Jen Nimtz, PhD

Assistant Professor & Director of First Year Mathematics Instruction she/her/hers/they/them/theirs

Research Interests:

Research interests include student engagement and success in introductory mathematics courses and developing network analysis methods to evaluate STEM course work with regard to student success in sequences of course work. 

About

Dr. Nimtz began working at WWU in the Fall of 2018. They currently serve as the Director of First Year Mathematics Instruction (all 100 level mathematics courses), and teaches those same First Year Mathematics courses. 

Educational & Professional Experience:

Dr. Nimtz has over 25 years of experience in Mathematics Education and also has worked in engineering and computer systems management. In 2018, they completed their PhD at Michigan State University, with a focus on teaching undergraduate mathematics, specifically student engagement and success in introductory mathematics courses. Because they have witnessed and experienced inequities in STEM careers, their passion is fostering students' access and long term success in STEM degrees, especially for underrepresented groups. 

Recent Publications

  • Publications since 2018: Peer Reviewed
    • Nimtz, J.(2023). Illustrating Productive and Unproductive Cognitive Interactions in an Online Intermediate Algebra Course. PRIMUS. 33:9, 997-1021, DOI:10.1080/10511970.2023.2214897.
    • Nimtz, J., Noguchi, K., Ramesh, J. (2023, February). Developing Network Modeling and Analysis Methods for First-Year Mathematics and STEM Student Course-Taking Sequences. Paper presented at the Research in Undergraduate Mathematics Education Conference, Omaha, NE.
  • Publications since 2018: Instructional Materials, Self-Published, Not Peer Reviewed, Open Education Resources
    • Nimtz, J. (2023). Class Activities for Math 109: Support for Functions and Algebraic Methods, Second Edition. Edited by Andrew Richardson.`
    • Nimtz, J. (2024). Study Skills for Mathematics Academic Success, W24.

Selected Awards & Honors:

Center for the Study of Mathematics Curriculum Fellow, Michigan State University