Katharine Shultis, Ph.D.

Associate Professor of Mathematics

My doctoral dissertation is in commutative algebra, but I have broad mathematical interests. In the past several years, I've also worked on research projects in graph theory, combinatorics, mathematical games, topology, and voting theory. I most enjoy...

Dr. Katharine Shultis

Contact Information

  • Office Hours Fall 2024

    Mon: 9-11 a.m., 3:15-4:15 p.m. Bollier 223

    Tue: 12:30-1:30 p.m. Bollier 223

    Fri: 11-12 p.m. MLC Bollier 218

    Or by appointment.(please email me after looking at my schedule at )


  • (509) 313-3909

Education & Curriculum Vitae

Ph.D., Mathematics, University of Nebraska-Lincoln

M.A., Mathematics, University of California, San Diego

B.A., Mathematics and Chemistry, Scripps College

Courses Taught

MATH 103: Excursions in Mathematics 

MATH 121: Introductory Statistics

MATH 147: Precalculus

MATH 157: Calculus-Analytic Geometry I

MATH 258: Calculus-Analytic Geometry II

MATH 259: Calculus-Analytic Geometry III

MATH 260: Ordinary Differential Equations

MATH 301: Fundamentals of Mathematics

MATH 321: Statistics for Experimentalists

MATH 339: Linear Algebra

MATH 365: Mathematics Seminar

MATH 437: Abstract Algebra I

MATH 438: Abstract Algebra II

MATH 499: Comprehensive


My doctoral dissertation is in commutative algebra, but I have broad mathematical interests. In the past several years, I've also worked on research projects in graph theory, combinatorics, mathematical games, topology, and voting theory. I most enjoy projects that I can work on with students. In some of my past lives, I was a gymnast and a chemist. Someday, I would like to partner with chemistry faculty on projects in the nontrivial intersection between chemistry and mathematics. My goal in the classroom is to have students doing mathematics in class, instead of watching me do mathematics. This means I use inquiry-based learning strategies in a variety of ways in my classrooms.

I. Asplund-Wain, G. Dojan, C. Griffin, K. Ikard, S. Kniahnitskaya, A. Mallott, B. Nored, K. Shultis, C. Stainsby, H. Whitlatch. Total Roman Domination of Kneser Graphs. In progress.
N. Hari, M. Orrison, K. Shultis, J. Sorrells. Quadratic Voting. In progress.

S. Kniahnitskaya, O. Ramirez, M. Ortiz, K. Shultis, H. Whitlatch. Counting Power Domination Sets in Complete m−ary Trees. Theory and Applications of Graphs, 10(1), 2023.
T. DeGiovanni, J. Lutz, K. Shultis. Economical Dissections. Recreational Mathematics Magazine, Vol. 10, 2023.

K. Shultis. What Counts as Math Research? Council on Undergraduate Research, Mathematics, Computer Science, and Statistics Blog, 2022.

K. Shultis, P. Thompson. Reducibility of parameter ideals in low powers of the maximal ideal, Commutative Algebra, Contemporary Mathematics, vol. 773, Amer. Math. Soc., Providence, RI, 2021, pp. 181-193.

V. Coufal, K. Shultis. Integration Techniques. The Journal of Inquiry Based Learning in Mathematics, No. 2, 2021.

K. Shultis. Systems of parameters and the Cohen Macaulay property. J. Commut. Algebra, 10(1):139-151, 2018.

Y. Tian, M. Kayatta, K. Shultis, A. Gonzalez, L. J. Mueller, M. E. Hatcher. 31P NMR Investigation of Backbone Dynamics in DNA Binding Sites. The Journal of Physical Chemistry B 113 (2009), no. 9, 2596-2603, DOI 10.1021/jp711203m.

K. Shultis, Systems of parameters and the Cohen-Macaulay property. (accepted to the Journal of Commutative Algebra)

Ye Tian, Michael Kayatta, Katharine Shultis, Alejandro Gonzalez, Leonard J. Mueller, Mary E. Hatcher, 31P NMR Investigation of Backbone Dynamics in DNA Binding Sites. The Journal of Physical Chemistry B 113 (2009), no. 9, 2596-2603, DOI 10.1021/jp711203m.