A Math Renaissance: New USU Resource Will Help Close the Gap in Engineering Education

Christian Bolander wants to bring math education out of the Dark Ages. Charged with addressing a very stubborn problem, he’s working to reshape attitudes about math in the engineering classroom.

“For a long time, we’ve believed only a certain kind of person can do math. It’s how we used to think about clergymen in medieval times who would read aloud to an illiterate congregation. Back then, people believed only a special person could possess those talents,” he said. “To some extent, our antiquated thinking has prevailed.”

Math continues to be a stumbling block for would-be engineers. In dozens of peer-reviewed studies, including ones authored by Bolander, education experts say that a student’s ability to fulfill math requirements is one of the clearest predictors of their success in an engineering degree program. At USU, a familiar pattern emerges in the data: students who are calculus-ready are up to three times more likely to graduate than those who are not.

“We’re trying to shift the way students think about math,” he said. “Even if a student comprehends a concept, they may still have the attitude of, ‘Why should I learn this? When will this be useful in my career?’ In some ways, that mentality can be more harmful than a student believing a math concept is too difficult. My job is to help them understand that a comprehensive math education will make them a better engineer and a lifelong learner.”

In 2022, USU launched the Math Engineering Resource Center, a custom-built facility staffed with people who are passionate about math education. The center offers free services to engineering students who want something more than a basic tutor session. Bolander was selected to lead the center and given the challenge of creating an environment where students can feel safe about shedding old math attitudes.

“I want this space to feel more like a pizza parlor than a study hall. My vision is for students to come here and pin their selfie on the wall when they do well on a math test. I want people to find community here,” he said.

Part of that community is the consultants who run the center. Bolander encourages his staff to explore new ways of teaching. Consultants are constantly being challenged to find new ways to explain and conceptualize math topics, creating an environment that feels more like a test kitchen than a study hall.

“The consultants are always finding new ways to cook old recipes,” he said. “The goal is to find innovative ways to teach these problems and make math more accessible to more people.”

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Writer: Matt Jensen, matthew.jensen@usu.edu, 435-797-8170

Contact: Christian Bolander, christian.bolander@usu.edu, 435-797-1494