

Instructions for Requesting a Recommendation Letter

I am not accepting any more new requests for recommendation letters, starting in Dec 2025, as I will be on sabbatical in Spring 2026. When classes resume in late August 2026, you can find my office hours here on this website. Meanwhile, you can approach your GSI to ask for a letter.

Read carefully and follow strictly these Instructions.

There is a one-month period AFTER:

1. I have received all information from you and from your GSI(s);

2. And all on-line links for letter submission have been sent to me by the programs;

3. And BEFORE I submit the letter.

Thus, start the process at least 6 weeks before my deadline for the letter. Note that I will write no recommendation letters during finals periods and breaks: summer (May 1-August 31), winter (Dec 1-Jan 22), or spring break. Do NOT count the time in these periods as part of the one-month period above.

Selected Publications

Combinatorics and Algebraic Geometry:

Shape-Wilf-Ordering of Permutations of Length 3, Electronic Journal of Combinatorics.

Explicit Enumeration of the 321-hexagon Avoiding Permutations, with Julian West, Discrete Mathematics.

321-Polygon-Avoiding Permutations and Chebyshev Polynomials, with Toufik Mansour, Electronic Journal of Combinatorics.

Moduli of Trigonal Curves, Journal of Algebraic Geometry.

Forbidden Subsequences, Discrete Mathematics.

Problem Solving in Mathematics:

"A Decade of the Berkeley Math Circle: The American Experience," Volume I, with Tom Rike, AMS/MSRI.

"A Decade of the Berkeley Math Circle: The American Experience," Volume II, with Tom Rike, AMS/MSRI.

Numberphile Channel

directed by Brady Haran

Videos on Games and Geometry Puzzles
with Zvezdelina Stankova

See some proof and problem-solving ideas that come handly in a variety of math areas: