Katharine A. Ott
Professor of Mathematics
Associations
Mathematics Department Chair
Hathorn Hall, Room 214
About
Katharine Ott joined Bates College in 2014. She graduated from Middlebury College in 2003 and completed her Ph.D. in mathematics at the University of Virginia in 2008. Katy spent three years as an NSF Postdoctoral Fellow and an additional three years as an Assistant Professor at the University of Kentucky before returning to Maine (she grew up in Cumberland, ME).
Katy’s research interests lie in the area of intersection of Harmonic Analysis and Partial Differential Equations. She is also engaged in promoting mathematics to a diverse audience through writing aimed at the general public and outreach activities.
At Bates, Katy teaches courses across the math curriculum including Calculus, Linear Algebra, Real Analysis, Mathematics for Social Justice, and senior seminars on Mathematical Exposition and Series.
Expertise
Current Courses
Fall Semester 2025
Differential Equations
A differential equation is a relationship between a function and its derivatives. Many real-world situations can be modeled using these relationships. This course is a blend of the mathematical theory behind differential equations and their applications. The emphasis is on first- and second-order li…
Mathematics for Social Justice
This course teaches quantitative literacy, critical thinking and problem solving skills in a socially relevant context. Students use mathematics as a powerful analytic framework for understanding and developing realistic solutions to issues of social, political, and economic justice. The overarching…
Senior Thesis
Prior to entrance into MATH 457, students must submit a proposal for the work they intend to undertake toward completion of a thesis. Open to all majors upon approval of the proposal. Required of candidates for honors. Students register for MATH 457 in the fall semester.