The Knowles Science Teaching Foundation awarded the third cohort of Mathematics Teaching Fellowships in June 2007. For more information about our fellows, click on a picture.

Clifford Cheng				Kimberly Conner	Timothy Converse
Carmen Davis				Chris Davis	Zachary Herrmann
Lindsey Konell				Andrew McNeice	Jera Mendenhall

Mele Sato

Jessica Uy

Photos on this page by Yischon Liaw, 1000 Views Studios

Clifford Cheng 

I was born in Hong Kong and moved to the United States with my family when I was six years old. During my elementary and high school years, I lived in San Lorenzo, California, an extremely diverse, lower-income working-class neighborhood in the San Francisco Bay Area.  My parents always expressed a desire for me to go to college when I was growing up. However, as immigrants to this country, they did not have a real understanding of what it took to go to college in America. Also, since my mother had only a high school education and my father never even finished high school, they really didn't have a sense of what they or I could be doing to achieve that goal. They saw college as a utopia that would set me up for life, if only I went. I humored my parents' desire, but I had a hard time envisioning myself in college. In my neighborhood I didn't really hear about high school graduates who went on to college. What I did see were high school graduates working at department stores for minimum wage or hanging out in the liquor store parking lots. I had little knowledge of what college was like. There was a part of me that felt like college was something that could happen. If it didn't go, I wasn't going to sweat it. The thing is, I wasn't a poor student growing up or even an average one. By all measures I always did exceptionally well in school which motivated me to go to school day after day. Excelling in classes, however, didn’t give me a sense of what I was supposed to do with my academic skills.

It wasn't until my sophomore year that things began to fall into place. Prior to selecting classes for our junior year, a recruiter for the vocational education program came to our class to give us some information. I remembered her telling me to consider taking a welding class instead of a math or science class because it would give me job experience plus lighten my academic course load. Luckily for my academic future, several teachers flat out told me that I should take the most rigorous academic courses that our school had to offer. Taking my teachers advice allowed me to blossom academically during my last two years of high school. I thrived in the environment of my advanced placement classes and became the first person in my family to attend and graduate from college.

Enrolling at the University of California at Berkeley right out of high school I majored in Mathematics. Four years later I had a degree in Applied Mathematics, a far cry from the young boy who once thought that even community college might be a pipe dream. Over the course of my career at UC Berkeley I wanted to find some way to use my education to give back to the world. As I became more socially conscious and aware of the inequities that plague our society, teaching seemed to be the natural choice.  Upon graduation, I toiled around for two years in the real world. I traveled to foreign places I had only dreamed about seeing before, taught poetry, drove a forklift, and tutored kids in math and reading. At that point, I enrolled in my graduate studies at Stanford University.  After going through the incredible Stanford Teacher Education Program, I graduated with a Master’s of Arts in Education and a preliminary credential to teach high school mathematics.  Next year, I will be going back to teach math at my old high school, San Lorenzo High in San Lorenzo, California.  It will be a nice way to come full circle giving back to the community I came from.  I hope in some small way that I can have an impact on my future students the way my teachers had an impact on me.

Kimberly Conner 

I have a theory that explains why many people hate math so much; namely, that most of their dislike is derived from one or more math classes where they had a teacher who did not explain the concepts in an understandable or engaging way. From that point onward, their dislike for mathematics grows, largely compounded by their belief that they are horrible at math and that math is not fun. Thankfully, this situation can be reversed by having a teacher whose love for mathematics overflows into their teaching and who attempts to help their students understand that math is not impossible and can even be fun. My seventh grade math teacher was this type of person for me. Because of her influence in my life, I want to become a math teacher and influence other students lives in the way in which she influenced mine.

Home-schooling from 9th through 11th grade gave me the opportunity to excel in mathematics, further developing my love for the subject through individual attention and to be instructed by teachers who enjoyed the subject. In 9th grade, I was often heard making comments such as, "If I wrote this textbook or theorem, I would have written it this way" (which is evidence of my former over-confidence in understanding the subject!). Being home-schooled also provided me with an opportunity to volunteer in a first grade classroom. While I enjoyed my time with the children, I realized that I would quickly become bored with only teaching the basics of math year after year and decided that the challenge of teaching high school mathematics was what I ultimately preferred.

I spent my undergraduate years at Mercer University, where I was heavily involved in the honors program, the Baptist Student Union and a traveling drama ministry. In my quest for a Liberal Arts education, I chose to minor in Photography (one of my other loves), complete the Great Books track (a substitute classical approach to traditional core modeled after St. John's College) in addition to my major in Mathematics and completion of departmental honors. While I greatly enjoyed each of these activities and courses, my most fulfilling times at Mercer were spent helping Pre-Calculus and Calculus students through my job as a Supplemental Instruction leader. I received so much satisfaction and was thrilled every time I watched the light bulb go on for a student or helped them understand a difficult concept. Therefore, when my time at Mercer came to a close, it was an easy decision to continue my education to get my teaching credentials, so that I would be fully prepared to teach. In the fall, I will be attending Vanderbilt University in order to receive my Masters in Secondary Education and certification to teach Secondary Mathematics. I am looking forward to all of the amazing experiences and opportunities that KSTF will provide and thankful for their support.

Timothy Converse 

I was born in Utica, NY and spent most of my childhood growing up in the Upstate New York area. Graduating from Whitesboro High School, I became even more drawn to mathematics and was inspired to incorporate math into my future career. Mathematics was always my favorite subject and I enjoyed seeing it's application to events and parts of my everyday life. I moved to Pittsburgh, PA in 2001 to attend the University of Pittsburgh where my whole life was changed. Having grown up in the suburbs, I wasn't used to life in the city but I quickly adapted and grew fond of Pittsburgh and all that it had to offer.

In addition to becoming engaged with my degree in mathematics and minor in physics, I also had the opportunity to continue and strengthen my love for music by playing with the Pitt Varsity Marching Band. This involved attending all of the Panthers’ home football games and experienced other U.S. cities when traveling with the team to away and bowl games.  In 2005, I graduated from the University of Pittsburgh with a bachelor’s degree in Applied Mathematics.  I then pursued a career in oceanography by attending Scripps Institution of Oceanography in La Jolla, CA. It was amazing to discover the countless mathematical and physical applications to this field and the diversity of educational backgrounds and specialties from all over the world that brought people to study at Scripps. I graduated with a master’s degree in oceanography in 2006 and decided to change my career course.

My experiences in high school and college, as well as the mathematical application to my work at Scripps and interaction with local schools through volunteer work that I had done, all contributed on my decision on a career in teaching mathematics.  I believe that it is best for students to learn mathematics by learning the concepts, then linking them to their usefulness in jobs that incorporate math or everyday aspects of their lives.  Starting in the fall of 2007 I will be attending Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, PA; this is a two-year program for a master’s in education and certification to teach secondary mathematics.

Carmen Davis 

Growing up with parents that always stressed the importance of education, I knew at a very early age that I would always strive for excellence in the classroom.  From teaching my stuffed bears and dolls how to count to watching my parents use mathematical equations for their jobs, math was always a part of my life.  Born and raised in Memphis, TN, I attended schools in the Memphis City Schools district.  It was during those years that I began observing and admiring the roles and responsibilities of teachers.  I excelled in many mathematics classes and ended my high school years with an AP Calculus AB course at White Station High School in 2003.

I had always dreamed of becoming a mathematics professor at a post secondary institution so I decided to major in Mathematics at Hampton University.  It wasn’t until my sophomore year, when I decided to take a job as a tutor in our university’s math lab that I realized my calling was in secondary education.  One obvious problem students were having was making connections between information they received in high school math courses with information they received in college math courses.  I watched many of my students withdraw from or, even worse, fail required math courses. That really bothered me.  I knew from that experience that I had to make a commitment to enhancing mathematics education in our secondary schools.

As an undergraduate at Hampton I was involved in many activities that helped to develop me as a leader.  I served as President of the NAACP chapter on campus, a campus tour guide, treasurer of the Math Club, and was selected as one of the first interns to work with my university President.  I was also honored to be selected for membership into the scientific honor society, Beta Kappa Chi.  I am now transitioning into my graduate studies at Boston College where I will be a part of the Donovan Urban Teaching Scholars Program pursuing a M.Ed. in Secondary Mathematics Education.  After receiving my degree, I plan to teach mathematics in an urban high school setting.  I am very excited about sharing my passion for mathematics and education with my future students!

Chris Davis 

Growing up on a family farm outside a small town in Washington, I attended the local high school where grades came easily and challenges were few.  I had originally been drawn to architecture and then engineering. Because of these interests, taking math courses, both in high school as well as the Running Start Program (community college during my senior year of high school), was not an option, but a requirement.

In 2002, I began attending the University of Washington in Seattle, WA. Although I did not want to leave a country environment, moving to Seattle to attend UW meant that I would broaden my background with a city experience while attending the best engineering school in the state. At UW, I continued to take courses towards an engineering degree which included a lot of math courses.  During my freshman year at college, I was coaching an eighth grade basketball team when it dawned on me that my passion was not with building planes, but with helping people. Even though I had always gotten along well with children, it was not until that moment that I realized my calling was to work with youth. The discovery of my passion for passing on information to others coincided with the realization that I was very knowledgeable in basic mathematics. There were the beginnings of an appreciation for the beauty in the logic, patterns, and symmetry in math.  So, where did that leave me?  With a passion for teaching and an excitement for the wonderful world of mathematics, what on Earth was I to do with my future?

After getting a BA in Math from UW in 2006, I decided to continue at UW to get my teaching credentials by earning an MA in Education.  After graduating next year, I am looking forward to many years in the classroom where I will get to think, collaborate, learn, and teach every day.  Ultimately, I will be helping teenagers gain a greater perspective on, and a better understanding of, the world that they live in.  Who could ask for more?

Zachary Herrmann

When I tell people I am going into education, it appears that their first assumption is that I like to work with young people. Indeed, I would gather to say that is true for most of the people I have met in the teaching profession. However, it has also become clear that there is another tradition to education that compels many to teach. Often secondary to those on the outside, this tradition is incredibly salient in the minds of many of those who enter the field. It is the idea that we have a stake in the future of our society. Having the insight to recognize that the future of our country, and our world, is our young people, many of us who enter this field are partially compelled by a social responsibility to help chart the course for the years to come. It’s the idea that it is not enough for me as an individual to know math, or science, or a foreign language. Rather, it’s an interdependence we have with one another that behooves us to help others learn those things as well. Only when we fully embrace this interdependence can we realize the full potential of our education system, our country, and our world. This perspective on education comes with unique implications on the types of things we teach in our classroom. Looking at education as a means to maintain an equitable and socially just democracy, we must take a critical eye on the content, skills, and behaviors we emphasize in the classroom. We must ask ourselves, “How am I empowering all of my students to become active and meaningful contributors to our society?”  As many of those in the field have come to realize, the answer to this question is often affected by the political and structural constraints of our education system. Although these constraints greatly complicate the work we must do as professional educators, they do not relieve us from finding a solution. To that end, I will start my journey as a professional educator by teaching math at Fremont High School in Sunnyvale, CA.

Lindsey Konell

I grew up in Holland, Pennsylvania, a suburb of Philadelphia, and attended Council Rock High School. Even at a young age, many of my teachers supported my interest in mathematics. When I was in seventh grade, I was one of four girls chosen to participate in an event sponsored by Penn State Abington campus celebrating young women excelling in mathematics. This was an inspiring event for me. We heard lectures from many successful women in careers involving mathematics and took part in fun mathematical activities. Yes, fun and mathematics can mesh together! At this event, I decided that I wanted to pursue a career in mathematics.   Many other events throughout my life guided me to education. I played field hockey and lacrosse in high school and we would hold summer camps and clinics throughout the year to teach younger girls the techniques of the sports. In the Spanish National Honor Society I chose my community service event to teach basic Spanish skills like colors, numbers, common phrases to second graders at a local elementary school. Also, I participated in an Adaptive Aquatics program in high school. In this program I would teach swimming skills and play with autistic children in the pool. Finally, after graduation I became an overnight camp counselor.

These rewarding and enjoyable experiences all showed me that my future was in education.   It was no surprise that I entered Penn State as a Math Education major.  After excelling in my core mathematics classes, I was encouraged to pursue a career that involved more advanced mathematics. Therefore, I explored my options and selected Actuarial Science as my major. I worked as an Actuarial Analyst for an insurance company for over two years, which provided great business experiences. Although this is a great career, I realized that this is not what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. I did not find the work fulfilling so I went back to my original plan to become a teacher where I can make an impact daily. Furthermore, with my business background I can give my students a firsthand perspective of the importance and applications of mathematics in the workplace.

I am currently in my second year of my dual certification and Master's degree program at the University of Delaware. I am excited to apply what I have learned and continue to grow as an educator when I begin student teaching in the Unionville-Chadds Ford School District in the fall. I hope to empower my students with a positive learning experience to enable them to achieve success in the field of mathematics and to contribute to the global community.

Andrew McNeice 

One of my first attempts at teaching took place when I had the brilliant idea to teach my mother how to play the piano despite being only five years old. Although that attempt failed miserably, it was the first of many experiences that would eventually lead me to realize that teaching is a very large part of who I am.   Being an avid reader, I enjoyed Social Studies and occasionally English during high school.  I had a rather apathetic attitude towards math, but somehow managed to scrape through the coursework and eventually wound up taking AP Calculus as a senior.  Being in AP Calculus and AP Physics at the same time completely rocked my world; I quickly developed a great appreciation for the interplay between the two content areas.  All of the sudden, math and science homework was no longer saved until the last minute and I even did extra homework problems! I had finally found two subject areas that could satisfy my inquisitive nature.

My love for math and its applications grew with each passing day and eventually led me to attend the University of South Carolina.  While at the University of South Carolina, I spent my undergraduate career working as a research assistant for the Virtual Test Bed (VTB). VTB is a research project which produces prototypes of large-scale, multi-technical dynamic systems and allowed proof-testing of new designs in a computer environment. My responsibilities included applying my mathematical knowledge to develop motion formulas for system components as well as developing three dimensional models that would allow for real time visualizations of dynamic systems. This research formed the foundation of my teaching philosophy as I believe that it is essential to use the applications of mathematics in the classroom.

After completing my undergraduate degree in mathematics, I attended graduate school at USC for a year and earned a Masters of Teaching in Secondary Education.  I am currently working on a Masters of Education in Educational Technology with the hope that by gaining in-depth technological know how, I will be able to further integrate applications of mathematics into my classroom.   Outside of school my interests are keeping my dog entertained, running, reading, playing golf, hiking /camping and enjoying the great outdoors. Next year, I will be teaching at a public school in Columbia, South Carolina with the support of the Knowles Foundation. I very am excited to see what each day brings.

Jera Mendenhall 

Mele Sato 

I was born and raised in Honolulu, Hawaii and attended Punahou High School. I was in love with physics and astronomy, and was convinced I was going to work at the Keck Observatory on Mauna Kea on the Big Island of Hawaii. This all changed over the course of my junior and senior years when I realized that math rocks. It explains all the awesome things about physics and astronomy, and I loved explaining problems to my friends. I volunteered as a math and physics tutor my junior and senior years in high school and also enrolled in a Math Teacher Training class. In this class, I learned the basics of teaching by assisting an Algebra II/Trigonometry class, and planning and teaching lessons of my own. During my last two years in high school, my love of teaching and mathematics grew even more. My favorite phone call to get at night was not an invitation to a party but a friend in need of some math or physics help.

My passion for math and science led me to Harvey Mudd College in Claremont, CA, a small Math, Science, and Engineering school. What I loved most about Mudd was the learning community of students and professors. The professors I had at Mudd were outstanding and showed me how much they loved their subject and profession. They loved sharing their passion with us and learning from us as we embarked on various research projects together.  I graduated with my bachelor’s in Mathematics with a concentration in music in 2005, and decided to teach in Southeast Los Angeles on an emergency credential. The timing wasn’t right for that placement but it led me on a different path to the opportunity of a lifetime.

My interest in autism and special education led me to the Kayne Eras Center, a non-public school located in West Los Angeles. I became a teaching assistant for the algebra and geometry classes and had the opportunity of teaching an elective math skills course on my own. The relationships I built with my students and the lessons I learned from them truly reinforced my dreams of teaching.  This summer I am starting a combined Master of Education and credential program at the University of California at Santa Barbara. I am so excited to go back to school and begin my journey as a teacher with the support of KSTF and its learning community. I can’t wait to rock on with my future students!

Jessica Uy

For as long as I can remember, my parents have always stressed the importance of having a “good” education.  My parents moved our family from Anaheim, California, to Irvine, California, solely to ensure that my sister and I would attend “good” schools.  Throughout elementary school and middle school, I bounced around different alternative programs that were designed for “gifted and talented” and “academically accelerated” students.  My K-12 education was capped off at University High School which, like the other schools I attended, was pretty much one of those public schools that was practically private in terms of the kind of education I received. 

I went on to do my undergraduate program at UC Davis, double majoring in Mathematics and American Studies.  For a long time I always felt like I was running from one end of campus to the other to learn a million math and American Studies things that never seemed to connect.  Then one day in the "Race, Gender, and Class" course I was taking, I listened to some of my own peers discuss how high the drop-out rates were at their schools and the way that their counselors discouraged them from seeking higher education.  My peers’ stories were in stark contrast to my own schooling experiences and the inequities in public education became more real to me at that moment than they had ever been before.  Suddenly, all of my treks across campus made sense and I began to see how I could meld the awareness I had gained in these American Studies classes with math.  I cannot pinpoint the definitive moment at which I realized I wanted to become a math teacher, but I realized that I had now figured out who I wanted to teach and why I wanted to teach them.   This past year was spent in the Stanford Teacher Education Program, where I will receive my teaching credential and master’s degree in Education this month!  This coming Fall I will be teaching math and coaching the varsity girls’ volleyball team at Fremont High School in Sunnyvale, California.