A graduate of La Sierra University’s Mathematics program, Royce Olarte is currently earning his PhD in Education from the University of California, Santa Barbara. His focuses are on mathematics education, cognitive science, and equitable teaching practices—which won’t surprise anyone who knows him.

While at La Sierra, Royce was an Edison STEM scholar, the recipient of the Hilmer Besel Mathematics Scholarship, a member of the Honors Program, and was recognized as an Outstanding Senior of the Year. A hardworking student, he also served as a teaching assistant and grader for math labs and as a tutor for the Mathematics Department’s Summer Bridge Program in 2016. These first glimpses into providing supplemental instruction and homework assistance didn’t just create an interest in education: they inspired Royce to view different perspectives at the crossroads of equity and math academia. Other experiences that were fundamental in helping Royce discover a love of the university setting were working as an RA in South Hall, as well as his involvement in music ensembles such as Chamber Singers, UNITED, and Wind Ensemble.

Driven to be a part of improving the instruction of mathematics for all students, Royce earned his MS in Mathematics for Teachers from Portland State University in 2018. He then returned to La Sierra for the 2019-20 school year, where he served as an adjunct professor teaching courses such as Calculus and Introduction to Data Science. At UC Santa Barbara, he is working as a graduate student researcher assisting in program evaluation of interdisciplinary curriculum innovations in STEM courses and examining the experiences of transfer mathematics students. Most recently, his own research endeavors involved examining how transfer mathematics students metacognitively engaged in routine and non-routine proofs.

As a relatively young person of color in the field, Royce believes that he brings a vibrant and personable approach to mathematics, particularly at the intersection of his research. “I embrace my ability to connect with my students and I approach my instruction of mathematics in a more accessible way,” he says. “Equity in a mathematics classroom is something that is generally not well addressed, and I am hoping to bring awareness and to research how equitable teaching practices should be taught to instructors, specifically in the context of mathematics.”