Immanuel Williams

1 Peter 4:10 Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. I have always sought to honor the name my parents gave me: Immanuel, meaning “God is with us.” When I struggled, when I failed, when I was rejected, I remembered that God is with us. Rather than give up, I pushed ahead. And at the culminating point of my doctorate degree, instead of letting me rest on my accolades, God was leading me to do more. While writing my dissertation, I used my much-needed breaks to write my first children’s book, The Adventures of Jamear: Shapes All Around. It’s about a young African American boy who is very curious and learns about mathematics with his father as they walk to and from school. God led me to share the book in a local school once it was published. When I was in those classrooms, I noticed that some students were struggling with basic math concepts, just as I had at that age. God was calling me to do more. I got in contact with the school’s Boys and Girls Club and created a workshop for them based on culturally relevant math problems. The Club facilitated this supplementary math education; however, I did not stop there. I developed a math bootcamp where students completed sixteen worksheets each month, which my Cal Poly students helped grade. With God’s grace, I was able to share and expand this program, offering it free-of-charge to benefit underprivileged students across California as well as in Seattle, Salt Lake City, Davenport, and Chicago. My undergrads and I were evaluating more than a thousand worksheets per week. I decided to hit the pause button on the program’s growth and evaluate the work that had already been done. I developed software to analyze the data, quantifying how the students had learned best. As I became more engaged in programming, I realized that God had laid before me another opportunity to do more. I am currently developing the Data Science Academy, wherein I am using my gift of teaching and my statistical knowledge to teach data science to high school students who may not otherwise receive this curriculum in their schools. As a professor, I inherently support and teach undergraduate students. But it is my work outside the university system where I see God’s plan for me most taking shape, serving children at every stage of mathematical education. When I think about my name, “God is with us,” I reflect on how God is with all of us. He does not discriminate by age or gender, skin color or school district. As I continue to serve and reach more students, I know I am using my gifts as God intends for me. He is leading me to do more. Data Science Academy: https://www.gato365.com/academy Book: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B081LKN2QN/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_glt_SD5SPP82RZ3RRMRWB3RR Boot Camp: https://www.gato365.com/bootcamps

My Life

Favorite Quote

"Many ways to the top of the mountain, choose 1. ..., ... many ways to the top of the mountain, KNOW MANY."

Friends describe me

as extremely random!

My hobbies

My Saxophone

Fantasy dinner guests

John Coltrane,

Best advice I ever received

Everyone makes mistakes.

My undergrad alma mater

University Maryland Baltimore County

My worst subject in school

Math

In college I drove

Toyota

If I weren't a professor, I would

Musician

Favorite books

As A Man Maketh

Favorite city

Santa Cruz

Favorite coffee

Scout's Coffee

Nobody knows I

can build computers for fun!

My latest accomplishment

Data Science Academy GATO365 Math Boot Camp Children's Book Author

Current Research

Statistical Education Psychometrics