Department of Mathematics

Joshua Jorgensen began his bachelor’s degree in 2010 at Florida Gulf Coast University, where he quickly discovered his passion for mathematics and statistics. During Joshua’s time at FGCU he worked with Dr. Jaffar Ali Shahul Hameed and Dr. Peng Feng on Computational Simulations of Entire Solutions to Elliptic Systems. In addition, Joshua participated in the University of South Florida’s Summer Institute of Biostatistics where he worked with Dr. Hunag Yangxin on Linear Mixed Effect Models. Upon graduating in December of 2013 with a bachelor’s in mathematics with a minor in statistics, he had an in major GPA of 4.0 and an overall GPA of 3.96. Joshua attributes much of his success and chosen career to the guidance of his professors at FGCU. “By being in smaller classes and getting to work closely with the professors at FGCU I was able to not only find my passion for mathematics and statistics, but explore different venues that mathematics offered to find what was best for me.” Following his graduation, Joshua continued his education by taking software engineering courses until he was hired by the Lee County Property Appraiser’s office as a business data analyst. Working at the Property Appraiser’s office Joshua performs statistical tests to identify market trends and patterns. In addition, he uses Regression Analysis to estimate property values and to find time trends in the market. Joshua feels that thanks to the education he received he is able to do his job efficiently and effectively. “Utilizing the skills and lessons I received from my professors at FGCU I am able to not only complete projects in a timely manner but also offer ideas and concepts to improve results by increasing accuracy and consistency; I cannot thank my professors at FGCU enough for all the invaluable knowledge and skills they gave me!”

When I came to FGCU, I was a somewhat shy kid that had never been away from her family more than a few hours at a time. There I was now miles away from everyone I knew in an entirely new country alone. However, FGCU did not make me feel isolated. I came to be really grateful for coming to a smaller university as I got a well-rounded education with smaller class sizes and most importantly I had the chance to build close relationships with students and professors. The math department itself treated us like family. They wanted us to succeed which showed through conferences and seminars organized to help us become better mathematicians. Throughout my time at FGCU, I got the chance at getting a better understand of where our food comes from by volunteering at the food forest. I got to create a mathematical community through the “math club” as we would go to JMM Meetings and USTARS conferences.

I got the amazing opportunity to work with Dr. Insko which made a great difference in how I viewed math and helped me figure out what I wanted to do in life. I got to experience a new (to me) side of mathematics, thoroughly enjoyed research and decided to get my PhD in mathematics.

I strongly believe that going to FGCU was the best for me. I believe that when you are surrounded by mentors that believe in you and do not just want you to succeed but lay the necessary ground works to facilitate that success, it makes all the difference.

I started my journey at FGCU, like many students often do, as a second chance for my academic career. I originally started a B.S. for Chemical Engineering at USF in Tampa, Florida. Upon completing my first semester there I came to find out that this career path is not one I want to go down. So I decided to move back home and attend FGCU to pursue a degree in the one field I have always enjoyed: Mathematics.

When I started here I wasn’t really sure what to expect, but I soon found out that the FGCU mathematics’ department was, and still is, comprised of the most supporting and involved professors I have ever experienced. I was shocked at how willing my professors were to help me during office hours. It is during one of these visits that I got my first real growing experience at FGCU. I broached the topic of undergraduate research with my mentor and instantly he exposed me to so many different opportunities that are offered here at FGCU’s math department.

Since then, I have had the privilege to work with Dr. Insko on a research topic involving machine learning. Thanks to the internal Seidler Fellowship Grant, I was able to present my topic at 2017 MAA Math Fest, as well as at the 2017 USTARS conference. I cannot even begin to express how valuable these experiences were in shaping me into the scholar I am today. Since then, I have also completed an REU at University of Colorado as well as working with FGCU’s Dr. Dimattina on another Machine learning topic. I wouldn’t have been able to do all of this with out the support that I received from all my mentors in the FGCU’s Math department.

Dr. Brian Johnson arrived at FGCU in 2012 and is currently serving as the Interim Director for the Whitaker Center for STEM Education.

From his first semester at FGCU, Dr. Johnson has been involved with the Whitaker Center, serving for several years on the Leadership Team. He was part of a small team that secured an NSF grant in 2013 to begin the STEM Professional Academy for Reinvigorating the Culture of Teaching (SPARCT) at FGCU. More than forty-five of FGCU's STEM faculty have gone through this academy, which aims to improve and expand the use of evidence-based practices in STEM classrooms. 

In his own classrooms, Dr. Johnson uses Process Oriented Guided Inquiry Learning (POGIL) and other active pedagogical tools in order to create a student-centered learning environment and build habits of lifelong learning in his students. He is also a trained POGIL workshop facilitator. With Dr. Katie Johnson, he has coauthored a textbook of Finite Math (MGF 1106) POGIL activities that are in the final stages of publication. 

Dr. Johnson’s scholarship encompasses faculty professional development in STEM, commutative algebra, and the scholarship of teaching and learning in mathematics. Some of his projects with students have included: zero-divisor graphs of graded rings, hyperbolic geometry, and jigsaw sudoku puzzles. 

In summers since 2014, Dr. Johnson has been part of a team that facilitates the Schulze Summer STEM Institutes for K-12 Teachers. These weeklong professional development workshops seek to improve the use of inquiry based practices in K-12 classrooms across Southwest Florida and beyond. In their current form, they are significantly supported by a portion of a $1.6 million private donation from the Richard M. Schulze Foundation. Another major partner is the Conservancy of Southwest Florida, which provides classroom space and a perfect location for the majority of the workshop. 

Dr. Johnson earned his B.S. in Mathematics, with honors, from North Dakota State University in 2006 and his Ph.D. in Mathematics from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in 2012