Dr. Zhen Wang
B.Sc., M.Sc., Ph.D. (Applied Mathematics)
Subject: Math and Problem Solving
What will my child walk away with? My students leave with a genuine understanding of why mathematics works, not just how to execute steps. I focus on building the kind of flexible, analytical thinking that lets a student look at a problem they have never seen before and know where to start. That confidence, earned through real engagement with hard ideas, is what I most want to give them.
What can families expect? Families can expect a classroom where mathematical thinking is taken seriously and made accessible at the same time. I draw on my research background to connect the math we do in class to real problems in biology, medicine, and the world, so students see the point of what they are learning. Progress comes from genuine curiosity, not just drill.
What does class actually feel like? Class is active and inquiry-driven. I ask a lot of questions, and I expect students to ask them back. I treat every student as a capable mathematical thinker, and I design each session so there is something interesting to discover, not just a procedure to memorize. Students often leave surprised by how much they enjoyed thinking hard.
How do you challenge a curious mind? I reach for problems that require genuine reasoning, not just arithmetic speed. My own research in delay differential equations and biological modeling gives me a deep reservoir of interesting questions I adapt for younger learners. A student who finishes early gets a harder version of the same idea, not a different worksheet.
Credentials and Experience I hold a Ph.D. in Applied Mathematics from the University of Waterloo, where I built and analyzed mathematical models for biological systems including vaccination strategies using delay differential equations. I have published seven peer-reviewed articles in biological mathematics and tutored more than 20 undergraduate courses during my doctoral studies, followed by teaching Calculus I through III, Linear Algebra, and Differential Equations at the university level.
Why Zhen? Why Brain Power?
Dr. Wang brings active research-level mathematical thinking into every lesson, the rare combination of someone who genuinely loves the subject and genuinely loves teaching it. Brain Power families choose her because their child will learn to think like a mathematician, not just perform like one.