Fisher College Faculty
J. Steven Pelles
- Assistant Professor, Mathematics
- A.B., Math/Geology, Bowdoin College
- M.F.A., Art Education, Boston University
- 111 Beacon Street, 4th floor
- Tel. 617-236-8868
- E-mail: spelles@fisher.edu
My interest in mathematics started when I was fourteen and I took my first full-blown algebra course in the ninth grade. I was fascinated by the logic of algebraic structures and how they are all based on arithmetic operations. Once I realized the correlation between both, I was able to understand the mechanics of problems that are solved and those that are proven. It was then that, even at a relatively young age, I knew that my career would be mathematically oriented. However, I wasn't sure in what capacity.
While attending Bowdoin College as an undergraduate, I studied both mathematics and geology as a double major, earning my AB degree. My geologic studies turned into an avid hobby of mineral collecting with which I have been involved throughout the majority of my life. My interest in math increased when I saw how it could be applied to the physical sciences. Of noteworthy significance to me was how calculus and differential equations were used by Johannes Kepler, a German astronomer, to prove the laws of planetary motion.
As a graduate student of Boston University, I received my MFA degree with a concentration in Education. It was at this institution where I pursued my other interest, which was Art Education. I have always freelanced as an artist, using mixed media and acylics. I have held several one-man shows in conjunction with doing commissions for private individuals in both commercial and fine art. This includes murals which I have created within several households. Later in my career, I took several courses in computer applications at Bunker Hill Community College. There, I tutored students in all levels of mathematics who were enrolled in the College's Center For Self-Directed Learning. It was then that I discovered my real desire for teaching in this field.
Throughout the past nine years at Fisher College, I have had the opportunity to combine my experience in the industry with my passion for both teaching and mathematics. The fact that this is a small private institution has allowed me to know my students better; servicing their needs, helping them to make the transition from their academic career to a professional one. My experience as a member of the Fisher College community has been thought provoking and enlightening from both an intellectual and an emotional standpoint.