Dr. Theresa Martines is an Assistant Professor of Instruction in Mathematics at UT. Her main area of focus is teaching, and she helps with the coordination of courses, conducts teaching observations for other faculty members in the College of Natural Sciences, advises undergraduates in academics, and works to improve other things focused on teaching throughout the Mathematics department. She also coordinates the Departmental Honors program, which mentors students wanting to conduct independent mathematical research. In addition, she organizes the annual Albert A. Bennett Exam and the Putnam Competition as well as many mathematics conferences throughout the year.
Have you always been a math person? And if you have had times where you weren’t sure that you wanted to pursue pure math, what made you regain confidence?
“Truthfully, I was not always a math person. In high school, it was the only class I really felt like I had to work hard and study for. Because of this, I wanted to be a high school mathematics teacher. I wanted to help make math easier for other students. Once [I was] in college, I started to really enjoy math and decided to continue for my master’s and Ph.D, [where] I found I loved teaching college.”
What classes have you taught and what is your favorite class to teach?
“Over the years, I have taught many classes at a number of different institutions from developmental mathematics to real analysis and almost everything in between. I cannot say I have a favorite, or at least my favorite seems to change every few years. Right now, I would say I love teaching Discrete Math. Something about helping students through the change from computational math to theoretical math is so enjoyable. It is a big change in a student's learning, and I really enjoy being able to mentor them through that.”
What made you interested in advising math majors?
“Much of my work outside of the classroom is mentoring students. This can be mentoring them through their degree plan or mentoring them with what they want to do with their degree. I work with national organizations to mentor underserved students through this process and to help train other mathematics professors on how to mentor their students. I have found it is mostly listening to the student, asking specific questions that help them find their own answers to what they want from courses and their degree. Academic advising is really just mentoring students on their coursework so it fits what I love to do! It is fulfilling to be a part of that and to watch a student grow over the years.”
What are the 3 most important pieces of advice you would give to new math majors?
“This is a tough question, as the advice I give to students is so specific to their situation. Students come from many backgrounds, have different experiences so again it is more about listening to their story and helping them find their next steps. But I guess there a few general good ideas for students:
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Get involved! Math Club, AWM, Actuarial Science Club, anything really. Get to know other students. You want to know students that are at the same stage in their degree as you to have someone to go through it all with. You want to know students a few years ahead of you to share their experiences. You want to get to know the faculty that lead these groups to learn from them. The more involved you are the more you know of the opportunities available to you.
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Get to know your professors, go to office hours, interact with them before and after class. You can learn so much from them and their experiences beyond the material in class. It also helps them to get to know you! One day you will need letters of recommendation or references for jobs, and you will want to be sure that there are a few professors throughout your years at UT that actually know you.
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Do something outside of the traditional classroom setting. This can be an internship, independent research, or even leadership roles in student groups – Something that shows your initiative and ability to work outside of a structured environment.”
What tips do you have to manage your time?
“I wish I could tell you I have some great words of wisdom, but I still feel like I struggle to manage my time to this day! But I can talk about what works for me, and that is lists. A daily to-do list, a weekly to-do list, a semester to-do list. Organizing what you actually have to do always helps me stay on top of things and gives a sense of accomplishment as you cross things off.”
What would you like to see more of in the math department (more advertising, events/collaborations, competitions, etc)?
“I would love to see more advertising for all of our student orgs. Big eye-catching posters, things on the screens in PMA. The student orgs have so many amazing events throughout the semester and I think the younger students need to be made aware of it all early in their time at UT. The support students receive from other students has such a positive effect on their undergraduate experience.”
What are some of your hobbies? What do you do to relax on your days off?
“My family and I love to go camping. We have an 11 year old daughter and try to be outside as often as possible. Camping, fishing, kayaking, and hiking all over the state of Texas during the school year and then road trips to other states in the summer.”
If you could meet anyone in history (including the present), who would it be and why?
“I could name a ton of people, but I would have to say Sonia Kovalevsky. She was the first woman to earn a Ph.D. in mathematics at a time when women were not even allowed to attend college. She also has an amazing life story outside of mathematics (seriously, read about her life outside of mathematics sometime!). I would love to sit with her and hear how she tells her story.”