Statistics professor pays it forward

Alumnus returns to CSUB, inspiring a new generation of grads

By California State University, Bakersfield

August 3^rd, 2021

Buttonwillow is a small, rural community 26 miles west of Bakersfield. It’s where Dr. Eduardo Montoya, statistics professor at California State University, Bakersfield, grew up.

“I was 12 when I started working summers at Buttonwillow Land and Cattle Company, where my dad works,” he said. “They were a big help … I irrigated crops and other things of that nature. It was my summer job until I was a sophomore at CSUB.”

The fields were hot and his days were spent irrigating cotton, Dr. Montoya said, “but it was good. I had a chance to work. It gives you perspective on things.”

It also helped him save money for college — and Dr. Montoya was the first in his family to pursue higher education.

“All of us should have a chance of living a better life, owning a house and sending our children to college,” said John Tracy, a partner at Buttonwillow Land and Cattle Company. “We are very proud of our employees who have been able to live this dream. A good education is a big part of the dream.”

Dr. Montoya was like many CSUB students. A first-generation student from a rural community who commuted to school. His supportive parents, the work ethic he learned at Buttonwillow Land and Cattle Company, and school resources helped him overcome barriers. The Mathematics Engineering Science Achievement (MESA) Schools Program, which helps increase diversity in the STEM workforce, along with the Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (LSAMP), provided him with tools to succeed.

In addition, he remembers faculty who supported him as an undergraduate student. A philosophy lecturer, Dr. Jeffrey Paris, made him feel like he “belonged there.” Dr. Joe Fielder was a math professor who recognized his high GPA and asked him if he’d ever consider graduate school.

“Eduardo Montoya is among the most diligent and talented young men I have had as a student here at CSU Bakersfield,” Dr. Fielder said. “He has great curiosity, and a desire to learn and to teach those around him.”

After taking coursework in engineering and political science, Dr. Montoya found his path as a mathematics major.

“In my senior year, I took some more statistics courses and I really liked them, so much so that I wanted to learn more about this area, and do more with it for my degree,” Dr. Montoya said.

First-gen grad goes to grad school

When Dr. Montoya got accepted into a number of graduate schools — Oregon State, Colorado State and UC Santa Barbara — Dr. Fielder encouraged him to visit the campuses before making a decision.

He received a fellowship from UC Santa Barbara and enjoyed the supportive environment. For the next few years, he worked toward a Ph.D. in statistics and applied probability.

Dr. Montoya’s father — also named Eduardo Montoya — still recalls the days when he worked at Buttonwillow Land and Cattle Company with his son. He said words cannot describe the pride he feels for how far his son has come.

“He’s a hardworking man. The biggest thing that impacted me was that he went all the way to get his Ph.D. I don’t have words to express what that meant to me,” Dr. Montoya’s father said. “We came from a really poor family in Mexico. He was the first in our entire extended family — both sides of the family — to do that.”

Returning home

Upon graduation, Dr. Montoya returned to the place where he started his academic journey — he accepted a position as faculty at CSUB. And in much the same way that Dr. Fielder mentored him, Dr. Montoya became a mentor to other students.

Dr. Vianey Leos Barajas was a student of Dr. Montoya’s at CSUB before she pursued her Ph.D. Dr. Montoya was her undergraduate research adviser.

“I think what I loved the best about working with Dr. Montoya is that I'm also Mexican,” she said. “And so having a research adviser who was also Mexican, who I could see as a professor, it made him sort of a role model. He really invested in the students, invested in me, he took time to explain things, and it was really encouraging.”

Now, Dr. Leos Barajas is an assistant professor at University of Toronto, where she mentors a new generation of students.

Dr. Nehemias Ulloa was also one of Dr. Montoya’s students. After graduating from CSUB, Dr. Ulloa earned his Ph.D. and now works as a statistician with the United States Department of Agriculture.

“I'm the first in my family to go away for school (bachelor’s or graduate),” Dr. Ulloa said. “I was definitely out of my comfort zone, but Dr. Montoya was great at helping me think through difficulties that could arise that I hadn't thought about … I felt we moved beyond that teacher/student relationship to more of a friendship. That was a big deal for me; making me feel like a peer was a big honor.”

A 50-year old university

Dr. Montoya sees himself in many of his students. He remembers what it was like to be too shy to ask professors questions, or confused about navigating college life.

“I get it. I have students who will not ask questions or make use of office hours, even though I know they're struggling with certain things, but I can relate to why they hesitate to do so,” Dr. Montoya said. “So what I try to do is encourage them to go to office hours or maybe I'll bring up a question that I know they're struggling with, but they're not asking. I was in their position once, so I can relate, and because of my own experiences, I know what is possible for their future.”

His advice for first-generation college students is simple: don’t get discouraged.

“Take a chance on yourself,” he said. “If I see the potential in you, other faculty members see the potential in you, that means you have the potential. We believe you do.”

In addition to mentoring students, Dr. Montoya is the director of CSUB’s Center for Research Excellence in Science and Technology (CREST). Through that initiative, he works with faculty from other disciplines to conduct research related to environmental statistics. He primarily studies water resources, specifically dealing with the snowpack in the Sierra Nevada. Such research is of interest to the region he grew up in.

CSUB is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. With that milestone in mind, Dr. Montoya reflected on his time here both as an undergraduate and faculty member.

“I was an undergrad here, and it’s been amazing to see how the campus has grown and transformed through these years into the university it is today. And being able to contribute to that by involving students in my research, mentoring students and having the opportunity to teach students, many of whom remind me of myself at their age, is my way to try to give back to the campus in some way … I'm thankful that CSUB was here for me.”