MathPath

MathPath is a mathematics enrichment summer program for students ages 11–14 (middle school age in the US). It is four weeks long, and moves to a different location each year. MathPath is visited by world-renowned mathematicians such as John H. Conway and Francis Su 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 inspire and advance the most mathematically gifted middle school age students, through a summer camp.

More information

Subjects

At MathPath, students learn about many math topics that are rarely taught in schools, such as Euclidean and non-Euclidean geometry, number theory, induction, spherical trigonometry, mathematical origami, and the mathematics of card shuffling. They also learn some history of math and work on mathematical writing. As well, students have the opportunity to prepare for contests such as MATHCOUNTS, AMC, or AIME.

Although much of the day is spent learning mathematics, there is deliberately more free time than at high school math camps. Also, students regularly go on weekend day trips and visit the surrounding area's attractions.

Staff

Regular Staff

Regular staff are those who come almost every year. Usually they come for 2–4 weeks, but a few come for only one week. Most of the regular staff members have an in-camp nickname.

• Silva Chang (Ms C), University of Colorado at Boulder. As director of the Colorado Math Circle, coach of the Colorado ARML Team, and five-time coach of the Colorado MATHCOUNTS Team, Ms. Chang has mentored and taught MOSP attendees, USAMO qualifiers, and state MATHCOUNTS champions. At MathPath Ms Chang has taught two very popular courses, mathematical origami and Mathematica.

• John Horton Conway (or Conway) is the inventor of Surreal numbers and Conway's Game of Life, among other things. A profesor at Princeton, he comes to MathPath for one week each year.
• 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 17th century to modern times.
• Alan Q. Lippert (or Mr. L) is a retired mathematics teacher and MATHCOUNTS coach. He was the Academic Director of MathPath in 2003–2005. He leads the MATHCOUNTS and AMC8 classes and does the Problem of the Day.

• Stephen B. Maurer (or Mr. M) is a Professor of Mathematics at Swarthmore College, PA and the Academic Director of MathPath. He is former Chair of the AMC and an expert on mathematical writing. At MathPath he teaches courses on mathematical induction, combinatorics, "Linear Set Geometry", and sometimes AMC competitions. He also runs sessions where anonymous student solutions to the Qualifying Test are used to discuss mathematical writing.

• Jonathan Rogness, University of Minnesota, is well known for his beautiful mathematical visualizations, including an award-winning video, Möbius Transformations Revealed, which went viral online and has been viewed by nearly two million people. At MathPath he has taught cryptology and the Shape of Space.

• Francis Su (or Prof Su) is a professor of mathematics at Harvey Mudd College, Claremont, CA. He teaches about problems relating to probability, shuffling (card tricks!) and social sciences (such as fair division). He typically comes for the first or last week.

• Kip Sumner (or Kip) is the Camp Director and is in charge of student life and activities, as well as some years being camp champion in doubles pickleball and doubles pool.
• George Thomas (or Dr. T), Executive Director, is the founder of the camp, as well as of the high school math program, Mathcamp. He teaches courses in Analytic Geometry and Non-Euclidean Geometry.
• 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, usually different ones each year, such as number theory, problem writing, and Ford circles.
• Glen Van Brummelen (or Glen) is an expert in the history of Greek and other early mathematics. In 2009 he published a book on the history of trigonometry, and he is working on the first book on spherical trigonometry in over 100 years.

Visiting Staff

Visiting staff are participants for one year or occasional years. Usually they attend for one week, or for a day or two to give a few lectures. Often they are faculty at the host institution or nearby institutions. A sampling of guest staff from recent years:

• Gene Abrams is a Professor of Mathematics at the University of Colorado, Colorado Springs, Colorado. His research interests include Leavitt path algebras and noncommutative rings.
• Jennifer Beineke is an Associate Professor of Mathematics, Western New England College, MA is a specialist in analytic number theory.

• Owen Byer, Professor of Mathematics, Eastern Mennonite University, Harrisonburg VA, is an expert in discrete math and geometry, co-authoring the book Methods for Euclidean Geometry. At MathPath he has taught breakouts in Affine Geometry and Probability.

• 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).

• Isil Nal, Harmony School of Excellence, Houston TX, and coach of the 2011 Texas State MATHCOUNTS team that placed 3rd at nationals. At the Harmony School Ms Nal has taught National MATHCOUNTS participants, USA(J)MO qualifiers and MOSP attendees. At MathPath she teachers AMC12, AIME and USAMO courses.

• Amelia Taylor is an Assistant Professor of Mathematics at Colorado College, Colorado Springs, Colorado. She lectures on combinatorics, group theory, and the game Set

• John Watkins, Professor Emeritus of Mathematics, Colorado College. A graph theorist who has also worked on puzzles. He teachers courses at MathPath that use board puzzles, Sudoku and KenKen to teach mathematics, for instance, using material from his book Across the Board: The Mathematics of Chessboard Problems.

• Paul Zeitz is a Professor of Mathematics at the University of San Francisco. He is the author of The Art and Craft of Problem Solving. At MathPath he has taught such courses as problem solving, combinatorics, and solving the Rubik's Cube.

The MathPath Faculty Webpage for 2011

Activities

Typical weekday schedule

• 6:00am Optional activities for early risers: math, jogging, table tennis, etc.
• 7:30 Last wake-up call
• 8:00 Breakfast^[1]
• 8:45 Plenary Lecture: The History of Mathematics
• 9:45–11:00 Morning Breakout Session
• 11:00–12:00 Plenary Lecture: Guest Speaker
• 12:00 Announcements
• 12:30 Lunch
• 1:00–2:45 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
• 6:30 Evening Activities (digestion/soccer, basketball, etc)
• 8:30 Students back in the dorm; math conferencing time
• 9:15 Counselor Meetings
• 9:45 Quiet time, preparing for bed
• 10:15 Bedtime! Lights out!

On Saturday, the afternoon activities are a little different.

• 2:30 Show and tell and voting for plenaries

• 3:30 Fun math activity

On weekends, students usually go on a day trip to the surrounding attractions or participate in other activities, such as biking, white water rafting, rock climbing, or hiking. Chess, ping pong, pool, Rubik's Cube and Magic: The Gathering 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
• 2010 – Macalester College, St. Paul, MN
• 2011 – Colorado College, Colorado Springs, CO
• 2012 – Mount Holyoke College, South Hadley, MA
• 2013 – Macalester College, St. Paul, MN
• 2014 – Colorado College, Colorado Springs, CO

References

1. ^ "A MathPath Day". MathPath. http://mathpath.org/day.htm. 

External links

• MathPath website
• Mathcamp USA website