MathPath
MathPath is a mathematics enrichment summer program for middle schoolers aged 11–14. It is four weeks long, and moves to a new location each year. MathPath is visited by world-renowned mathematicians such as John Conway and Paul Zeitz and is the sister camp of Mathcamp.
History
MathPath was founded in 2002 by George Thomas, who had previously founded Mathcamp. His goal was to help gifted middle schoolers learn by teaching math that these students would not otherwise get the opportunity to learn.
Subjects
At MathPath, students learn about the history of math, mathematical writing, Euclidean and non-Euclidean geometry, knot theory, number theory, and other topics that often are not taught in schools. Students also have the opportunity to prepare for contests such as MathCounts, AMC, or AIME.
Although much of the day is spent learning mathematics, students regularly go on weekend day trips and visit the surrounding area's attractions.
Staff
Recurring Staff
Most of the recurring staff members have an in-camp nickname.
- George Thomas (or Dr. T), Executive Director, is the founder of the camp, as well as of the high school math program, Mathcamp.
- Alan Q. Lippert (or Mr. L) is a mathematics teacher and Mathcounts coach. He has been the Academic Director of MathPath from 2003-2005. He leads the Mathcounts classes and the daily problem-solving wrap up.
- Stephen Maurer (or Mr. M) is a Professor of Mathematics at Swarthmore College, PA and the current Academic Director of Mathpath. He is former Chair of the AMC and an expert on mathematical writing. He teaches courses on AMC competitions, problem writing, and mathematical induction.
- Sam Vandervelde (or Dr. V) is an Assistant Professor of Mathematics at St. Lawrence University, NY and Coordinator of the Mandelbrot Competition. He teaches courses on various topics such as number theory and Ford circles.
- Glen Van Brummelen (or Glen) is an expert in the history of Greek and other early mathematics. He is currently writing the first book on spherical trigonometry in over 100 years.
- Thomas Drucker (or Coach D) is a professor of mathematics at the University of Wisconsin and the editor of Perspectives of the History of Mathematical Logic. He is an expert on the history of mathematics from the 1600s to modern times.
- Kip Sumner (or Kip) is the Camp Director and is in charge of student life.
Part-Time Staff
A guest speaker usually attends MathPath for a week instead of the 2–4 weeks that the above staff usually attend.
- Jennifer Beineke is an Associate Professor of Mathematics, Western New England College, MA is a specialist in analytic number theory.
- Vladimir Chernov is an Associate Professor of Mathematics, Dartmouth College, NH. His research is in knot and link theory, virtual knots, Lorentzian geometry, and contact and symplectic topology.
- John Horton Conway is the inventor of Surreal numbers and Conway's Game of Life, among other things.
- Jeff Dinitz is a Professor of Mathematics,University of Vermont, Burlington. VT. He is an expert in combinatorial design.
- Robin Hartshorne is an Emeritus Professor of Mathematics at UC Berkeley and author of Projective Geometry (1967), Algebraic Geometry (1977), and Geometry: Euclid and Beyond (2000).
- Francis Su is a professor of mathematics, Harvey Mudd College, Claremont, CA. He teaches about problems relating to social sciences (such as fair division).
- John Voight is an Assistant Professor of Mathematics at University of Vermont, Burlington, VT. His research fields are arithmetic algebraic geometry and number theory.
Activities
Typical Weekday Schedule
- 7:45 Breakfast
- 8:45 Plenary Lecture: The History of Mathematics
- 9:45-11:00 Morning Breakout Session
- 11:00-12:00 Visiting Speaker Lecture
- 12:00 Announcements
- 12:30 Lunch
- 12:30-2:45 Free Time
- 3:00 Mini-Plenary Lecture: Mathematical Writing
- 3:30-5:00 Afternoon Breakout Session
- 5:00 Wrap-up, Announcements, Problem of the Day
- 6:00 Dinner
- 7:00 Evening Activities (soccer, basketball, etc)
- 10:00 Lights out
On weekends, students usually go on a day trip to the surrounding attractions or participate in other activities, such as biking, kayaking, or hiking. Chess, ping pong, and pool tournaments are played and organized during the students' free time.
Locations
- 2002 - Black Hills State University, Spearfish, SD
- 2003 - Black Hills State University, Spearfish, SD
- 2004 - Roger Williams University, Bristol, RI
- 2005 - Colorado College, Colorado Springs, CO
- 2006 - University of California, Santa Cruz, CA
- 2007 - Colorado College, Colorado Springs, CO
- 2008 - The University of Vermont at Burlington
- 2009 - Colorado College, Colorado Springs, CO
References
- "Local student among 100 selected to attend math camp". Sun-Herald. 06/10/2007. Retrieved 2008-07-23.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help); Cite has empty unknown parameter:|coauthors=(help) - "Dear Mom and Dad:Please Send Cookies And a New Calculator" (PDF). Wall Street Journal. 2006-07-29. Retrieved 2008-07-23.
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