Steve Bennoun

Steve Bennoun is an Associate Professor of Teaching in the Psychology Department at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), with dual affiliation in the Division of Life Sciences. He specializes in teaching LS30 Mathematics for Life Scientists, an innovative course that uses biological phenomena like hormone oscillations and protein production as foundational contexts for mathematical modeling.

His academic background includes:

• B.Sc. and M.Sc. in Mathematics from École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Switzerland
• Ph.D. in Mathematics from the University of British Columbia, Canada

Bennoun's research centers on evidence-based improvements to undergraduate mathematics education, with emphasis on active learning methodologies and curriculum transformation. His work bridges mathematics and biology education through modeling-focused pedagogy, examining how students comprehend differential equations via time-series analysis and how interleaving techniques impact learning outcomes in STEM courses.

His publication trajectory reveals an evolution from pure mathematics to education research, dominated by interdisciplinary STEM innovations. Key themes include calculus course redesign for life sciences, faculty development in active learning adoption, and assessment of modeling-based curricula that create authentic math-biology connections.

Supported by a National Science Foundation grant for interleaving research, Bennoun collaborates across mathematics, biology, and psychology disciplines. His work demonstrates how departmental structures (like Psychology housing mathematics education) can foster innovative interdisciplinary teaching when aligned with institutional divisions like Life Sciences.