The department encourages and supports the professional development of its entire faculty and staff. Development activities include research, curriculum development, professional writing, coordination of programs, participation at professional meetings, and participation in department colloquia and seminars.  Our faculty has research specialties in pure and applied mathematics, statistics and mathematics education. Two of our faculty (John Koker in 2006, Jennifer Szydlik in 2010) have recently received the UW Regents Teaching Award, the highest award for teaching given by the UW System.

The department provides rigorous undergraduate major and minor programs for students who wish to pursue careers in the mathematical sciences.  Many of our students engage in collaborative research with our faculty, and we are proud to have mathematics majors win the Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in 2010 and 2011.

We also offer a Masters of Mathematics Education graduate program, and maintain an active study abroad program in mathematics education with recent trips to Peru and China. Since 1949, UW Oshkosh has awarded over 2,300 graduate and undergraduate degrees with a major or minor in mathematics. Many of our graduates become programmers, engineers, actuaries, statisticians, and business or financial analysts. About 70 percent of our graduates have careers in education, teaching mathematics in elementary schools, middle schools, high schools and colleges.

As part of the College of Letters and Sciences, the mathematics department recognizes the inherent value of a liberal arts education as a means to developing well-rounded individuals with critical thinking and problem solving skills. We have developed innovative Problem-Based Inquiry Seminars as a key component in the University Studies Program, and our Developmental Mathematics Program emphasizes student success by building mathematical community among students and instructors.

The department continues to be actively engaged with the broader community through service and outreach initiatives. The mathematics educators in the department have developed partnerships with local school districts in curriculum development and providing professional development for practicing mathematics teachers, and the department continues to take an active role in the Cooperative Academic Partnership Program (CAPP) for high school students to receive college credit in mathematics. Five faculty have served on the governing body of the Wisconsin Section of the Mathematical Association of America as governor, chair and co-coordinators of student activities. Professors Ken Price and Steve Szydlik have developed a mathematics game show called “Face Off!,” Jeopardy-style game show that has proven to be popular both on campus and off. The competition has been presented at various venues around the state and gives students an opportunity to learn mathematics in a competitive yet fun and encouraging environment.