Mathematics professor Angie Su of Boca Raton can see examples of math almost anywhere, such as with this design at Town Center mall. To give one example, she says butterfly wings are a textbook case of bilateral symmetry: If you draw a line down the body, the left and right sides are near mirror images. Artists would use this principle in designing masks and logos, for example. Tim Stepien/The Coastal Star
Hui Fang Huang “Angie” Su is all about math.
A professor and lead faculty of mathematics education in Nova Southeastern University’s Fischler College of Education and School of Criminal Justice, she’s a teacher, program creator and community advocate. Math often plays a central role in all she does.
Math isn’t a gatekeeper. It’s a toolkit for living — embedded in snacks and songs, workouts and walks, family budgets and bedtime puzzles, said Su, who lives in eastern Boca Raton.
“Whether you’re counting beats in Zumba, estimating a grocery bill, or puzzling out a snack mix, you’re practicing attention, patterning and decision-making. And those are precisely the skills that help us stay sharp, joyful and ready for whatever comes next.”
It’s also a mental workout, she said. “Holding the steps of a problem in your head exercises working memory. Planning an approach, resisting the urge to guess and checking a result builds executive function.
“Looking for structure — like noticing that 25 × 16 equals 100 × 4 — develops flexible thinking,” she said. “Estimating first and computing second sharpens judgment and error monitoring.”
When Su is not working, she is working out. Aiming for 30,000 steps a day, she starts her day with a walk with her husband, which energizes her.
“I feel so good from the walk, I just sit down in front of my computer for a meeting or teaching, and in between, if there are classes at the gym that appeal to me, I’ll go to as many as possible. That’s my break. My high is my workout. It’s what I do to get my brain refreshed.”
She enjoys body work, step aerobics, kick-boxing, yoga and Zumba.
Even her time at the gym has math components. Take Zumba, for example, which she said may not seem like math, but relies on rhythm, counting and patterns.
“Most routines are built on eight-counts in 4/4 time; at 120 beats per minute, that’s two beats per second, so an eight-count lasts four seconds and a 32-count phrase lasts 16. Change the order of steps and you’ve created a new permutation; mirror a move across the room and you’ve used symmetry. Even work–rest intervals — say, 40 seconds on and 20 off — are ratios.
“Trackers add data, letting dancers compare heart-rate zones or average steps per song. When students design a 32-count combo and time it, they’re quietly engaging in math: measuring, modeling and creating music with numbers.”
Exercise, along with being efficient and adopting the motto she credits to her sister, “I choose to be happy,” are all parts of a winning equation that works for her.
“Being cheerful and getting my things done gives me lots of energy. People say to me, ‘Can I have some of that?’”
Her proudest accomplishments, she says, are her four children: Julius, Jonathan, Judith and Jessica. All have earned Ph.D.s from prestigious U.S. universities.
“I think I live a very blessed life,” she said.
— Christine Davis
Q. Where did you grow up and go to school? How has that influenced you?
A. Washington, D.C., and Queens, New York, and I attended elementary through college in New York. Big-city life taught me to be alert and resilient, while also savoring museums, libraries and cultural events — experiences that fueled my passion for teaching and learning.
Q. What professions have you worked in? What professional accomplishments are you most proud of?
A. I’m a teacher, professor, program creator and community advocate. I’m proud to have created the award-winning Project MIND — Math Is Not Difficult; to have a neighborhood schoolhouse (a K-12 charter school in Plantation) named in my honor; to be one of only two U.S. honorees in Guinness World Records’ “Positive Change Makers in the World” (2023); to be named among the Heroes and Champions of Florida’s charter school movement; to have served on, then chaired, Florida’s State Council on Homelessness; and to have delivered keynotes at Cambridge and Oxford.
Q. What advice do you have for a young person selecting a career today?
A. Work hard, find a mentor who will also be your champion, and say yes to stretch opportunities. Curiosity and consistency beat perfection.
Q. How did you choose to make your home in eastern Boca Raton?
A. My husband, Dr. Tsung-Chow “Joe” Su, joined the faculty at FAU, and we moved from College Station, Texas. We were fortunate to find a home in a safe, welcoming neighborhood.
Q. What is your favorite part about living in eastern Boca Raton?
A. The beaches, parks and natural beauty — plus many places to enjoy without an admission fee. People are friendly, relaxed and genuinely happy to be here.
Q. What book are you reading now?
A. I just started Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid and recently read Flashlight by Susan Choi.
Q. What music do you listen to when you need inspiration? When you want to relax?
A. Latin music energizes me. For a quick smile, I’ll even ask Alexa to play If You’re Happy and You Know It. To unwind, I like quiet instrumentals.
Q. Do you have a favorite quote that inspires your decisions?
A. “I choose to be happy.” I’m quoting my sister, Dr. Hui-Li Huang. She never lets anything bother her. When I’m a little bit unhappy, I choose her words, and they negate everything that’s happening. As a medical doctor, she has lots of words of wisdom.
Q. Have you had mentors who inspired your life decisions?
A. Harold Toppel of the Toppel Family Foundation encouraged me to keep developing my teaching talents and provided crucial support. My parents, Dr. Bau-Duan Huang and Chia-Mei Wu, have also been steadfast mentors and cheerleaders.
Q. If your life story were made into a movie, who would play you?
A. Malaysian actress Michelle Yeoh — for her grace, grit and ability to bridge cultures while leading with heart.
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