Professor, Mathematics
B.S., Harvey Mudd College
Ph.D., University of Chicago
F. Michael Christ received his B.S. from Harvey Mudd College and his Ph.D. from the University of Chicago and is a Professor of Mathematics. He has been named an Alfred P. Sloan Fellow, Miller Research Professor, recipient of the 2002 Mathematics Distinguished Teaching Award from the Mathematics Undergraduate Student Association, and twice an invited lecturer at the International Congress of Mathematicians. Christ teaches a wide range of courses, from beginning mathematics, through the advanced undergraduate honors sequence, to specialized graduate topics courses. A series of phrases scattered through his statement of teaching philosophy are revealing about his attitude: "Mathematics is difficult, yet Mathematics is easy. Mathematics is glorious." Says one of his former students, "He went above and beyond the basics and challenged us to follow him through the most complex problems. I always had the sense that he believed we could rise to the challenge, and that this was one of his great strengths as a teacher." The Committee particularly noted Christ's concern for undergraduates and the care, clarity, and skill with which he presented difficult material in large classes.
Statement of Teaching Philosophy
It was clear to me from a very early age that mathematics is the most fundamental domain of human knowledge. However, mathematics is not only an end in itself. It is a fundamental part of any modern general education; its study is an opportunity for undergraduates to develop a whole spectrum of general skills and intellectual discipline useful throughout an academic career, and beyond.
Mathematics is difficult. It deals with abstract concepts, which take time and effort to assimilate; it is a language in its own right. At the upper-division level, it relies on long chains of reasoning, and a precise use of language to which students are unaccustomed. It is cumulative to an extraordinary degree.
Mathematics is difficult for me. I spend hours struggling to read one page, my eyes glaze over at the sight of too many formulas, and I struggle to follow long chains of reasoning in lectures at research conferences. Undergraduate math courses compress centuries of cumulative insights of geniuses into a few weeks. Of course it's hard.
Yet mathematics is easy. An oft-told story concerns Professor X, who in the midst of a proof begins a sentence with "Obviously . . . ", and is asked by a doubting student for more justification. Professor X makes a few false starts but can't fill in the details, class grinds to a halt, and eventually he/she retreats to his/her office. Two hours later Professor X emerges, disheveled, perspiring, and covered with chalk dust, to proclaim triumphantly "I was right– it is obvious!"
To master a point in mathematics is to see why it is obvious. I want students to come to feel as Professor X did, and to experience the same sense of triumph – after experiencing some of the (necessary) struggle along the way.
Mathematics is glorious. This conviction has buoyed my enthusiasm in the classroom for over twenty years.
Preparation and clarity are vital. Clarity of exposition, along with enthusiasm, are perhaps the two most important characteristics of a successful undergraduate mathematics teacher. I strive to lecture with as much clarity as I can muster. Students in Math 1 become easily lost and are uncomfortable when they lose track of context; a well-organized lecture maintains their sense of context, while changes of pace, unexpected analogies, and informal single-question quizzes help to maintain their attention.
We learn from mistakes. When I do err, I point it out and use it as a lesson.
I try to treat students with respect, to let them see how I enjoy mathematics, and to carry out all aspects of my job with the same thoroughness, work ethic, and attention to detail that I would like to see in my students.