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MathPath 2025 - Week 3

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  Another week, another round of breakouts! As we approach the MathPath weekend we say goodbye to another round of faculty and hope they’ll join us again next year! Students enjoyed learning about knot theory with Prof Cahn, continued exploring hyperbolic geometry with Mr. C, and got in tune with their artistic sides during Math and Music with Silas.  Examining different kinds of knots Leaving us this week are Dr. Asia, Iliana, Dr. Vega, and Prof Cahn - while we’ll be sad to see them go, they left us with some wonderful words of advice! Iliana inspired us to keep being courageous in problem solving and flexible in asking questions, while Dr. Vega expressed the importance of knowing yourself, your strengths, and your passions in order to become the fullest version of yourself. All four faculty members have been invaluable participants in the MathPath community and culture, and we wish them safe travels when they go! Some parting words from our faculty! It’s impossible to keep M...
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MathPath 2025 - Week 2

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  MathPath 2025 is flying by! This week students experienced a second round of breakouts. Some spent their mornings exploring math and visual spaces with Dr. Asia in Origami or Dr. Peterson in The Structure of Symmetries . Others explored Frobenius Numbers with Dr. Van Cott or played Lights Out with Dr. Clark.  Trying some intricate folds in Origami Afternoon breakouts were just as exciting, sending students to outer space for Interplanetary Twister with Dr. Kent or into non-Euclidean spaces for Hyperbolic Geometry I with Dr. Peterson. And the fun didn’t stop there! Students played Combinatorial Games with Prof Polanco and tested their sleight of hand learning card tricks in Mathemagic with Dr. Van Cott.  Dr. Kent and some students in Interplanetary Twister Our second week brought a new round of visiting speakers who delivered our guest plenaries! First up was Dr. Stephen Wolfram, who not only spoke to the entire camp, but stayed for afternoon activities to keep talking ...
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MathPath 2025 - 1st Weekend Adventures

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  This past Sunday and Monday, our MathPathers went on their first round of field trips! We kicked the weekend off with small group trips such as a hike up South Sugarloaf trail, visits to the Dr. Seuss and Springfield museums, as well as the Basketball Hall of Fame!  Trips to the Basketball Hall of Fame, the Dr. Seuss Museum, and the South Sugarloaf Hike! About one third of the students went on a not-so-small group trip to Spare Time! They spent the day honing their bowling skills, visiting the arcade, and of course, drinking lots of lemonade. Other groups spent their day outside at Look Park and Sturbridge Village, getting some fresh air and enjoying the sunshine of western Mass.  SpareTime Bowling and a train ride at Look Park! On Monday we took our first full camp trip to Yankee Candle Village and Groff Park in Amherst, Massachusetts! Students were able to dip their own candles and explore the flagship store which had much more to offer beyond candles such as a toy st...
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MathPath 2025 - A Bright Beginning

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       MathPath 2025 is underway! On June 29th we welcomed over 100 students back to Mount Holyoke’s campus for another summer of learning, community, and fun. Though we all came to MathPath via different routes, everyone was excited to begin the month. Students met their counselor groups, began making new friends at lunch and dinner, and enjoyed some ice breaker activities before heading off to bed to be well rested for their first full day at MathPath! Student Life Director Dr. Vega, Counselor Troy, and some of his counselor group! On Monday, after a filling breakfast, students gathered in Hooker Auditorium for the opening remarks from Executive Director Lara Pudwell (Prof. Pudwell) and were introduced to the faculty and staff by Camp Director April Verser (April) and Academic Director Matt Delong (Prof. D). After a quick stretch break, students experienced their first visiting plenary from Dr. Sam Vandervelde (Dr. V) about what it means to be “above average” in di...
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MathPath 2024, Week three in KC

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As MathPath continues, it’s inspiring to witness the bonds forming among our students. This week was a perfect blend of intense learning and engaging activities. Our breakout sessions continued to offer a variety of enriching options this week. MathPath first-timer Dr. Dylon Chow from the University of Washington taught Projective Geometry , a type of geometry discovered through the development of perspective drawing in art. Dr. David McCune, a local professor at William Jewell College, taught Apportionment and Voting . In this breakout, students analyzed real election data and considered alternative results under different voting systems such as plurality, instant-runoff voting, and the Borda Count. Dr. McCune and students analyze a U.S. House race in Alaska Maths and Crafts The plenaries were equally thought-provoking. Senior staff assistant and PhD student at UIUC Maddy Ritter gave an insightful talk on "Free groups and the Hanna Neumann Conjecture." She introduced MathPat...
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MathPath 2024, Midway in the midwest

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It's hard to believe that we're already halfway through our time together at MathPath 2024! It's incredible the familiarity that's achieved in such a short time when everyone is able to spend time, overcome problems, and have fun together. Lasting friendships are forming, and students are settled into camp life. Many packages of mail have been tossed and received, adults have been educated in this years’ slang terminology, and the yearly bout of students vs staff basketball was settled. Dr. Asia preparing to perform matrix transformations with her Linear Algebra class We continued with a wonderful series of plenaries this week. Glen brought us along on the journey through the early history of mathematics and astronomical trigonometry, showing clever ways in which ancient mathematicians came to astounding conclusions. With his departure this weekend, the history plenaries will be given by Dr. Deborah Kent (Dr. Kent), who we are excited to welcome for her sixth year with ...
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MathPath 2024, Week one, Done

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Week one of MathPath 2024 is officially on the books! Many friendships and memories have already been made and the month isn't even halfway over. A sense of fun, mathematical intrigue, and community has spread through the camp and makes us all the more excited to continue to get to know each other, tackle problems, and play games with one another. We've enjoyed some beautiful refrains, such as “O Canada,” to celebrate Canada Day, and one group’s rendition of “You Are My Sunshine,” to serenade their counselor. Students delve deep into the math behind the game Set, a MathPath staple Our visiting plenaries continued with Dr. Sam Vandervelde (Dr.V). His presentations included graphing groups on a projective plane, and King Alephonso's infinite advisors discerning infinitely many sequences to solve the King's puzzle. Executive Director Lara Pudwell (Prof Pudwell) enlightened us about plentiful patterns in permutations, and Academic Director Matthew DeLong (Prof D) began his ...
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