PrepNow Tutor - Dugan H.
To say that Dugan is a dedicated practitioner of mathematics would be an understatement. He holds a BS in mathematics from the University of Texas at Austin, and he holds an MS in mathematics from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. After graduating with his undergraduate degree, he worked for two years at his alma mater as a tutor in math and physics for the athletics department. Then, as he completed his master’s degree, he worked as a teaching assistant in calculus classrooms. After graduation, he went to work as a research mathematician modelling quantum physics. In simpler terms, he studied the geometry of crystals and wrote software that simulates the interaction of subatomic particles in theoretical models of space. Dugan has also used his expertise to create visual art; in 2017, for example, he used software he wrote to create an immersive visual show for a DJ, creating hypershapes (four-dimensional geometric forms) to complement the auditory experience.
Dugan’s tutoring style, unsurprisingly, is often very visual. He uses charts, graphs, diagrams, and creative visualizations to help illustrate mathematics and physics concepts. However, he is equally adroit at meeting students’ needs, whatever their learning styles. In order to best determine and meet those needs, he says, “I often use the Socratic method, guiding the student by asking questions rather than just dictating facts.” In his experience, the combination of this approach and strong visual reinforcements goes a long way to allow students to develop confidence and expertise in math and physics.
Much of Dugan’s spare time is taken with his art; he revels in creating geometrically based art like the afore-mentioned hypershapes. In addition, he is an artist of another sort, as he marries his love of math to his guitar playing, experimenting with different time signatures and polyrhythms. With whatever other time remains, Dugan likes to hike, jog, or swim at the beach.
