Faculty Profile

Jason G. Douma, Ph.D.

Associate Vice President for Institutional Research/Professor, Mathematics

Dr. Jason Douma is the product of an educational and professional background that is closely tied to the liberal arts tradition. He earned his undergraduate degree from Gustavus Adolphus College, completed his Ph.D. in Mathematics at Northwestern University and has taught at three liberal arts colleges: Lake Forest College, Carthage College and (since 1998) the University of Sioux Falls. 

Douma’s doctoral thesis was situated in algebraic topology and representation theory. However, over time his professional and scholarly interests have expanded to include publications, presentations and invited talks in finite group theory, game theory, strategic voting, philosophy of mathematics and curricular/pedagogical innovation. He has supervised many undergraduate research projects, a number of which have been presented at regional conferences.

A passionate educator, Douma has taught courses throughout the field of mathematics, and he has also taught or co-taught courses in the philosophy of mathematics, issues in science and religion, and USF's Writing and Intellectual Traditions sequence. He has been awarded USF’s Outstanding Faculty Award twice, and in 2008 he was selected as recipient of the Mathematical Association of America (MAA) North Central Section’s Distinguished Teaching Award.

In his work at the University of Sioux Falls, Douma has served as Natural Sciences Area Chair, Chair of the Faculty Association, Director of the Honors Program, Director of the USF Forum for Conversations in Theology and Science, Faculty Budget Representative, and Faculty Representative to the Board of Trustees. For over a decade, he has helped lead the University's strategic planning and institutional research activities, and currently serves as Associate Vice President for Institutional Research, in addition to Professor of Mathematics..

Beyond the University of Sioux Falls, Douma is the director of the Math Modeling Hub, chair of the MAA's Committee for the Undergraduate Program in Mathematics, and chair of the Philosophy of Mathematics Special Interest Group of the MAA. In recent years, he has served as vice chair of the MAA Congress, represented the North Central Section of the Mathematical Association of America (NCS-MAA) in the Congress, served as the NCS-MAA president, and chaired the MAA Subcommittee for Mathematics Across the Disciplines. In 2014, Douma received the Meritorious Service Award from the NCS-MAA. In addition to the MAA, Douma is also a member of the Canadian Society for the History and Philosophy of Mathematics and the Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics.

Education

  • B.A., Mathematics Major, Music Minor, Gustavus Adolphus College, 1992
  • M.S., Mathematics, Northwestern University (Ill.), 1994
  • Ph.D., Mathematics, Northwestern University (Ill.), 1998

Courses Taught

  • MAT111 - Elementary Algebra
  • MAT112 - College Algebra with Trigonometry
  • MAT113 - College Algebra
  • MAT114 - Functions
  • MAT151 - Nature of Mathematics
  • MAT204 - Calculus I
  • MAT205 - Calculus II
  • MAT222 - Math for Elementary Teachers I
  • MAT223 - Math for Elementary Teachers II
  • MAT233 - Statistics
  • MAT294 - The Art, Math, and Culture of Italy and Greece
  • MAT302 - Probability and Statistics
  • MAT303 - Foundations of Geometry
  • MAT304 - Linear Algebra
  • MAT305 - Abstract Algebra
  • MAT373 - Truth and Beauty: Topics in thePhilosophy of Mathematics
  • MAT390 - Special Topics in Math: Game Theory
  • MAT406 -
  • MAT481 - Senior Seminar I
  • MAT482 - Senior Seminar II
  • LAR111 -
  • LAR112 -
  • LAR 211 - Topic: Maps, Models, and the Human Experience
  • LAR212 - Topic: The Limits of Knowledge
  • NSC300 - Science Colloquium
  • NSC390 - Issues in Science and Religion

Professional Memberships

Canadian Society for the History and Philosophy of Mathematics
Mathematical Association of America
Mathematical Association of America, Philosophy of Mathematics Special Interest Group
Mathematical Association of America, Quantitative Literacy Special Interest Group
Mathematical Association of America, Inquiry Based Learning Special Interest Group
Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics

Expertise

  • Philosophy of Mathematics / Finite Group Structures / Game Theory / Mathematics of Voting / Statistics / Geometry / Mathematics Education (not certified to teach K-12)

Research

An expanding area of interest for Dr. Douma lies in the overlap between the philosophy of mathematics and the teaching of mathematics, specifically exploring the relationship between how mathematics is known and how mathematics is learned. His long-range goal is to develop a program for effective teaching of mathematics that draws on our best understanding of mathematical cognition as well as mathematical epistemology.

In what started as a simple curiosity and has since expanded into something more substantial, Dr. Douma has been analyzing the strategic ramifications of "dot voting," a system in which voters are apportioned a fixed number of "dots" that they may allocate in any manner they see fit among the choices being voted on.

Dr. Douma continues to explore the central product structures of finite p-groups, often in the form of supervised undergraduate research. This work has led to several presentations at local and regional conferences.

Scholarships and Creative Work

Articles
  • with K.Bonner, K. Cangialosi, B. Dewsbury, M. Diamond-Stanic, C. Diaz Eaton, M. Smith, R. Taylor, K. Wilfong, and J. Wojdak, "Sustainability and Justice: Challenges and Opportunities for an Open STEM Education," CBE-Life Sciences Education, 21(3), July 2022.
  • Douma, Jason (2007), "Philosophical Intelligences" a potential model for teaching mathematics," Proceedings of the Canadian Society for the History and Philosophy of Mathematics, Vol. 20, pp. 134-141.
  • Douma, Jason, with John Martino and Stewart Priddy (2000), "On stably decomposing products of classifying spaces," Mathematische Zeitschrift, Vol. 235, pp. 435-453.
Books
  • "Plug and Play Data Science Modules," collected works co-edited with Tim Chartier, submitted for publication.
Book Chapters
  • Douma, Jason (2005), "Wrestling with Finite Groups," in Innovative Approaches in the Undergraduate Courses Following Calculus (Richard Maher, ed.), MAA Notes Series #67.
Lectures
  • “Does 3 Belong to 17? (and other absurd questions),” USF Coo Talks, March 2017.
  • “Leaving It Up to Chance: A Surprisingly Firm Mathematical Foundation,” USF Forum for Conversations in Theology and Science, January 2015.
  • "Discussion of Katharine Hayhoe and Andrew Farley's Book: A Climate for Change," USF Forum for Conversations in Theology and Science, December 3, 2012.
  • "The Immateriality of Consciousness," with Dennis Roark, USF Forum for Conversations in Theology and Science, March 17, 2008.
  • "Reflections on Nancey Murphy's 'Bodies and Souls, or Spirited Bodies?'," USF Forum for Conversations in Theology and Science, February 26, 2007.
  • "Buying...or Buy-In?" University of Sioux Falls Opening Convocation, September 7, 2006.
  • "Why 'Abstract' is not a Four-Letter Word," University of Sioux Falls LAR Lecture Series, November 11, 2004.
Presentations
  • "The Math Modeling Hub: a space for community, collaboration, and resource sharing," I/ITSEC Conference session of Math Modeling Resources, December 2021.
  • “The Math Modeling Hub: a space for community, collaboration, and resource sharing,” SIAM Minisymposium on Supporting Workforce Preparation with Mathematical Modeling, January 2021.
  • “Math Modeling Hub,” presented at the Partners@QUBES Leadership Summit, December 2020.
  • with J. Galovich, "Stretch your mind? There's a \Sigma for that!," presented at the MAA North Central Section fall Meeting, October 2018.
  • “The Math Modeling Hub: a new online community of practice for educators,” SIAM ED18 Minisymposium on Communities of Practitioners for Math Modeling Education, July 2018.
  • “Does 3 belong to 17? (and other absurd questions),” Mathematical Association of America / North Central Section fall meeting, October 2016.
  • "Are We There Yet? Distance and Persistence in the Poincare Model," presented at the MAA Summer Meeting, Madison, Wis., August 2012.
  • "Gotta Have My Dots: Strategies for Dot Voting," invited address at the MAA North Central Section spring meeting, April 2009.
  • "Philosophical Intelligences: a potential model for teaching mathematics," presented at the annual meeting of the CSHPM, July 2007.
  • "Do mathematicians really mean what they say?" invited address at Math on the Northern Plains, April 2005.
  • "What do Kant, Feldman, and the GRE have in common?" invited address at the MAA North Central Section Fall Meeting, October 2004.
  • "Old Group Decompositions in a New Light," presented at the MAA North Central Section Fall Meeting, October 2003.
  • "Beyond Practicality: creating a course that strives to be profound," presented at the MAA Summer Meeting, Boulder, Colo., August 2003.
  • "Wrestling with Finite Groups: Abstract Algebra need not be Passive Sport," presented at the MAA Summer Meeting, Madison, Wis., August 2001.
  • "Splitting classifying spaces of products: an algebraic perspective," presented at a special session of the AMS Central Section meeting, March 1998.
Electronic Publications
  • “Understanding Infinity: Useful Fiction and Wellspring of Paradox,” Guest Scholar for SPUnK Podcast, May 2017.
Reports
  • with R. Cortez, M. Jones, and T. Williams, Mathematical Modeling Course Area Report, in MAA CUPM Curriculum Guide, MAA Press, 2015.

Service/Volunteer Work

Mathematical Association of America

Member of Congress (2017-2020), Vice Chair of Congress (2018-2020), Chair of Committee for the Undergraduate Program in Mathematics (2020-present), Chair of the Math Across the Disciplines Subcommittee (2014-2018), North Central Section President (2010-2011), North Central Section Information Officer (2003-2007), North Central Section Summer Seminar Director (2011)

Philosophy of Mathematics Special Interest Group of the MAA

Chair (2022-present)

Math Modeling Hub

Director (2017-present)

Sioux Falls Math Teachers Circle

Presenter and participant

First Presbyterian Church

Elder, adult education leader, worship leader and musician

Dakota Alliance Soccer Club

Board member, team manager and youth soccer coach

Sioux Falls Roosevelt Band Parents Association

Board member