Authors

Jared Eusea has been teaching at River Parishes Community College since January 2011, where he has been promoted from Instructor to Associate Professor and has been named the Department Chair of the Mathematics Department (starting in Fall 2021). He has taught lecture, online (asynchronous and synchronous), and hybrid (blended) courses for Developmental Mathematics, College Algebra, Introduction to Statistics, Trigonometry, and Calculus. All of his courses are 100% OER content! He has created lecture notes following the OpenStax textbooks for faculty to use and has shared these on the OpenStax OER Commons website. In addition to teaching a full-load each semester since he started at RPCC, Jared has led committees in redesigning the math curriculum and sequence and led discussion for establishing course commonality for all mathematics courses, including course and unit objectives, textbooks, assessment policies, and a standard homework system. Jared has been instrumental in moving forward improvements in online teaching and learning at RPCC by developing Master courses that could be used for all math online courses. He has also been the chair of the committee at RPCC that reviews those courses being offered online at RPCC to check that they are designed following certain criteria consistent to the QM standards and has been involved with faculty on an internal Instructional Design Team to develop a common course template for use towards our college’s goal of fully online programs. Jared is a QM Peer Reviewer and has dealt with the three main LMS platforms: Blackboard, Moodle, and Canvas, so I have seen a lot of various course designs. Lastly, since 2017 I have been a faculty participant and Principal Investigator for two system-wide eLearning Innovation Fund Grants, one Affordable Learning Grant, and a Summer Faculty cohort, where funding was provided to faculty who developed fully online OER courses to share within our system. I also participated as a reviewer in the last course design project that was led by the LOUIS team.

Dr. Phyllis Okwan is an Associate Professor of Mathematics at Southern University and A&M College (SUBR). She holds dual Bachelor’s degrees in Mathematics and Physics from Southern University at New Orleans (SUNO), a Master’s degree in Mathematics from the University of New Orleans (UNO), and a PhD in Science and Mathematics Education. Dr. Okwan began her teaching career in 2014 and has since made significant contributions to academia and her field.

In addition to her academic achievements, Dr. Okwan is passionate about promoting diversity and inclusion within the STEM fields. Her commitment to fostering educational equity has been recognized through several prestigious awards, including the Minority Access Inc. Role Model Award for Mentoring. She currently serves as the President of the Gulf States Math Alliance, an organization dedicated to supporting underrepresented students and professionals in mathematics. Throughout her career, Dr. Okwan has mentored numerous undergraduate students, providing them with guidance and encouragement to pursue careers in mathematics and related fields.

Dr. Okwan’s professional involvement extends beyond the classroom. She is an active member of several professional organizations, including the National Association of Mathematicians (NAM), the American Mathematical Society, the Mathematical Association of America, the National Institute of Science, and the Beta Kappa Chi Scientific Honor Society. These affiliations allow her to stay engaged with the latest developments in mathematics and education while contributing to the advancement of the profession.

As an advocate for lifelong learning, Dr. Okwan has hosted and participated in numerous national, regional, and local conferences, where she has shared her expertise and research on various aspects of mathematics education. Her work has also contributed to the development of best practices for teaching and learning in both K-12 and higher education settings. Dr. Okwan is a Quality Matters Peer Reviewer, evaluating and improving online courses to ensure they meet high standards of instructional quality.

In addition to her academic roles, Dr. Okwan is a recipient of several NSF-funded grants, which have supported her research and initiatives in STEM education. She is dedicated to fostering innovation in teaching and learning, creating opportunities for students from diverse backgrounds to succeed in mathematics, and advancing the next generation of mathematicians, educators, and researchers.

Dr. Rachid Belmasrour is a Professor of Mathematics with a distinguished academic background and extensive experience in teaching and research. He earned his Bachelor’s degree in Mathematics from Morocco, followed by a Master’s degree in Mathematical Informatics from the University of Versailles Saint-Quentin, France. He further pursued his studies in the United States, obtaining both a Master’s degree and a Ph.D. in Mathematics from the University of New Orleans (UNO).

Dr. Belmasrour began his academic career as a Teaching Assistant at UNO, where he gained valuable teaching experience before transitioning into a full-time faculty role at Southern University at New Orleans (SUNO). At SUNO, he is deeply committed to mentoring students and engaging them in research activities.

As a recipient of a Department of Energy (DOE) grant awarded to minority-serving institutions, Dr. Belmasrour has worked to create opportunities for undergraduate students demonstrating exceptional academic performance. His research contributions include a study on Cotton Fiber Length Distribution conducted at the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Division of Cotton Structure and Quality. His research interested include: Cotton Fiber Length Distribution, Data Science, Statistical Computing, and Statistical Consulting.

Dr. Stephan Patterson is faculty at Louisiana State University, Shreveport. He is an applied mathematician who will use any potentially helpful area of mathematics, which thus far has included tools from optimization, data science, statistics, computer science, graph theory, and numerical analysis. They completed a Ph.D. in Applied Mathematics at the University of Colorado Denver in 2020, and they are active in Spectra, the Association for LGBTQ+ Mathematicians. He is also interested in best practices to support students in mathematics, including accessibility, OER, active learning, and high impact practices.

Stephen Andrus, Jr., M.S., is a dedicated mathematics educator, curriculum developer, and mentor with over 15 years of teaching experience. Passionate about making mathematics accessible and engaging, he has taught a wide range of courses, including Applied Algebra, Trigonometry, Differential Equations, Statistics, and College Geometry. His teaching philosophy is rooted in fostering an interactive, student-centered learning environment that encourages critical thinking, problem-solving, and confidence in mathematical concepts.

Growing up in New Orleans, Stephen rarely saw math instructors who looked like him, which fueled his commitment to being a relatable and inspirational figure in the classroom. He integrates innovative teaching techniques, technology-driven instruction, and real-world applications to help students grasp complex mathematical ideas. His dynamic approach to education has earned him recognition for student success and mentorship, with many of his former students excelling in their academic and professional pursuits.

Stephen has earned recognition for his excellence in teaching, including the Teaching Excellence Award and the Proud Privateer Honoree for Teaching from the Progressive Black Student Union at the University of New Orleans, as well as recognition from the Student Government Association. His approach integrates active learning strategies, technology, and real-world applications, ensuring students not only understand mathematical concepts but also develop critical thinking skills that extend beyond the classroom.

Beyond the classroom, Stephen has contributed to the field of mathematics through curriculum development, conference presentations, and published works. He remains actively involved in professional organizations and continuously seeks opportunities to refine his teaching methodologies.

With a Master’s degree in Mathematics (Statistics) from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette and a Bachelor’s degree in Mathematics from Southeastern Louisiana University, Stephen brings both academic excellence and real-world insight into his teaching. Whether in the classroom or through his published work, he strives to make math an engaging, approachable, and rewarding subject for all learners.

Editors/Reviewers/Contributors

Dr. Ashley Segalla is an Instructor of Mathematics at Southeastern Louisiana University in Hammond, Louisiana. Ashley holds a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics and a Master of Business Administration, both from Southeastern Louisiana University. She recently completed her Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction: Mathematics Education from Louisiana State University. Ashley has taught 7 years at the high school and college levels.

Deborah K. Shepherd received her PhD in Computational Analysis and Modeling from Louisiana Tech University in 2001. Her MS is from Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville in Mathematics. She is currently a Professor in the Department of Mathematics at Louisiana State University, Shreveport. Her primary research interests are in statistical quality control.