Susan Ruff    

ruff.susan (at) gmail
617-455-8248 (cell)

I’m a research affiliate of the M.I.T. Department of Mathematics, researching mathematical communication in collaboration with Lisa Emerson of Massey University, New Zealand. I am researching how mathematicians become writers of mathematics, their attitudes and beliefs about the role of writing in mathematics, and their experiences and practices as writers of mathematics.

In 2026 I retired from teaching as Lecturer II in Writing, Rhetoric, and Professional Communication at MIT: for two decades I helped math faculty, instructors, and TAs to teach communication (writing and speaking) within the context of their math classes. My activities were diverse: I worked with students one-on-one and in teams, lectured, led workshops, consulted with instructors and TAs one-on-one and in workshops, and I was editor of the math department’s CI Space. The CI Space is an internal website that helps mathematics educators collaborate to develop and share ideas and materials for teaching mathematical communication in their classes.

I was also an editor of the Mathematical Communication website, which grew out of the MIT math department's CI Space, and was developed in collaboration with the Mathematical Association of America and the MIT Department of Mathematics, with funding from the NSF.

With Michael Carter (NCSU), I have researched the communication abilities needed by software engineers in industry.

Ruff, S., & Carter, M. “Characterizing Employers' Expectations of the Communication Abilities of New Engineering Graduates”, Journal on Excellence in College Teaching, Vol 26, No 4 (2015)

Ruff, S., & Carter, M. "Communication learning outcomes from software engineering professionals: A basis for teaching communication in the engineering curriculum," Frontiers in Education Conference, 2009.

Below is a list of some of the classes I have worked with in the math department, and a brief description of the communication in each.

Project Lab in Mathematics

This subject is a lab class, so it is focused on research: in teams of three, students explore rich open-ended questions in mathematics. Each team does 2-3 projects during the semester. For each project, the results are presented in a paper, which is then revised. Each team presents the results of 1-2 of their projects to the class in a 15-50-minute presentation. I provided guidance for team communication and, along with the math instructors and TAs, I provided guidance and feedback for the papers and presentations. More information is available on MIT's OpenCourseWare page for 18.821.

Real Analysis, Communication Recitation

This recitation meets once a week to teach topics of mathematical communication within the context of Real Analysis. Recitation topics have included proof writing, information order and connectivity, guiding text, elegance, communicating mathematics to a range of audiences, preparing slides and visuals, and peer critique. Students write and revise three short papers on various topics for various audiences. Most recitations are taught by a math instructor who collaborates with the communication instructor to prepare the recitations; I gave the recitation on information order and connectivity and was available to help students individually with their writing. More information is available on Mathematical Communication.

Principles of Discrete Applied Mathematics

This lecture class focuses on topics in discrete applied mathematics. During the first part of the term, the problem sets include short writing assignments such as clearly explaining algorithms and presenting proofs. In the second part of the term, students write and revise a paper solving a challenging problem. As in Real Analysis, various communication topics are taught in recitations that are led by a math instructor who collaborates with a communication instructor to prepare the recitations. Additionally, I provided individual feedback on some of the short writing assignments and longer papers, and I trained TAs to provide communication feedback on the others. More information is available on MIT's OpenCourseWare page for 18.310.

Undergraduate math seminars

The math department has about ten undergraduate seminars on various topics. For each seminar, students teach each other the mathematics: each class is given by one or two students who research a topic and then present it to the rest of the students. Each student also writes and revises a final paper on a topic of their choosing. I was available to consult with the seminar instructors to plan the semester; during the semester I was available to read and give feedback on paper drafts, watch practice presentations, give writing &/or presentation workshops, etc. More information is available on Mathematical Communication.

Past classes:

I have taught communication in the following classes in past years as well:                                            

Micro/Nano Processing Technology
Computer System Engineering
Quantitative Physiology: Cells and Tissues
Communication workshop for math majors doing a year abroad
Principals of Mathematical Exposition
Modern Optics
Bioelectronics Project Laboratory
Psychoacoustics Project Laboratory
Biology Project Laboratory
Topics in Experimental Biology

My background

Before coming to MIT in 2003 I was a developmental editor and freelance writer for math and science textbooks for a decade. My education is in math, physics, education, and graphic design. I'm co-editor of Boston Rocks, 2nd Ed., a guidebook to rock climbing in the Boston Area.                                             

In my spare time

I enjoy many ways of exploring the world: travel; rock, ice, and mountain climbing; taking classes; research. Currently my research focuses around mathematical communication and its pedagogy.