Richard Wong

Assistant Teaching Professor in Mathematics at Rice University.

“Everyone can have joyful, meaningful, and empowering mathematical experiences.”

— Federico Ardila

I strongly believe that EVERYONE is capable of success in mathematics, and I am committed to making mathematics more accessible and inclusive for all. In particular, I believe that we must actively work to break down any systemic barriers that exist due to race, gender, socio-economic background, or cultural identity. If you’re new to these ideas, send me an email - I’m happy to have a conversation with you!

I have engaged in outreach efforts at multiple levels to help others overcome these barriers, which include: providing academic support and mentorship; creating supportive and welcoming mathematical communities; and recruiting future generations of mathematicians through outreach.

Efforts

Summer BRIDGE Program

In Summer 2023, I worked with Britney Robinson, Bon-Soon Lin, and the UCLA Division of Physical Sciences to create and teach a Summer Bridge Program (Math 94: Explorations of Mathematics in the Physical World) for incoming first-year STEM studemts from FGLI or URM backgrounds.

MOCAT

MoCAT Logo

As a grad student, I was a founding organizer for MOCAT at UT Austin.

Some of the activities I’ve helped to organize include:

  • A virtual UT Austin Math Graduate School Recruitment Event
  • The Existence and Uniqueness Book Club
  • Graduate Student Office Hours

In 2021, we received a Tensor SUMMA 2021 Grant.

Seminar Talks

  1. Listen, Amplify, Sustain: Being a better mentor and ally (pdf version here) I gave a talk in the Graduates Achieving Inclusion Now (GAIN) conference in Fall 2021.
  2. Establishing MOCAT. Xinyu Xie and I presented at the MAA Mathfest Outreach Poster Session in summer 2021.
  3. Teaching Inclusively and Equitably Online (pdf version here). I gave this talk at the UT Austin Inequity in STEM Seminar in summer 2020.

Community Outreach

I’m happy to work with local communities to promote mathematics! If you’d like me to speak at your student organization, send me an email.

Expository/Outreach Talks

  1. I was a participant in the RESP Faculty Fair in Summer 2025.
  2. I was a panelist for the UMC and WIM Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Panel in Winter 2024.
  3. 3-spheres and the Hopf map. I gave a talk for the Undergraduate Mathematics Student Association at UCLA in Fall 2023.
  4. Journeys Through Mathematics. I gave a talk in the Speaker Series for the Undergraduate Math Council at UCLA in Fall 2022.
  5. What’s it like being a mathematician? (pdf version here). I gave a talk for Connected Research at UCLA in Winter 2022.
  6. What is Algebraic Topology? I gave a talk at Rose-Hulman in Spring 2021.
  7. LaTeX Workshop: CVs, Cover Letters, and SOPs (pdf version here). I gave a talk for MoCAT in Fall 2020.
  8. An Elementary Introduction to Picard Groups. I gave an introductory talk for the UT Austin Math Club in Spring 2020.
  9. REU / Summer Opportunities Panelist for the UT Austin Math Club in Spring 2018.
  10. An Overview of Algebraic Topology. I gave an introductory talk for the UT Austin Math Club in Spring 2017.

Math Circles

  1. Number Games. I gave an inquiry-based talk for the UT Austin SMMG in Spring 2020.
  2. Surfaces, Space, and Hyperspace. I gave an inquiry-based talk for the UT Austin SMMG in Spring 2018.