On my first day in calculus, my instructor asked us to use a given function to write a brief story describing the population dynamics of a wolf population on a remote island. The prospect of writing about math was unsettling; words and numbers were two distinct ways of knowing, or so I thought. In only a few short weeks I had come to appreciate the lesson that my instructor was imparting: Mathematics is a language like any other, with symbolism, nuance, and linguistic variation. This insight has been indispensable in helping me frame experimental design and scientific analyses throughout my career. In an ideal world, I would hire enough professors so that introductory courses could be limited to a handful of students. The courses would focus on the language of mathematics and statistics and how communicating these concepts helps us communicate our science effectively. Communication activities, such as peer teaching, would be common, and assessments would include oral final exams and presentation defenses, activities that are usually relegated to advanced graduate academic training.
