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My goals as an instructor are to help my students build confidence in creative problem solving, develop grit and cultivate a growth mindset, and inspire curiosity. I use numerous active learning strategies to foster an inclusive, equitable classroom environment, which promotes collaboration and encourages students to explore the course topics in meaningful way to empower their own learning.

 

To help my students more thoroughly engage with the material, I regularly write computer codes/simulations for class demonstrations, e.g., to help students visualize different concepts, as well as create supplemental videos (see my YouTube channel).

 

From 2020-2022, I was apart of a HHMI Funded effort to help redesign our foundational courses in the School of Science. Specifically, Dr. Karen Clark and I focused on redesigning Calculus B. 

TEACHING

Nick is currently teaching...

TCNJ: * independent research courses not listed.

  • Fall 2023 - Spring 2024: Nick will be on a full year Sabbatical.
     

  • Spring 2023 :

    • MAT 498 (Applied Mathematics Capstone)​
       

  • Fall 2022:

    • MAT128 (Calculus B, 2 sections)​

      • Online Resources: LINK (TCNJ credentials required to sign-in)

    • MAT330 (Mathematical Biology)

      • Online Resources: LINK (TCNJ credentials required to sign-in)

    • BIO330 (Mathematical Biology)

      • Online Resources: LINK (TCNJ credentials required to sign-in)

​

  • Spring 2022:

    • MAT128 (Calculus B, 2 sections)​

      • Online Resources: LINK (TCNJ credentials required to sign-in)

    • MAT292 (Topics in Computational Math)

      • Online Resources: LINK (TCNJ credentials required to sign-in)
         

  • Fall 2021:

    • MAT341 (Computational Mathematics)​

      • Online Resources: LINK (TCNJ credentials required to sign-in)
         

  • Spring 2021:

    • MAT128 (Calculus B​)

      • Online resources: LINK (TCNJ credentials required to sign-in)

    • MAT270 (Topics in <Computational> Math)

      • Online resources: LINK (TCNJ credentials required to sign-in)
         

  • Fall 2020:

    • MAT 330 (Mathematical Biology, 2 sections)​

    • BIO 330 (Mathematical Biology, 2 sections)

    • Online Resources: LINK (TCNJ credentials required to sign-in)
       

  • Maymester 2020: 

    • MAT 125 (Calculus for Business and the Social Sciences)​

    • Online Resources: LINK (TCNJ credentials required to sign-in)
       

  • Spring 2020 

    • MAT 128 (Calculus B, 2 sections)​

    • Online Resources: LINK
       

  • Fall 2019: 

    • MAT 128 (Calculus B, 2 sections)

    • ​MAT 341 (Computational Mathematics)
       

  • Summer 2019:

  • Spring 2018: 

    • MAT 128 (Calculus B) 

    • MAT 330 (Mathematical Biology)

    • BIO 330 (Mathematical Biology)
      ​

  • Fall 2018: 

    • MAT 128 (Calculus B, 2 sections)
       

  • Maymester 2018: 

    • MAT 125 (Calculus for Business and the Social Sciences)

  • ​​

  • Spring 2018: 

    • MAT 128 (Calculus B, 2 sections)

    • MAT 331 (Numerical Analysis)​
       

  • Fall 2017: 

    • MAT 128 (Calculus B, 2 sections)​​

Using Fast-Fourier Transforms to trace complex curves!

Using simulations to explore fair redistricting

Visualizing how an algorithm may identify different critical points based on initial guesses

Visualizing a non-gradient based optimization scheme that is based solely on geometry and logic!

Introducing a simplified model for neuron dynamics (bonus video for interested student from MAT/BIO330: Mathematical Biology in Fall 2020)

​

Video Tutorials (rough drafts):
 

  • Tutorial 1: https://youtu.be/po8-oMZKGwA

    • MATLAB Programming environment, command window operations, defining variables, constructing vectors and matrices​
       

  • Tutorial 2: https://youtu.be/b-Ah5ij8BPA

    • MATLAB scripting, writing scripts, calling scripts in other scripts, plotting, introduce a for loop.​
       

  • Tutorial 3: https://youtu.be/UDvocnVTWyM

    • Practicing MATLAB scripting, comparing for-loops and while-loops​

MATLAB TUTORIALS (from Spring 2018)

Code from Tutorials: https://github.com/nickabattista/MATLAB_Practice

MATLAB TUTORIALS AND RESOURCES

Video Tutorials (rough drafts made in Spring 2018):

​

  • Tutorial 1: https://youtu.be/po8-oMZKGwA

    • MATLAB Programming environment, command window operations, defining variables, constructing vectors and matrices​
       

  • Tutorial 2: https://youtu.be/b-Ah5ij8BPA

    • MATLAB scripting, writing scripts, calling scripts in other scripts, plotting, introduce a for loop.​
       

  • Tutorial 3: https://youtu.be/UDvocnVTWyM

    • Practicing MATLAB scripting, comparing for-loops and while-loops​

Code from Tutorials: https://github.com/nickabattista/MATLAB_Practice

MATLAB Programming Notes (last updated Fall 2022)​

​

  • Arrays: <click-for-pdf>

    • How to create arrays as well as extract data and manipulate them.

  • Plotting: <click-for-pdf>

    • Basics of how to plot data in MATLAB, including plotting aesthestic

  • For-loops: <click-for-pdf>

    • What is a for-loop, how to use them, and a few examples (e.g., computing sums, iterating a sequence, and evaluating a polynomial)

  • If-Statements: <click-for-pdf>
    • What are logical statements and boolean expressions with a few examples (e.g., determine if a number is odd or even, evaluating a piecewise function, and rolling a fair or unfair die)​​
  • While loops: <click-for-pdf>​
    • ​What is a while loop, while loops vs. for loops, and a few examples using while loops (e.g., writing the same task with a while-loop and for-loop​, computing partial sums of the Harmonic Series, using 'flag' variables)

Previous Courses Taught (Pre-TCNJ)

UNC:

  • Math 130: Precalculus (Spring 2012, Full responsibility)

  • Math 119: Introduction to Mathematical Modeling (Spring 2013, Full responsibility, Blog Post About My Teaching by Former Student, Some Course Evaluations)

  • Math 669: Scientific Computation II (Spring 2013, Teaching Assistant Duties)

  • Scientific Computation Qualifying Exam Review Course (Summer 2013, Fall 2013, Summer 2014, Summer 2015, Summer 2016, Full responsibility)

  • Module Course: Intro. to Sci. Computing and Programming (Summer 2014, Full responsibility)

  • Module Course: ODEs, PDEs, and Linear Algebra (Summer 2015, Summer 2016, Full responsibility) 

  • Guest Lecturer:​

    • BIOL 551 (Comparative Biomechanics, 1 lecture)

    • BIOL 226  (Quantitative Biology, 4 lectures + 3 labs)

    • MATH 769 (Graduate Mathematical Modeling in Biology, 6 lectures)

    • MATH 662 (Graduate Scientific Computing II, 3 lectures)

    • MATH 383 (ODEs, 8 lectures)

    • MATH 383L (ODEs Lab, 2 lectures)

    • MATH 233 (Multivariate Calculus, 4 lectures)

    • MATH 231 (Calculus I, 2 lectures)

    • MATH 119 (Introduction to Mathematical Modeling, 1 lecture)

    • MATH 117 (Intuitive Calculus, 3 lectures)

    • PHYS 115 (Physics for the Life Sciences, 3 lectures)

​

Some of the codes I’ve used to teach the above courses can be found here: CODES

Stony Brook University:

  • AMS 161: Calculus II (Fall 2010, lecture and grading responsibility)

  • AMS 361: Differential Equations (Spring 2011, lecture and grading responsibility, Teaching Award)

Rochester Institute of Technology:

  • GRE Math Class: (Summer 2010, full course responsibility, taught through the McNair Scholars Program, which promotes diversity)

  • Project Based Calculus III (Spring 2009, Teaching Assistant Duties)

  • Project Based Calculus I (Winter 2009, Teaching Assistant Duties)

  • Project Based Calculus II (Fall 2008, Teaching Assistant Duties)

  • Discrete Mathematics for Technology II: (Spring 2008, Supplemental Instructor)

Mentoring (Pre-TCNJ)

UNC:

  • Project Leader: mentored 4 different undergraduates on a research project in the Joint Fluids Lab at UNC (Fall 2011-Spring 2013)

  • Research Mentor: mentored multiple undergraduate students, including a student through the SMART Program, who then was hired to assist me on my research throughout the school year (Summer 2013-Present)

    1. Wrote an article that was published at UNC about my experience as a mentor: Click Here to Read Article

    2. Was awarded a 2013 Graduate Student Mentor Award for Excellence in Mentoring Undergraduates

    3. Two of my undergraduate researchers presented at the 10th UNC-G Regional Math and Statistics Conference.

    4. One of my undergraduate researchers won “Outstanding Talk of the Conference” at the 10th UNC Regional Math and Statistics Conference. They were also a biology major giving a math talk.

Outreach

TCNJ:

  • Skype a Scientist (February 2019): <LINK!>

  • Guest Mathematician for Project IRL at Bergen County Technical High School (2023)

  • Fluid Dynamics Education Symposium: APS-DFD (2018)

  • Guest judge at a Science Competition at Hightstown High School in NJ (2018)

  • We would LOVE to come to your class or event to chat about our science, what being   a scientist or mathematician is like, or careers in science and mathematics! Please contact Nick! (battistn[at]tcnj[.]edu)

UNC:

  • North Carolina Science Expo: K-12 outreach through fluid dynamics demonstrations at the (2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017)

  • Volunteer at the Museum of Life and Science in Durham, NC (2013)

  • Guest judge at the North Carolina State Science Fair for K-12 students (2014)

  • Volunteer at NC Science Days at Northside Elementary School (2014)

  • Two-term President of the Graduate Mathematics Association (GMA) at UNC-CH (2014-2016)

SkypeAScientist.png

Screenshot from Skype a Scientist

RIT/Stony Brook:

  • Gave an annual presentation at local high schools entitled, “What is Calculus Good For?!?” to give calculus students an idea of just how useful calculus is and where its principles can be applied to solve problems in the real world. (2008, 2009, 2010, 2011)

From NC Science Expo 2015

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