You may know him as the overwhelmingly intelligent professor that lectures on mathematical concepts you don’t quite understand, but it turns out that Dr. Ong has much more to him. He truly loves molding the minds of young students and preparing them for the countless possibilities that life has to offer, when he isn’t exploring a new part of the world or learning a new language.
HC: Where were you born?
JO: I was born in a little town called Malacca. I don’t know if people know where Malacca is, but it’s a strait between Malaysia and Indonesia. I was brought up in a little town, an interesting town in this way: when the Europeans came to the east, they were looking for the spice trade. Malacca in the fifteenth century was a big port, where the Europeans would stop. In fact, it was a Portuguese colony, and a Dutch colony, and then a British colony (laughs), before independence and all that. So, it’s a really interesting town because there is a lot of this mix of culture. In fact, to this day, there are descendants of the Portuguese people who speak a kind of local Portuguese and the mix of food and culture is really interesting there. It was like a huge center, if you will.
Her Campus (HC): Where did you go to school?
Dr. Ong (JO): I went to school first in Malaysia, actually. I studied electrical engineering there. I got an electrical engineering degree and then worked for IBM for a couple of years. It was not enough, I guess. I wanted to have life of the mind so I moved to the United States, because it’s a country where everything is advanced, so on and so forth. I came first to Kansas to study electrical engineering, and I did that for a while, but then I got interested in mathematics. I ended up at the University of Virginia and got my doctorate in math.
HC: How old were you when you first came to America?
JO: I was about 25, I think.
HC: How long have you been teaching at Mary Baldwin College?
JO: I’ve been teaching here for 25 years.
HC: How did you decide to teach at Mary Baldwin?
JO: Truth be told, I met my partner and he’s around here. Mary Baldwin is a good place to work, I mean I love the school. You fall in love with the school. You first come here and you think, “Well, I don’t know if I want to be with this institution,” but you fall in love with the place. I love the students and I love the people I’ve met, particularly the students. It’s wonderful to see them grow from freshman year to final year. When they come in, they’re full of wonder about what can happen, and you can see it happening. I love it (Laughs).
HC: Which courses have you taught here?
JO: I have to say I’ve taught every course in the curriculum in mathematics.
HC: Which was your favorite?
JO: I don’t know if I have a favorite. For me, it’s more the students that make up a class. I mean, if you have a group of students that are excited and want to learn, it makes the course, doesn’t matter which course, enjoyable. It’s how you interact with the students; what they bring into the course, you know, what they contribute, that makes a course interesting. The subject matter, I don’t know. If you love life of the mind, everything is interesting.
HC: Do you have a favorite memory of teaching at Mary Baldwin?
JO: Because I’ve taught here long enough, it’s been wonderful to hear how successful our graduates are. That’s been really wonderful. When they first come in, you go, “I wonder what’s going to happen to them,” you know. Then, you see them 20 years later, and it’s amazing. And the school is evolving, which I love.
HC: So what would you say to someone who felt like math was too hard?
JO: I always tell students to follow their passion, and I don’t mean that in a cliché-ish way. Whatever profession you do, you’re going to be working it eight hours a day, for the rest of your life, so you better love it. I believe if you love it, no matter how hard it is, you will become good at it. In fact, I got into math because electrical engineering was really easy for me. I liked math because I found it very hard, and I still do! (Laughs) I would tell students that just because it’s hard doesn’t mean you can’t do it. You’ve got to work at it.
HC: What value does math hold in life?
JO: People don’t know this, but math can be very creative, very elegant, very beautiful, but it does require that you study a specific kind of language, and be well-versed in that language. If you do, there are a lot of rewards. Mathematics is one of the languages that is used to describe physical reality and the world. So, to be able to do that it must have some substance in it, worth studying, if you will. I think that’s why if students enjoy my classes, it’s partly there, because I show them the possibilities of math, which are really the possibilities of life. This is important for you guys at your age, because you’re thinking, “What should I do with my life,” you know. The possibilities are really so vast and such an adventure, and in the same way math is like that. If you study math, deeply, you can see all the possibilities become an adventure, that’s just like life. And who says life is easy? It’s not, right? (Laughs).
HC: Is there anything you dislike about teaching?
JO: I don’t like grading, as much. To put that in context, when I’m grading, I’m like, “Where were they when I was saying this?” (Laughs). More than anything else, you go, “Oh my god, I thought they understood this already!” (Laughs) I would have to say that’s my least favorite part of teaching. I love interacting with students at any other level.
HC: What do you do when you’re not teaching?
JO: I love to travel, a lot. My partner and I travel a lot. I have been to all fifty states; Alaska, Hawaii, everywhere. I’ve been to Europe, been to Canada, been to Mexico, been to Asia a lot, so I love to travel. I love to read; that’s something I don’t do enough. I love music. I have been going to the High Fest a lot. My nephews all love music too, so they keep me updated on what’s going on in the 20- and 30-something world, so that’s interesting. I’m always trying new things, too. Recently I bought a piano, so now I’m learning piano, which I’ve never done before. I would love to see more drama, but I’m a little particular. When I see a bad play, it really pisses me off (laughs). I love to hike, also, so my partner and I always hike when we travel to places. So I have many interests outside here. I keep in touch with my family all over the world, as well.
HC: Do you have a favorite place to travel?
JO: It seems like I’m copping out, but I’m not really. (Laughs) We love everywhere we go. I mean, I love China, it was such a great experience, you know; Beijing and Shanghai. But, five years ago, we went to the Dakotas; badlands and Mount Rushmore. I love prairie history, so we were driving through the prairies, going to all this unknown national park land. We had the best time in the world, (laughs). I have never (knocks on wood) had a trip, where I have not enjoyed it. I find life really interesting and exciting. If you’re open to things, there’s always something to experience and engage with. So, I can’t name a special place, I loved it all.