2004 Distinguished College or University Teaching of Mathematics
Douglas Mooers, Whatcom Community College

Citation

Doug Mooers concentrates on student needs, invites independent thinking, and stimulates curiosity in mathematics. Many students who attend community colleges must overcome tremendous barriers to reach their educational goals; for some, it takes a special instructor to awaken their confidence and build their knowledge — Doug Mooers makes a difference in many of their lives. Doug holds students to high academic standards while he models a strong, positive work ethic. The students express it best: “Doug brings a ray of light to the subject of math by his kindness, knowledge, commitment, and understanding.” “I am a returning student after dropping out of high school twelve years ago with terrible math anxiety. But now, I love coming to class. His teaching methods and sense of humor are great. When it comes to test time, I feel very prepared.” “Doug creates an ideal atmosphere for learning the difficult subject of calculus. Simply put — he is the best math teacher I’ve had in all the mathematics courses I’ve taken over the years.” “As an International student, I have trouble understanding some teachers. Mr. Mooers makes learning easy. His lecture is clear and precise. He leads us into the heart of the problem and explains every step. But, the best part of the lecture is his humor. He uses different accents (i.e., British, tax collector, rascal,…) to attract our attention and ease the atmosphere. His way of teaching is invincible.”

Doug has distinguished himself as a master teacher, an innovator, a leader among faculty, and an inspiration to many people. The broad scope of Doug Mooer’s influence is astonishing. While his teaching effectiveness and influence beyond Whatcom Community College is well-documented, the excitement and curiosity about mathematics that he generates among his students is truly inspirational.

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