2026 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Bridging Gaps in Mathematical Preparedness: A Student-Led Summer Course Designed for STEM Graduate Students

Presented at GSD Session 2: Pedagogy and Curriculum

Interdisciplinary graduate programs foster innovation by integrating diverse perspectives across fields. While these programs create opportunities for broader career paths, they introduce challenges in preparing students from diverse backgrounds for a shared curriculum. Many incoming students require foundational mathematics reinforcement, particularly those transitioning from non-engineering fields into engineering-intensive programs or returning from industry after breaks in formal coursework.
Addressing this challenge, graduate students at Washington University in St. Louis created an annual nine-week Summer Math Crash Course. This voluntary, student-led program was designed to strengthen preparation in linear algebra and calculus while fostering community and peer support prior to the start of graduate study. The course combines self-paced instructional modules with live tutoring, applied research talks, and opportunities for social engagement. In addition to supporting incoming students, the program provides professional development opportunities for current graduate students through teaching, mentoring, and curriculum design.
Program impact was evaluated using course engagement analytics and matched responses to pre- and post-course surveys (N=18) to assess math preparedness, self-efficacy, belonging, and scientific identity. Across iterations, results indicate increased familiarity with core mathematical concepts, improved confidence in math-based coursework, and a strengthened sense of community among participants.
This initiative provides a replicable and scalable framework for student-driven academic support programs adaptable across disciplines and universities to enhance math preparedness, foster community, and promote professional development.

Authors

Wiete Fehner http://orcid.org/0009-0007-8237-8515 Washington University in St. Louis [biography]

I am a PhD Candidate in Imaging Science in Dr. Joseph Culver's lab at the Washington University in St. Louis, USA. My research focuses on naturalistic human brain mapping using noninvasive optical imaging. I have always been fascinated by the human brain and mind which led me to pursue a BA in Philosophy (Germany) and an MS in Neuroscience (Finland). Transitioning from a non-engineering background to an engineering graduate program was challenging. This experience motivated me to launch a summer math crash course with fellow graduate students to support those transitioning from interdisciplinary backgrounds into engineering. Now in its fourth year, I am excited to see this program become a university staple and am passionate about sharing it across disciplines.
Dr. Morgan Fogarty Washington University in St. Louis [biography]

Morgan Fogarty, PhD is a Postdoctoral Research Scholar at Washington University in St. Louis (WashU). She earned her BS in Biomedical Engineering from Illinois Institute of Technology, and her MS in Electrical Engineering and PhD in Imaging Science from WashU. Her research focuses on naturalistic brain mapping using high-density diffuse optical tomography (HD-DOT), with long-term goals in developing wearable neuroimaging devices for language-based brain-computer interfaces and early diagnosis of neurological disorders. Through personal challenges adjusting to graduate school, she helped launch the Math Crash Course at WashU to provide support for incoming students. Her educational goals include continuing to find ways to improve the graduate education experience for all students.
Kathleen M Duncan http://orcid.org/0000-0001-8767-8372 Washington University in St Louis [biography]

McKelvey Engineering Imaging Science PhD Program at Washington University in St Louis, in Biophotonics Research Center and Biomedical Optics and Neurovascular Imaging Lab
Calvin Thomas Foss Washington University in St. Louis [biography]

Ph.D. candidate in the lab of Dr. Adam Bauer studying Alzheimer's Disease in a mouse model using optical brain imaging.
Mr. Sanskar Sanjay Thakur http://orcid.org/0000-0002-8128-4601 Washington University in St. Louis [biography]

Sanskar Thakur is a Ph.D. candidate in Imaging Science at Washington University in St. Louis, where he develops optical and ultrasound imaging devices for cancer management under Dr. Quing Zhu. He holds a B.E. in Production Engineering from Shivaji University, India, and an M.S. in Mechanical Engineering from IUPUI. After experiencing the inaugural math crash course as a student, Sanskar was inspired by its impact to step into a leadership role, ultimately helping to develop and expand the current curriculum.
Ahmad Shafiullah Washington University in St. Louis [biography]

Ahmad Shafiullah is a doctoral student in the Imaging Science PhD program at Washington University in St. Louis. He received his Bachelor’s degree in Electrical and Electronic Engineering (EEE) from the Islamic University of Technology (IUT). Following graduation, he served as a lecturer in the Department of EEE at IUT, where he was involved in designing syllabi, developing course modules, and teaching undergraduate students. These experiences directly inform the student-led summer course described in this paper. His current research focuses on shortwave infrared imaging for dermatological applications, including the detection and analysis of skin-related diseases.
Sung Min Park Washington University in St. Louis [biography]

Sung Min is a PhD candidate in the Imaging Science program at Washington University in St. Louis.
Nischal Khanal Washington University in St. Louis [biography]

Nischal Khanal is a PhD candidate in Imaging Science at Washington University in St. Louis (WashU). He earned his BS in Biomedical Engineering and MS in Electrical Engineering from WashU. His research focuses on integrating optogenetics with deep-learning-based computer vision to map motor function in awake mice in the context of stroke. As a co-founder of the Math Crash Course at WashU, he helps prepare incoming PhD students with foundational coursework in calculus, linear algebra, and signals and systems. His motivations for helping establish the Math Crash Course include building inclusive mentorship structures and helping make the transition into graduate coursework more accessible for students from diverse backgrounds.
Dr. Ty O Easley http://orcid.org/0000-0002-8215-2598 Washington University in St. Louis, Department of Mathematics [biography]

Ty Easley is a recent graduate of the Washington University in St. Louis Imaging Science PhD program. Their research revolves around applications of constructions in geometry and topology, especially in neuroimaging, and they are passionate about accesible and humanized mathematics education.
Dr. Emily Boyd http://orcid.org/0000-0003-4224-0304 Washington University in St. Louis [biography]

Emily Boyd is a teaching professor and the Associate Chair for Education in the Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials science at Washington University in St. Louis. Hear area of expertise is thermal-fluid sciences. She coordinates two summer undergraduate research programs that aim to retain and increase the number of students pursuing engineering degrees and careers.
Dr. Joseph P Culver Washington University in St. Louis [biography]

Joseph P. Culver, PhD, is the Sherwood Moore Professor of Radiology for Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology (MIR) at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. Culver’s work has been at the leading edge of functional and molecular biological imaging, particularly in leveraging noninvasive optical measurements and advancing diffuse optical tomography (DOT) technology. He received his doctorate degree and completed biomedical optics postdoctoral training from the University of Pennsylvania.
Prof. Joseph A. O'Sullivan Washington University in St. Louis [biography]

Joseph A. O'Sullivan is the Samuel C. Sachs Professor of Electrical Engineering at Washington University in St. Louis, with appointments in Electrical & Systems Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Radiology, and Earth, Environmental and Planetary Science. Prof. O'Sullivan is co-director of the doctoral program in Imaging Science. He is Dean of the University of the University of Missouri-St. Louis/Washington University Joint Engineering Program. He has wide ranging research interests in imaging science and teaches core courses in the mathematics, physics, theory, and practice of imaging.

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