March 23, 2023
A member of Shawnee State University’s Department of Mathematical Sciences for over 25 years, Dr. Douglas Darbro was always fascinated by numbers at an early age.
“I was primarily motivated by learning to calculate statistics for basketball, baseball, and football,” he said.
A Professor of Mathematics, Dr. Darbro also serves as the Director of the Math Graduate Program for the university. Finding his way to SSU nearly three decades ago, he found himself always wanting to teach at a university that prioritized teaching over just completing research.
“SSU seemed to be a good fit for my goals and my style of teaching,” he said.
While in his role, Dr. Darbro has enjoyed being able to form relationships with his colleagues and students. He also enjoys being able to stay in touch with previous students and learn more about where their degrees are taking them after graduation.
“Earning a degree in mathematics can lead to more than employment in teaching and education,” he said. “Other employment options include actuarial sciences, statistician, and data analyst.”
To those students interested in pursuing a career in math, Dr. Darbro encourages them to explore the possibilities a degree in this field can give them and enjoy learning the technical aspects of the field.
“Math is not a spectator sport,” he said. “It's easy to get a false sense of security by watching others work math problems successfully. You learn math by working problems, not by watching others work problems.”
When Dr. Darbro is not teaching in the classroom, he enjoys scuba diving and golfing.
“I had my third hole in one this year,” he shared.
SSU’s Department of Mathematical Sciences provides general education students with an appreciation of as well as experience with the role of mathematics within society. For those students pursuing a specialized mathematical degree, the program develops mathematical skills, broadens the intellectual foundation in mathematics, fosters reasoning and problem-solving skills, and gives students the opportunity to combine their interests in mathematics with a variety of career fields.
To learn more about Mathematical Sciences at Shawnee State University, visit shawnee.edu/math.