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Metropolitan State University (Home)

Rikki Wagstrom

She/Her

  • Associate Professor

Credentials

  • Doctor of Philosophy, Mathematics and Statistics
    University of Nebraska, Lincoln
  • Master of Science, Mathematics and Statistics
    University of Nebraska, Lincoln

Recent and upcoming courses

Spring 2025

Summer 2025

Fall 2025

Biography

Dr. Rikki Wagstrom has been a member of the Mathematics and Statistics Department at Metro State University since 2005. She enjoys teaching all levels of undergraduate mathematics ranging from introductory-level courses like college algebra and calculus to intermediate and advanced-level courses such as differential equations, linear algebra, operations research, numerical analysis, mathematical modeling and the senior capstone courses. Her primary interests and focus are courses in the applied mathematics curriculum. She is also the academic advisor for students pursuing degrees in Industrial and Applied Mathematics.

Wagstrom's creative and scholarly interests also lie squarely in undergraduate applied mathematics education. From 2006 to 2018, her interests focused on integrating mathematical modeling into developmental and introductory-level courses with an emphasis on sustainability topics. As part of the Mathematics of Planet Earth 2013 initiative, she worked with faculty educators across the country at the Center for Discrete Mathematics and Theoretical Computer Science (DIMACS) to develop one-day sustainability-focused modules for classroom use. As a faculty partner in the National Science Foundation sponsored program Engaging Mathematics (DUE-1613211), she published teaching manuals for college algebra and calculus courses using mathematical modeling to investigate environmental topics of civic importance.

Since 2018 Wagstrom has focused her creative efforts on developing curriculum for Metro State's recently launched introductory-level and advanced-level mathematical modeling courses with integrated instruction in technical communication and career readiness components.

Wagstrom has undertaken multiple SoTL research projects to investigate the effectiveness and impacts of curriculum she has developed and piloted in her courses. She is one of the contributing authors in the book Doing the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning in Mathematics published by the Mathematical Association of America. During the period from 2017 to 2021, she was a faculty partner in the National Science Foundation sponsored program Supporting and Sustaining Scholarly Mathematics Teaching (DUE-1725952) where she worked within a community of mathematics educators to promote and support SoTL research.

Selected Recent Presentations

  • David Jacobson, Rikki Wagstrom and Wei Wei. "Industrial & Applied Mathematics and Data Science Education at Metropolitan State University." SIAM-ED22 Conference.
  • Olga Menagarishvili and Rikki Wagstrom. "Integrating Technical Communication into a Mathematical Modeling Course." SIMIODE Expo 2022.
  • Rikki Wagstrom. "Simulation Modeling Project in Advanced Mathematical Modeling Course." SIMIODE Expo 2021.
  • David Jacobson, Rikki Wagstrom, and Wei Wei. "Engaging an Industrial Advisory Board: A Case Study." INFORMS 2019 Annual Meeting.
  • Rikki Wagstrom. "Environmental Modeling in Lower Division Mathematics Courses." 2018 Joint Mathematics Meeting.
  • Cindy Kaus and Rikki Wagstrom. "Engaging Mathematics Initiatives in the Twin Cities." Spring 2017 North-Central Section of the Mathematical Association of America.
  • Rikki Wagstrom. "Teaching as Research II: Applying SoTL Principles to Curriculum Development." 2016 SENCER Summer Institute.
  • Jacqueline Dewar, Matthew Siniawski, and Rikki Wagstrom. "Evidence Matters: Using the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning to Tell the Story of Curriculum Development." NCSCE Webinar, 2016.

Selected Published Work

  • Rikki B. Wagstrom. "Calculus Explorations of Milkweed and Monarchs." Engaging Mathematics, 2017, http://engagingmathematics.ipower.com/calculus-explorations-of-milkweed-monarchs/. Acknowledgement: This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant DUE-1613211.
  • Benjamin J. Galluzzo, Jean McGivney-Burelle, and Rikki B. Wagstrom. "What is My Carbon Footprint?" The Mathematics Teacher, vol. 109, no. 7, 2016, pp. 526-532.
  • Rikki B. Wagstrom. "Using SoTL Practices to Drive Curriculum Development." Doing the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning in Mathematics, edited by Jacqueline M. Dewar and Curtis D. Bennett, Mathematical Association of America, 2015.
  • Rikki B. Wagstrom. "Integrating Sustainability into Algebra Courses." Engaging Mathematics, 2015, http://engagingmathematics.ipower.com/integrating-sustainability-into-algebra-courses/. Acknowledgement: This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant DUE-1613211.
  • Rikki B. Wagstrom. "Teaching Pre-College Algebra Mathematics Through Environmental Sustainability: Curriculum Development and Assessment." Science Education & Civic Engagement, vol. 2, no. 2, 2010, pp. 17-23.

Awards and Honors

  • Metropolitan State University 2011 Excellence in Teaching Award
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