My Journey from Graduate School to Being a University Professor

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My Journey from Graduate School to Being a
University Professor

• by
• William Yslas Vélez
• Department of Mathematics
• University of Arizona
• Tucson, Arizona

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The journey that almost did not begin.
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• When it comes to minority students surviving
  the mathematical experience in this country, it
  appears to me that it almost takes a miracle for
  that to happen.
• Mathematics is the new civil rights issue of
  this century.
• And you hold the key.

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• At various points in my life it was SUGGESTED to
  me that my career choice should not include
  mathematics.
• Undergraduate experiences
• Graduate school

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Why am I drawing attention to these experiences

• In your teaching career you are going to
  encounter students who dont fit your mold of
  what a mathematician should be.
• Your actions could determine their future.
• Out of more than 20 students who began graduate
  school with me, I was the only one to earn a PhD.

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The time for miracles is over.

• We, as a mathematics community, should recognize
• The changing and important role that mathematics
  is playing in society
• http//www.math.uiuc.edu/MSS/2006-Spring/MathWillR
  ockYourWorld.pdf
• The importance of an undergraduate degree in
  mathematics and the opportunities that are
  available for undergraduates.
• http//www.ams.org/early-careers/

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The changing and important role that mathematics
is playing in society
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http//www.ams.org/early-careers/

• Early Career ProfilesRecent bachelors-level
  graduates in the mathematical sciences
• The Early Career Profile Network
• The AMS recruits and supports a network of
  mathematical sciences departments that
  systematically provide job profiles of their
  recent bachelors-level alumni. The Early Career
  Profile Network is supported in part by the
  Alfred P. Sloan Foundation under the auspices of
  the Sloan Career Cornerstone Series. Read more .
  . .
• View profiles of individuals employed in the
  following industry sectors
• Agriculture, forestry, fishing, and hunting
• Arts, entertainment, and recreation
• Construction
• Education
• Finance and insurance
• Government
• Health care and social assistance
• Information technology
• Legal services
• Management of companies and enterprises
• Manufacturing
• Mining
• Nonprofit
• Other science and technology
• Publishing, communications, and libraries

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• The importance of an undergraduate degree in
  mathematics and the opportunities that are
  available for undergraduates.

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This last point deserves some attention.

• I cannot tell you how many times I have had a
  conversation with a mathematician and it goes
  like this.
• I think that we should increase the number of
  mathematics majors.
• Reply But the market for PhDs is not that good.
• I was talking about BS degrees in mathematics.
• Reply What would you do with a BS degree in
  mathematics?

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I am led to make the following conjecture

• Mathematicians dont think that mathematics is
  useful.
• Mathematicians believe that the reason one gets a
  BS degree is because one is headed for a PhD.
• Mathematicians believe that the BS degree in
  mathematics will not lead to gainful employment.

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How to change this perception?

• Mathematics faculty, graduate and undergraduate
  students of mathematics should apply for
  internships
• Faculty http//www.asee.org/resources/fellowship
  s/nsfro/lablist.cfm
• Graduate Students http//www7.nationalacademies.
  org/policyfellows/
• Undergraduate Students http//www.sandia.gov/SIP/
  intern-co-op/undergrad.html

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• As Associate Head for Undergraduate Affairs I
  have tried to institute the philosophy that
  before students complete their undergraduate
  studies in mathematics they will have
  participated in the three important aspects of
  being a mathematician.

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• learn mathematics
• create mathematics
• teach mathematics
• Students need to develop a sense of
  professionalism, and we as faculty need to help
  them develop this sense.

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• How do we effect change?
• The first item of business is Do we agree that
  change is necessary?
• If so, what is it that departments and faculty
  can do to increase the number of mathematics
  majors?

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How do we effect change?

• Outreach is a common answer.
• We need to convince incoming students that they
  should prepare themselves for the study of
  mathematics.

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Outreach is expensive

• It is difficult to convince faculty to invest
  energy in leaving the university.
• There is a very important population that we
  could reach and that would give us an immediate
  return.
• AP calculus classes.
• David Bressouds data
• AP High School Calculus Class Visitation project.

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• There is an even more important activity than
  outreach.
• Inreach
• We should have the attitude that every student in
  our classes is a potential mathematics major.
• The mathematics that we teach, and the classes
  that we use to communicate that mathematics,
  should be our most important recruiting tool.

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Calculus Minority Advising

• How I got started with Inreach
• How I changed over time.
• Advising as an aggressive activity.
• What happens when students enter my office,
  enrolled in calculus and have no major.
• Even more aggressive What do I suggest when
  students enter my office with another major.

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I now have access to all student records

• I look over enrollments for our upper division
  mathematics classes. If the student is not a
  mathematics major, I look over that students
  background.
• If the student has had trouble, I send an email
  with suggested changes.
• If I think that the student could add math as
  another major in the time that they have
  available, I send a message inviting them to see
  me in my office.

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• I have created a word document that contains
  examples of messages that I want to send out.

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I now have access to all student records

• I look over third semester calculus and sophomore
  level linear algebra. In particular I look for
  first year students.
• I look over enrollments in second semester
  calculus for first year students.
• I ALWAYS pay attention to minority students
  enrolled in our mathematics classes. Even if I
  dont think that I can convince to take more
  mathematics, I often send them messages,

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I go over student records and send out messages
to students

• I was going through our math 129 enrollments and
  I see that you enrolled in this course. It
  appears that you are majoring in Bioch. and Mol.
  Biophysics and you have done very well in your
  courses. Have you given any thought to double
  majoring in math and BMB? If you are thinking
  about going on to graduate school in BMB, you
  will find that having more math would be helpful.
• If you would like to explore this possibility,
  send me a message and we can arrange to meet. My
  office is part of the Math Center.
• Best. WYV

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I now have access to all student records.

• Some examples
• Mark-Physics, Astronomy Math
• Most messages do not result in an immediate
  reply, but when they do, I think about what to
  say to that student.
• Ben was transferring from a community college.

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An example of the messages that I send out to
students

• Benjamin is a physics major
• Dear Benjamin I was going over enrollments for
  math 223 and I came across your name. It appears
  that you are interested in physics. Have you ever
  thought of adding mathematics as another major?
  If you have any thought of pursuing an advanced
  degree in physics you will find that the
  undergraduate mathematics will be of tremendous
  assistance in that endeavor. If you would like
  to talk about these possibilities, send me a
  message and we can arrange to meet in my office.
  My office, Math East 142, is part of the Math
  Center. Best. WYV

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The message ends with my titles, and contact
information so that students know this is from a
member of the department

• -- William Yslas Velez Director, Math Center
  Math East 142 Associate Head for Undergraduate
  Affairs Address Department of Mathematics 617
  N. Santa Rita P.O. Box 210089 The University of
  Arizona Tucson, Arizona 85721-0089 Office
  Phone [phone] Fax [phone] Office
  Math East 142 website http//math.arizona.edu/v
  elez/

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Students Response

• Hi Mr. Velez, I'm already planning on adding
  Geology and Astronomy as second and third majors.
  
• If this changes, I'll certainly consider the
  possibility. Thanks, -Ben

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My Reply

• That sounds great. You might consider adding the
  math minor. After 223 and 254, you only need to
  have two more math courses to have the minor in
  math. After 254, I suggest that you take 422 and
  410. If you are interested in declaring the math
  minor, let me know and I can make that change in
  your student records. I wish you continued
  success. It is so great to know that there are
  such dedicated students as you. Best. WYV

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I have his interest

• Hi Mr. Velez, I'm considering switching to the
  Math major in place of Geology.  The course load
  required for the Geology major in conjunction
  with Physics and Astronomy is absolutely
  overwhelming, and I had neglected to consider the
  honors requirements when I put my schedule
  together.  I need to head down to Tucson to get
  my student ID and talk to the Astronomy advisor
  at some point in the near future.  Perhaps I can
  come by your office as well? Thanks, -Ben

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Now a math major

• What day do you want to stop by? Best. WYV
• Ben has now declared math as a major, adding that
  to his physics major. He is overly enthusiastic
  about pursuing his studies.

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The quality of our students is staggering

• In preparation for a site visit for our VIGRE
  grant I went over student records.
• Of the 450 mathematics majors, 127 had GPAs over
  3.5.
• Of those, 64 had perfect 4.0 GPAs.

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Data
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Number of math majors
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I am trying to get our faculty involved

• Email message to all of our teaching staff at the
  end of the semester.

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Suppose that I now have a student interested in a
math major?

• What are the opportunities for mathematics
  majors?
• How can I increase their sense of
  professionalism?
• In order to provide advice, I have to understand
  their career goals and how mathematics can fit
  into those career goals.

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• I want to state very emphatically (lest we
  forget) that my goal is to increase the
  mathematical content of their undergraduate
  curriculum. It is not to get them to go into
  graduate school in mathematics, or even to go to
  graduate school. We need an army of mathematics
  majors in all areas of life in this country.

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Opportunities

• Departmental
• University-wide
• Local
• National
• International

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• http//math.arizona.edu/ura/
• http//ubrp.arizona.edu/
• http//www.rayjobs.com/index.cfm?OptionTucson
• http//www.nsf.gov/crssprgm/reu/reu_search.cfm
• http//www.mines.edu/reu-mcs/
• http//www.stolaf.edu/depts/math/budapest/

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Professionalism

• Resume
• http//amuc.org

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Advising

• Most students dont know that REU projects pay
  them to spend the summer thinking about
  mathematics and graduate school will pay them to
  go to graduate school in the STEM fields.
• Faculty assume incorrectly that bright students
  dont need mentoring. Students can be bright and
  still be ignorant of the appropriate career path
  to take.

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Final Thoughts

• We as mathematicians need to be more pro-active
  in helping our students select more mathematics
  in their undergraduate coursework. Hopefully
  those courses will entice students into the
  continued study of mathematics. If these courses
  dont accomplish this, then we need to
  re-evaluate the goals of our courses.
• None of this happens by accident. It is up the
  mathematics community to educate ourselves as to
  how best to entice our students into the study of
  mathematics.