COE Faculty Profile

Richard J. Friedlander
Professor
Division of Teaching and learning

Email: friedlanderr@umsl.edu
Office: 308 Computer Center Bldg
Phone: 314-516-6350

Education

Professor Friedlander received his B.A. (1966), M.A. (1968), and Ph.D. (1972) in Mathematics from the University of California at Los Angeles. Also, he received an M.Ed. (1976) in Mathematics Education Washington State University. He has held a joint appointment in mathematics and education at the University of Missouri -St. Louis since 1972. He has been Associate Chair of the Department of Mathematics and Computer Science since 1992 after previously serving in that position from 1983-1987. In addition he is coordinator of the university's secondary mathematics education program. He has broad experience with local schools, coordinating the university's advanced credit calculus program for high school students as well as supervising the university's mathematics students in their preservice teaching experiences.

Professor Friedlander has been a frequent speaker at conferences of professional organizations at local state, regional, national, and international levels. He is currently the College Director of the Mathematics Educators of Greater St. Louis. He is also a member of the Mathematical Association of America, the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, and the Missouri Council of Teachers of Mathematics. From 1988-1991, he was co-principal investigator of a National Science Foundation teacher enhancement grant to raise the awareness of high school teachers of the breadth of applications of mathematics. In 1995, he received the Governor's Award for Excellence in Teaching.

Research and Teaching

I have taught a wide variety of mathematics courses at both the undergraduate and graduate levels, and also teach the

university's secondary mathematics methods course each year. I have published numerous articles in both mathematics and mathematics education. My mathematical research area is finite group theory, specifically number theoretic problems arising in finite groups. My mathematics education interests lie mainly in bringing about curricular change at the precollege and collegiate levels through the introduction of mathematics applications.

Publications

• Friedlander, R.J. (2001). Mathematics and Sports. The Encyclopedia of Mathematics Education, 671-675.
• Friedlander, R.J. (1992). Ol' Abner Has Done It Again. The American Mathematical Monthly, 99, 845.
• Friedlander, R.J. and Haimo, D.T. (1991). Raising Teachers' Awareness of Mathematics Applications. Mathematics Teacher, 84, 70-71.

• Mathematics Education