David Hilbert famously stated that “Mathematics knows no races or geographic boundaries; for mathematics, the world is one country.” Despite this idealistic vision of mathematics, our society is far from reaching the vision of mathematical equity Hilbert proclaimed. According to the 2018 AMS Departmental Profile Report, women make up 30% of full- time graduate students in mathematics, and 23% of tenured faculty. Meanwhile, underrepresented minorities make up 14% of full-time graduate students. Acknowledging my privilege as a white cis man, I strongly believe that I share in the responsibility of fostering a diverse and inclusive environment for students and faculty.
During my tenure at Penn State University, I committed myself to facilitating a positive and welcoming environment for the graduate students in both my department and the College of Science overall. I also engaged in initiatives designed to promote academic excellence in STEM among underrepresented minorities at Penn State. I was a member of the Committees for Climate and Diversity in both the Math Department and the Eberly College of Science at Penn State. I also helped interview candidates for the Millennium Scholars Program at Penn State. (Click the links to learn more about these groups and initiatives.)
I also try to incorporate High-Impact Practices into the courses I teach. These are a great way to engage students from different backgrounds. Click here to learn more about HIPs.
To read more about my commitment to diversity, inclusion, and equity in academia, you can read my Diversity Statement here.