2022 Nebraska Conference for Undergraduate Women in Mathematics

Mathematics - my curiosity about how it is learned, my awe of its elegance, and my experience in supporting others to succeed in it - has been central for me for a long time. My pathway to my current position has been paved with opportunities to teach mathematics to learners of many ages, to do mathematics, to study how it is learned, and to work on state and national policy vital to the future of mathematics. Even now I can still lose myself and find focus in working on a problem in mathematics or thinking about a question in mathematics learning. And yes, there is a connection between algebraic topology and my daily work as a university president. I look forward to talking with you about how mathematics can be a key to fulfilling, and sometimes unexpected, career possibilities.