Doug Smeltz
After graduating from Otterbein College, Doug started teaching mathematics at Northland High School, a member of the Columbus Public Schools. Doug was fortunate to be involved with computers since its introduction to the high schools as we were granted a $16,000 system from Hewlett Packard in 1971 that included a 4K memory CPU, light sensitive card reader, plotting table, and a thermal printer.
Doug’s life changed dramatically when he took a sabbatical from teaching at 17 years in 1986-7 and attended The Ohio State University for my Masters in Mathematics. He met Drs. Frank Demana and Bert Waits there and even took a course with Bert and wrote a "Master Grapher" for the Radio Shack Color Computer.
Upon graduation, Doug was invited to be part of the pilot project for the Demana/Waits Precalculus text and then to be part of a team formed by them called the "Squeeze Play Project" to work on technology for courses between Pre-algebra and Precalculus.
Doug has been a part of T³ since the summer of 1988 and has grown mathematically and pedagogically with each passing year. None of which would have happened without the leadership from Demana and Waits. Doug says, "I owe my mathematical life to them and will do everything possible to continue their work. T³ is more than calculators. It is a not only the vision for the future of mathematics but more so for me, an outlet for highly educated and enthusiastic teachers who love math and excite students everywhere they work. It truly is my second family."
Although Doug finished his full time public education career in the spring of 2004, he plans to continue to do whatever he can to promote the "Power of Visualization" for the rest of his life.
Charles Vonder Embse
Dr. Charles Vonder Embse is a Professor of Mathematics Education in the Mathematics Department of Central Michigan University. He received an M.A. in Mathematics in 1984 and a Ph.D. in Mathematics Education in 1987 from The Ohio State University. His primary research interests are in the use of graphing calculators and computers in the mathematics classroom and in the professional development of teachers.
Dr. Vonder Embse is the author of many professional articles and textbooks on the topic of using technology to teach and learn mathematics in grades 7 - 16. He is a lead author of the Addison-Wesley Secondary Mathematics series and the Scott Foresman Middle School Mathematics series. From 1996 to 1998, Dr. Vonder Embse served as co-editor for the Technology Tips section of the Mathematics Teacher, the secondary school journal of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics. He is a frequent speaker at international, national, regional, and state conferences and institutes.
Dr. Vonder Embse has been involved with the T³ International Professional Development Program since its inception, serving as one of the instructors during the original summer institutes held at Ohio State University from 1989 through 1991. Currently, Dr. Vonder Embse is co-chair of the T³ Academic Coordinators Council. Since 1989, he has been a consultant for Texas Instruments, Inc. working on the TI-73, TI-80, TI-81, TI-82, TI-83, TI-83 Plus, TI-89, TI-92 and TI-92 Plus graphing calculators, the Calculator Based Laboratory (CBL), and Cabri Geometry II software.
Both Doug Smeltz and Charles Vonder Embse have made enormous and enduring contributions to T³. Thanks so much for all your hard work.
Congratulations to Doug and Chuck!
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