Why Mathematics?
Dr. Stephen Wirkus, Chair of Mathematics
Our department serves approximately 12,000 seats per year and we are tasked with teaching courses from College Algebra through graduate courses such as Cryptography and Quantum Information Theory. We have dedicated faculty members who will help students learn every mathematical subject in the courses we offer. The subject may not be easy but with hard work and support, you can do it.
Why mathematics? This is a question from old and young alike, often from a math novice but sometimes even from the math major! Thus, Why mathematics? is best answered keeping in mind where on this spectrum you feel comfortable.
A simple answer is a financially-driven answer: the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that the median annual wage for math occupations was $104,620 in May 2024 (https://www.bls.gov/ooh/math/) with employment projected to grow "much faster than the average for all occupations from 2023 to 2033" with about 37,100 openings projected each year.
There is another equally simple answer and it can be expanded in great detail: mathematics is everywhere; mathematics is for everyone; mathematics underlies all technology and science and is a driver behind the boom in AI (Artificial Intelligence). Moreover, one of the best predictors of success across domains is numeracy coupled with confidence.
It is an indisputable fact that the world is generating more data than at any time in history. For the sake of comparison, keep in mind a typical picture taken with your phone is 3 megabytes (MB). The Event Horizon Telescope (EHT) site generates approximately 350 terabytes (TB) of data per day during an observation campaign. This equates to 350,000,000 megabytes per day. Training AI systems similarly requires large datasets. The amount of data from daily credit card transactions is also massive. Impressed? Then the B.S. in Mathematics, Data, and Computing (MDC) degree is for you!
But data is not the only part of math. We also need structures to make sense of things. Creating these structures has at times been motivated by a need and at times created out of curiosity. One example you may be familiar with is encryption where information can be kept or transmitted in a secure manner. At the core of this is an area of mathematics called cryptography and answering questions about how to make sure electronic data (e.g., health data, bank data, etc.) is securely stored is a difficult theoretical math problem with enormous implications. Protecting communications dates back more than 2000 years with the utilization of cryptographic techniques such as switching the order of the alphabet. Cryptography is only one area in which the math is very theoretical – there are many, many others. Intrigued? Then the B.S. in Mathematics is for you! If you have a keen interest in seeing the applications of mathematics, then either this degree or the MDC is a possibility.
Last but not least, while we have lots of data to make sense of and lots of theoretical math to further develop, the fundamental question arises – how can we pass on this knowledge to the next generation? Very often in mathematics we ask, "how can we best help people understand this concept and what are the different ways (visually, verbally, etc.) we can explain it?" If you are someone that shudders at the thought of math or that knows someone who does, there is usually a story behind why that is the case. It always involves a bad experience, whether a person (e.g., an antagonistic teacher) or with a topic that seemed daunting or irrelevant to your life. I would argue that both of those could have been mitigated if everyone had the opportunity to experience deep conceptual understanding and joyful creativity in math while at school. Do you agree and want to be the person who provides those experiences? Then the B.S. in Mathematics for Teaching is for you!
Departmental Strengths
The Department currently has experts in multiple areas of research. It offers three Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degrees: the B.S. in Mathematics, the B.S. in Mathematics for Teaching, and the B.S. in Mathematics of Data and Computing. The Department also offers a Master of Science (M.S.) degree in Mathematics with concentrations in either mathematics, applied mathematics, or mathematics education. Many faculty in the department conduct research in mathematical biology, and some have strong connections with the formerly named UT Health San Antonio that is now part of an integrated UTSA. Our Math Department is currently requesting approval to create a Ph.D. program.
In terms of research, our department is growing its connections to many other academic units. We recognize the importance of (i) theoretical mathematics as the foundation for mathematical research, (ii) applied mathematics as a highway for interfacing with other academic units, and (iii) mathematics education as the driver to understand instruction and learning. The Department will maintain a balanced research portfolio in these areas.
The Future of the Department
UTSA is unique in how it reflects the society it serves. We are contributing to the endeavor of having the face of success match the face of society. We are creating structures for the benefit of all society so that "underrepresented" becomes an obsolete word.
We are building a department that facilitates equal access to the opportunities that come with higher education, and we are doing it through education and research in mathematics.
Currently, UTSA is undergoing a profound and positive transformation. The most evident changes are the designation as a research-intensive (Carnegie classification R1) institution in 2022 and the merger with UT Health San Antonio in 2025. The growth the university is experiencing in all aspects supports the idea that UT San Antonio is the university of the future.
Student Success
The Department of Mathematics pioneered in 2020 the simultaneous integration of course coordination and vertical alignment of the curriculum at UTSA. Among the initiatives we implemented are:
- Every lesson in the math curriculum was mapped to prerequisites and student learning outcomes (SLOs). This mapping has been captured in our wiki.
- A course coordinator was selected by their peers for every multi-section course. Course coordinators and course instructors meet once per week to discuss topics, homework assignments, and tests for the classes.
- All test and homework assignments for multi-section courses require a comparable level of effort, and have the same level of difficulty. All multi-section courses advance in lockstep on a weekly basis.
- A common syllabus framework has been developed for the entire Department of Mathematics. All multi-section courses use the same syllabus.
The success of the Department of Mathematics has been possible thanks to the support of the College of Sciences. The Department of Mathematics has produced evidence showing that practices outlined in this article are working. This has elicited a positive response in the institution. In July, 2022, the College of Sciences at UTSA asked all departments in the college to emulate the practices that implemented in the Department of Mathematics. Positive change is propagating.
