kristenvonbecker

Curriculum Vitæ

  1. Professional experience
  2. Education
    1. Degrees
    2. Certificates and coursework
  3. Teaching experience
  4. Workshop facilitation
    1. AAUW STEM Conference
  5. Publications
    1. Peer-reviewed mathematics research
    2. Appearing elsewhere in print

Professional experience

Educational Consultant (2021-present)
von Becker Consulting LLC

Adjunct Faculty (2025)
San Diego Miramar College
Department of Mathematics

Associate Professor (2019-2021, tenured in 2020)
Saint Mary’s College of California
Department of Mathematics and Computer Science

Assistant Professor (2014-2019)
Saint Mary’s College of California
Department of Mathematics and Computer Science

Teaching Postdoctoral Fellow (2011-2014)
University of Arizona
Department of Mathematics

Graduate Teaching Assistant (2007-2011)
University of Texas at Arlington
Department of Mathematics

Credit Risk Analyst (2005-2007)
AmeriCredit Corp. (acquired by GM Financial)
Risk Management

Education

Degrees

A.S. in Case Furniture Construction/Manufacturing (2027 expected)
Palomar College
Cabinet and Furniture Technology

Ph.D. in Mathematics (2011)
University of Texas at Arlington
Dissertation: On the existence of totally reflexive modules

M.S. in Mathematics (2005)
University of Texas at Arlington
Thesis: On the image of the totaling functor

B.S. in Mathematics (2002)
University of Texas at Arlington

Certificates and coursework

PCEP (Python’s Entry-Level Programmer Certification) (2024)
Python Institute (certificate)

Machine Learning Engineering Bootcamp (2023)
UC San Diego Extended Studies
Capstone: Explorer AI

Courses in Woodworking (2025-present)
Fundamentals of Woodworking; Machine Woodworking; Marquetry, Inlay and Veneering
Palomar College
Cabinet and Furniture Technology

Intro to Computer Numerical Control (CNC) (2022)
San Diego City College
Machine Technology

Teaching experience

The following are college-level courses that I have taught at least once as the instructor of record. Bolded courses are ones which I’ve taught at least twice. Use of italics indicates a course for which I did a considerable amount of content development.

(UTA = Univ. of Texas at Arlington, UA = Univ. of Arizona, SMC = Saint Mary’s College, M = Miramar College)

  1. College Algebra (UTA)
  2. Trigonometry (UTA)
  3. Art & Practice of Math (SMC)
  4. Introduction to Statistics (UA, SMC)
  5. Finite Math (SMC)
  6. Business Calculus (UTA)
  7. Calculus I (UTA, UA, SMC)*
  8. Calculus II (UA, SMC)
  9. Calculus III (UA, SMC)
  10. Linear Algebra (UA, MC)
  11. Differential Equations (SMC)
  12. Engineering Math (UA)
  13. Matrix Algebra (UA)
  14. Abstract Algebra (SMC)
  15. Real Analysis (SMC)
  16. Cryptography (UA)
  17. Introduction to Proofs (SMC)
  18. Collegiate Seminar (SMC)
  19. Introduction to Problem-Solving (SMC, Jan Term)
  20. The Ethics of Eating (SMC, Jan Term)

* My experience teaching Calculus I includes both early- and late-transcendental approaches.

Workshop facilitation

AAUW STEM Conference

The following are workshops I have designed and facilitated for the Orinda-Moraga-Lafayette branch’s AAUW STEM Conference, a day-long STEM workshop event for middle school girls, hosted by Saint Mary’s College.

  • Make Code Move: Introduction to Robotic Motion and Control (upcoming 2026)
  • 3D Modeling with Tinkercad (2023)
  • 3D Modeling and Printing (2022)

Publications

Peer-reviewed mathematics research

  1. Fixed points of augmented generalized happy functions (with B. Baker Swart, S. Crook, C. Eubanks-Turner, H. G. Grundman, M. Mei, and L. Zack), Rocky Mountain Journal of Mathematics, Vol. 48 (2018), no. 1, pp. 47-58. (arXiv: 1611.02983)
  2. Augmented generalized happy functions (with B. Baker Swart, S. Crook, C. Eubanks-Turner, H. G. Grundman, M. Mei, and L. Zack), Rocky Mountain Journal of Mathematics, Vol. 47 (2017), no. 2, pp. 403-417. (arXiv: 1410.0297)
  3. Eventually linear partially complete resolutions over a local ring with m^4 = 0, Journal of Algebra and Its Applications, Vol. 15 (2016), no. 3. (arXiv: 1212.0282)
  4. On the image of the totaling functor, Communications in Algebra, Vol. 43 (2015), no. 4, pp. 1640-1653. (arXiv: 1105.3869)
  5. A somewhat gentle introduction to differential graded commutative algebra (with K. A. Sather-Wagstaff), Springer Proceedings in Mathematics & Statistics, vol. 76, Springer, New York, 2014. (arXiv: 1307.0369)
  6. Krull dimension for differential graded algebras (with K. A. Sather-Wagstaff), Archiv der Mathematik (Basel), Vol. 101 (2013), no. 2, pp. 111-119. (arXiv: 1210.7270)
  7. Asymptotic behavior of dimensions of syzygies (with M. Leamer), Proceedings of the Amererican Mathematical Society, Vol. 141 (2013), no. 7, pp. 2245-2252. (arXiv: 1110.4582)
  8. Existence of totally reflexive modules via Gorenstein homomorphisms, Journal of Commutative Algebra, Vol. 4 (2012), no. 1, pp. 57-77. (arXiv: 1101.2658)

Appearing elsewhere in print

  1. Gathering around a virtual poster session, an interview with Tim Chartier for the MAA’s Math Values series
  2. On the existence of totally reflexive modules (Ph.D. dissertation, supervised by Dr. David A. Jorgensen)