Hilary Smith Risser

Hilary Smith Risser serves as Professor and Department Head in the Department of Mathematical Sciences at Montana Technological University, a position she has held since 2014 after progressing from Assistant Professor (2008-2011) to Associate Professor (2011-2016). Her leadership extends to the Montana Council of Teachers of Mathematics where she served as President, and she maintains national recognition for innovative contributions to mathematics education.

Her educational foundation includes a Ph.D. in Computational and Applied Mathematics from Southern Methodist University. Prior academic appointments include Texas Woman's University (2006-2008) and Plano Independent School District (2002-2006).

Dr. Smith Risser's research program centers on technology integration in mathematics pedagogy and online professional development ecosystems. She investigates how digital platforms transform teacher collaboration through analyses of Twitter networks, blogging communities, and virtual mentoring systems. Her work bridges theoretical frameworks like Communities of Practice with practical applications in K-20 settings, particularly examining social dynamics in grassroots educator networks such as the Math Twitter Blogosphere (MTBoS).

Analysis of her 2013-2022 publication record reveals consistent focus on three interconnected domains: teacher social networks (42% of output), online mentoring structures (33%), and technology-enhanced mathematics instruction (25%). This trajectory demonstrates increasing emphasis on scalable community models for professional growth beyond traditional institutional boundaries.

Her scholarly impact is recognized through multiple honors:

• Rose and Anna Busch Award (three-time recipient)
• Mentor Award (three-time recipient)
• Dean Preble Memorial Award for university service

As principal investigator on an NSF S-STEM grant, she directs scholarship programs supporting STEM students while supervising numerous undergraduate/graduate research projects in mathematics education. Her outreach initiatives engage K-12 learners through hands-on activities exploring mathematical modeling in disease transmission, cryptography, social networks, and music.

Dr. Smith Risser maintains active collaboration with over twenty international faculty across research projects, positioning her at the nexus of global conversations about technology-mediated teacher development.