Dennis teaches mathematics with the goal of giving students the kind of learning experience he wished he had growing up. Originally from Sacramento, he earned his BS in Mathematics from the University of California, Davis. His teaching philosophy centers on helping students experience mathematical ideas first and then formalizing them—an approach he finds especially powerful in statistics. Dennis believes mathematics is one of humanity’s most elegant intellectual achievements, comparing the beauty of the fundamental theorem of calculus to poetry. He also values statistics as an essential tool for understanding data, evaluating evidence, and developing strong “baloney-detecting” skills. Outside the classroom, he enjoys the rare luxury of simply listening to music without doing anything else.