Jose Rico

Jose Rico

Professor of Mathematics

Ohlone College (Fremont, CA)

Biography

I am a tenured professor of mathematics at Ohlone College in Fremont, California. My primary teaching interests are Statistics and Math for Liberal Arts. I have been developing 50/50 hybrid Intro to Statistics course using the Carnegie Mellon University’s Integrated Statistics Learning Environment (ISLE).

My hobbies are being outdoors, playing games and listening to music. Walking and biking around the Quarry Lakes and Alameda Creek are my daily outdoor enjoyments. Right now, the game that I am enjoying is backgammon, you can find me playing online at Backgammon Galaxy as jricoiii. I hope to start a backgammon club at Ohlone College once we return to campus. Other games that I enjoy are cribbage and dominoes (Block, Tien Gow)

Regarding music, I am always interested in hearing new music. My favorite musical genres are Reggae and Jazz. Although lately, I am finding pleasure in diversifying my listening with more current pop music (singer-songwriter). My favorite musical events are jazz festivals. I have been to festivals in Montreal, San Jose, and Detroit. I find music inspiring, the artists are so talented and generous, bringing so much energy and love to the world.

Interests

  • Statistics Education
  • Math for Liberal Arts
  • Inquiry-Based Learning
  • Combinatorial Games
  • RStudio
  • Formula One
  • Backgammon

Education

  • MA in Secondary Education, 2003

    University of Michigan

  • MEng in Mechanical Engineering, 1997

    University of Michigan

  • BSEng in Mechanical Engineering, 1995

    University of Michigan

Experience

 
 
 
 
 

Professor

Ohlone College

Aug 2016 – Present Fremont, California
 
 
 
 
 

Professor

Napa Valley College

Aug 2015 – May 2016 Napa, California
 
 
 
 
 

Volunteer

Isha Institue of Inner-Science

Jul 2011 – Sep 2013 McMinnville, Tennessee
 
 
 
 
 

Professor

Feather River College

Aug 2009 – May 2011 Quincy, California
 
 
 
 
 

Professor

Taft College

Aug 2007 – May 2008 Taft, California
 
 
 
 
 

Owner

The Garden Cafe and Market

Aug 2004 – Oct 2006 Ann Arbor, MI
 
 
 
 
 

Engineering Intern

Ford Motor Company

May 2002 – Aug 2003 Michigan
 
 
 
 
 

Teacher

Edison High School

Aug 1997 – May 2000 Huntington Beach, California
 
 
 
 
 

Summer Engineering Academy Instructor

Summer Engineering Academy - University of Michigan

Aug 1997 – May 2000 Huntington Beach, California
 
 
 
 
 

Engineering Intern

Dow Chemical

May 1992 – Aug 1994 Michigan

Recent Posts

A Story of my Health

Health is aspect of our lives we probably have all taken for granted. I sure did, until I got sick. Essay I wrote to my doctor in 2018 When I first got my sickness diagnosed, I said to myself that I am broken and I will always be broken.

Criminal Justice

Data/Websites/Articles The Marshall Project Prison Policy Initiative CNN - 6/8/20 NYT - Is Prison Necessary? - 4/17/19 The Stanford Open Policing Project Police Data Initiative

Formula One

My interest in Motorsports began when I went to the Long Beach Grand Prix. The sound of the engines coming around the hairpin and then shooting down Ocean Boulevard was captivating.

Games

Backgammon I never played backgammon my entire life until the October 1, 2018, when my wife and I bought our fist board, a Crisloid. Ever since then backgammon has been my favorite game.

Hiking and Backpacking

I love to be outside in the mountains and forests. Losing myself in their freedom and beauty fills me with gratitude and amazement. Being outdoors uplifts my spirit and inspires me.

My Wanderings

These are the places that I have called Home. Saginaw, Michigan is my birthplace and my hometown through high school. Ann Arbor, Michigan is where I went to University. I also lived and worked there for a couple years, owning and operating a restaurant with my wife.

OER Statistic Textbooks

My List of Textbooks ModernDive - Statistical Inference via Data Science : A ModernDive into R and the Tidyverse Statistical Thinking for the 21st Century Other Professor’s Courses MSE 125 Applied Statistics, Sharad Goel, Stanford Engineering

Reggae

Reggae music for me, started with the sweet music of Bob Marley and Wailers. It was a 6 album set by JAD of early Bob Marley and the Wailers 1967-72. A few years later, a friend invited me to see the Wailers play - and it was awesome!

Contact

  • jrico@ohlone.edu
  • 43600 Mission Blvd, Fremont, CA 94536
  • Enter Building 3 and take the stairs/elevator to Floor 4, all the way down the hallway to Office 3420-B