MAA MathFest solicits and encourages engaging and inspiring sessions that may not adhere to the format or template of activities found elsewhere in the program of mathematical sessions. The lineup of such sessions for this year's meeting is as follows:

MAA Congress Meeting

Wednesday, August 5, 8:30 am - 4:00 pm, Simmons

SIGMAA EM Field Trip to the Boston Museum of Science Center for the Environment

Wednesday, August 5, 12:00 pm - 1:30 pm, (Boston Museum of Science: 1 Science Pk, Boston, MA 02114)

Join us for an engaging visit to Boston’s Museum of Science, organized by David Sittenfeld, PhD (he/him/his), Director of the Center for the Environment. The experience will include a brief presentation highlighting the Museum’s environmental initiatives and projects with mathematical connections, followed by a guided tour of select exhibits and spaces. After the tour, attendees are welcome to explore the Museum informally at their own pace.

A sign up form and additional details are available on the EM SIGMAA Website: https://sigmaa.maa.org/em/mathfest2026

Learn more about the Center for the Environment:
https://www.mos.org/centers/environment; https://www.mos.org/

Organizers:
Russ deForest, Penn State University
Amanda Beecher, Consortium for Mathematics and its Applications (COMAP)
Eric Marland, Appalachian State University

Sponsor:
SIGMAA on Environmental Mathematics (SIGMAA EM)

Networking Fair

Wednesday, August 5, 3:00 pm - 4:00 pm, Fourth Floor Ballroom Foyer

Join colleagues while meeting and engaging with representatives of mathematical partner organizations. Light refreshments will be served.

Math Jeopardy, the Student Welcome Reception, and Navigating MathFest Overview

Wednesday, August 5, 4:00 pm - 6:00 pm, Student Lounge (Arlington)

Answer: A fun undergraduate mathematics contest to lead off MAA MathFest.
Question: What is Mathematics Jeopardy?

Four teams of students will provide the questions to go with the mathematical answers in many categories. All interested students in the audience can enter their names to be chosen to play on one of the four teams of four players. There will be prizes for all the participants. Come cheer for your favorite team.

Organizers:
Ron Taylor, Berry College
Michael W. Berry, University of Tennessee, Knoxville

Sponsors: 
D.E. Shaw & Co.
Committee on Undergraduate Student Programming (CUSP)

MaPP Challenge @ MAA MathFest 2026 - A Mathematical Puzzlehunt for Everyone!

Wednesday, August 5, 5:50 pm – 6:20 pm, Salon I

WHERE IN THE WORLD IS CAMERON SAN FRANCISCO? Grab some friends and your phone, because Mathematical Puzzle Programs (MaPPmath.org) is bringing the MaPP Challenge puzzlehunt to MathFest 2026! During MaPP Challenge @ MathFest 2026, you’ll receive clues through our app, leading teams and solo players alike on a fun adventure solving themed puzzles based upon college and research-level mathematics. Reveal the puzzles’ hidden messages and you’ll track down that evasive Cameron San Francisco.

This game is intended to be played by pretty much any MathFest attendee: students and faculty alike will have fun solving puzzles and seeing their connections to mathematical ideas not usually explored in the secondary mathematics classroom! Players can join us on Wednesday, August 5, 2026 at 5:50pm for a fun kick-off that will set the stage for your adventure, or visit MaPPmath.org/mathfest26 and pick up materials at the American Institute of Mathematics' (AIM) Exhibit Hall booth to start playing on their own. Our game is designed to play at your leisure between participating in all the other great activities offered at MathFest 2026, and costs nothing to participate in.

Faculty are encouraged to visit the MaPP team in the Exhibit Hall on Thursday and Friday (ask at the AIM booth!) for a brief discussion on how they can bring the MaPP Challenge to their own communities; thanks to the Play.MaPPmath.org app, it might be one of the easiest math outreach events you’ve ever organized! And with the support of the National Science Foundation, MaPP is excited to offer start-up funding for a limited number of new campuses to run MaPP Challenge ‘27 during Spring 2027. Faculty who participate in MaPP Challenge @ MathFest 2026 will receive priority consideration for these funds, so visit MaPPmath.org/mathfest26 to get started!

Organizers:
Steven Clontz, University of South Alabama
Andrew Owens, Widener University

Sponsors:
American Institute of Mathematics
MathCommunities.org

SIGMAA-EM Sustainability and Environmental Visual Arts (SEVA) Triangle Tessellation

Wednesday, August 5, 6:30 pm - 8:30 pm, Art Display Area (Berkeley/Clarendon)
Thursday, August 6, 9:00 am - 6:00 pm, Art Display Area (Berkeley/Clarendon)
Friday, August 7, 9:00 am - 5:00 pm, Art Display Area (Berkeley/Clarendon)

The SIGMAA-EM Sustainability and Environmental Visual Arts (SEVA) Triangle Tessellation, in the MathFest 2026 Exhibit Hall, is a tessellation of triangle-shaped sustainability and environmental visual artworks. MathFest 2026 onsite participants can create and submit a SEVA triangular artwork, in person, for the SEVA display. Blank triangular forms and art materials will be available. (The SIGMAA-EM will review on-site submissions before they are added to the display.) Submissions will also be received online, through the SIGMAA-EM website, until June 1, 2025. There will be $50 prizes for the best onsite and online submissions.

Organizers:
Bronna Butler, B.A. Baroque Arts, LLC
Amanda Beecher, Consortium for Mathematics and its Applications (COMAP)
Eric Marland, Appalachian State University
Russ DeForest, Penn State University

Sponsor:
SIGMAA on Environmental Mathematics (SIGMAA EM)

Exhibition of Mathematical Art at MathFest 2026

Wednesday, August 5, 6:30 pm - 8:30 pm, Art Display Area (Berkeley/Clarendon)
Thursday, August 6, 9:00 am - 6:00 pm, Art Display Area (Berkeley/Clarendon)
Friday, August 7, 9:00 am - 5:00 pm, Art Display Area (Berkeley/Clarendon)

The Exhibition of Mathematical Art returns to MathFest in 2026 with a juried display of works created by mathematical artists from across the community. The show highlights the interplay between mathematics and creative expression through sculpture, printmaking, digital work, textiles, photography, and other media. Visitors are invited to explore pieces that reflect mathematical structure, symmetry, pattern, and innovation, presented in a gallery format within the Exhibit Hall throughout regular exhibit hours.

Organizers:
Donald Plante, University of New Hampshire
Sayonita Ghosh Hajra, California State University, Sacramento
Santosh Kandel, California State University, Sacramento
Greg Coxson, U.S. Naval Academy

Introduction to MAA MathFest

Thursday, August 6, 8:00 am - 9:00 am, Salon G

First time at MAA MathFest? Welcome! Come meet members of the MAA Community, including members of the MAA Board of Directors, MAA Congress, SIGMAA Organizers, Section Chairs.

Mathematical Modeling Challenge at MathFest Working Session

Thursday, August 6, 9:00 am - 10:00 am, Student Lounge (Arlington)

Join us in the Student Lounge for a one-hour working session to solve the Math Modeling Challenge at MathFest designed exclusively for MathFest participants. Students (or any MathFest participants) will collaborate on a unique problem, share ideas with peers and organizers, and submit solutions during this interactive session.

Organizers:
Amanda Beecher, Consortium for Mathematics and its Applications (COMAP)
Eric Marland, Appalachian State University

Undergraduate Research Experiences: A Conversation with National Research Experiences for Undergraduates Program (NREUP) Participants & Mentors

Thursday, August 6, 10:00 am - 11:00 am, Student Lounge (Arlington)

MAA has run the National Research Experiences for Undergraduates Program (NREUP) for over 20 years, engaging hundreds of undergraduate students in research in the mathematical sciences. This panel of former NREUP participants and mentors will share their NREUP experiences, student career trajectories, and advice for students and mentors considering undergraduate research opportunities.

Organizers:
Christopher Jett, Georgia State University
Gulden Karakok, University of Northern Colorado
Catherine Paolucci, Mathematical Association of America

Bingo…with a Mathematical Twist

Thursday, August 6, 2:00 pm - 3:00 pm, Student Lounge (Arlington)

Get ready to “B-1” of the lucky ones at our bingo event! Join us for some fun, laughter, and fabulous swag—because in our game, everyone leaves with a prize that’s more than just a “B-9” improvement to your MAA MathFest!

Deborah and Franklin Tepper Haimo Awards

Thursday, August 6, 3:00 pm - 4:10 pm, Salon EF

In 1991 the Mathematical Association of America instituted Awards for Distinguished College or University Teaching of Mathematics to honor college or university teachers who have been widely recognized as extraordinarily successful and whose teaching effectiveness has been shown to have had influence beyond their own institutions. In 1993 the MAA Board of Governors renamed the award to honor Deborah and Franklin Tepper Haimo. Each year at most three college or university teachers are honored with this award. Recipients of the Haimo Award receive $1,000 and a certificate of recognition; recipients must be members of the Association (teaching in the U.S. or Canada). At least one of the Award recipients must be a current Section nominee. The Section nominee may be the current recipient of the Section Award for Distinguished Teaching or a previous recipient of a Section Award for Distinguished Teaching from any Section. At most one of the Award recipients may be other than a current or past recipient of a Section Award for Distinguished Teaching.

Winners of the Deborah and Franklin Tepper Haimo Awards for Distinguished College or University Teaching will give presentations on the secrets of their success.

Being All Things To Teach Some
Karl-Dieter Crisman, Gordon College

What do you do when you find it hard to connect with students as a teacher?  While some people do seem to have an easy-flowing charisma or bearing in the classroom, I conjecture that many of us feel more as I do - that the path to good teaching is hard, full of false starts and detours on the way.  Sometimes it can feel like we are reaching no one.

My own journey has involved trying, if not all things, a large variety of mathematical and general means to connect with students and help them deepen understanding.  This talk will share some of my experiences and approaches in listening to students, having humility, and of sacrificing prerogatives.

The goal of the talk is to encourage other mathematicians who have struggled to find their place in the classroom.  Moreover, I will suggest that building better community in the mathematics world is a powerful way to help us teach (and reach) not just some, but maybe even many of our students.

What Happened to the Kids Who Loved Math
Matthew Morena, Christopher Newport University

Children love mathematics. Spend time in an elementary classroom and you will see students eager to ask questions and solve problems. Somewhere between that classroom and college, something changes. Students who once approached mathematics with curiosity begin to approach it with caution. After twelve years of teaching, I keep meeting the same student. Mathematics has stopped being something she does and become something that happens to her. What she has lost is not confidence or skill. She has lost the belief that she is someone who can do mathematics. This talk follows that student's trajectory and describes what a classroom looks like when it is designed to address that loss. The practices I draw on matter not as innovations in themselves, but as responses to a single problem. They return to students the belief that mathematics is something they can do. The talk ends where the problem begins, with a student who once believed she was not meant to do mathematics, and with what she is doing now.

My Teaching Journey: A Personal Perspective
James Sellers, University of Minnesota Duluth

For almost 40 years, I’ve been blessed to teach at the university level – at a small, private institution, a very large public university, a medium-sized state school, even a university in Austria!  I have truly enjoyed working with my students, seeing the “light bulb” turn on when they discover something new or understand a mathematical result deeply for the first time. Along the way, I’ve been influenced by numerous teachers of mathematics, and I have developed a very personal philosophy of teaching. In this brief talk, I will reflect on some of the people who have helped shape me as an educator, and along the way I will share a few thoughts from my own teaching philosophy.

Estimathon®

Thursday, August 6, 3:15 pm - 4:15 pm, Student Lounge (Arlington)

The Estimathon is a mind-bending mixture of math and trivia. Attendees will work in teams to come up with confidence intervals for 13 Fermi (estimation) problems, ranging from totally trivial to positively Putnamesque. The team with the best set of intervals will be crowned the champs!

Organizer:
Andy Niedermaier, Jane Street

Sponsors:
Jane Street
Committee on Undergraduate Student Programming (CUSP)

Introducing the National Math Talent Fund

Thursday, August 6, 5:45 pm - 6:45 pm, Salon EF

Join the MAA and the Last Mile Education Fund for a kickoff event announcing an exciting new partnership! The National Math Talent Fund will advance access, equity, and degree completion in the mathematical sciences. Featuring brief remarks from Ruthe Farmer, Founder and CEO of the Last Mile Education Fund, and MAA leadership, the session will highlight the Fund’s mission, goals, and alignment with the MAA community, with participation from leading philanthropic partners including Griffin Catalyst/Citadel.

Sponsors:
Last Mile Education Fund
MAA Committee on Student Concerns
Griffin Catalyst
Citadel | Citadel Securities

Celebration of Michael Pearson's Leadership

Thursday, August 6, 8:00 pm - 9:00 pm, (Studio 50 at the Prudential Center: 800 Boylston St, Boston, MA 02199)

Join us for an exclusive evening celebrating the remarkable career of MAA Executive Director Michael Pearson. We'll gather at Studio 50 at the Prudential Center in Boston, an indoor rooftop venue featuring panoramic views of the Boston skyline and a setting that truly matches the occasion.

As many of you know, Michael will be retiring after more than a decade leading the MAA through tremendous growth and success. With over 40 years of dedication to the MAA's mission and its members, his impact on the mathematical community is truly extraordinary.

We hope you'll raise a glass and toast to Michael's next chapter.

INTEGRATE Math Enrichment Expo: Hands-On Exploration of Games, Activities, and Problem Sets for K–12 Educators

Friday, August 7, 11:00 am - 12:00 pm, Student Lounge (Arlington)

Come learn about MAA INTEGRATE and experience an interactive Math Enrichment Expo featuring hands-on games, activities, and problem sets for K–12 enrichment programs such as after-school math clubs. Attendees can rotate through interactive stations featuring strategic games, exploratory activities, and rich problem sets designed to foster curiosity, collaboration, and creative mathematical thinking. Attendees can also meet and learn from educators who lead successful middle school enrichment programs. They will share practical strategies, lessons learned, and ideas for strengthening math enrichment offerings in a variety of settings.

The session is designed to be highly interactive, providing time for exploration, discussion, and informal networking with colleagues interested in expanding access to meaningful mathematical engagement. Whether you are starting a new math enrichment program, enhancing an existing program, or seeking new ideas for enrichment, this session offers concrete tools, inspiration, and community connections to support your work.

Organizers:
Shelby Aaberg, Scottsbluff High School
Elizabeth Arnold, Montana State University
Sandra Drozd, Metropolitan Expeditionary Learning School
Genesis Grullon, The Young Women’s Leadership School of Manhattan
William Hawkins, Lower Merion High School
Joshua Hiller, Adelphi University
Arah Lewis, The Eagle Academy for Young Men Bronx
Elizabeth Ramirez, Ortiz Middle School
Alpha Recio, The Young People’s Project (YPP)
Ellen Ryder, The Young Women’s Leadership School of Manhattan

MAA Prizes and Awards Session

Friday, August 7, 11:00 am - 12:30 pm, Salon EF

Please come see the full recognition of this year's Prize Recipients! This year’s Prizes and Awards Session will include recognition of MAA journal editors. The session is organized by MAA Secretary Cynthia Wyels, California State University Chanel Islands, and is moderated by MAA President Jenna Carpenter, Campbell University.

History of Mathematics Trivia Contest

Friday, August 7, 3:30 pm - 4:30 pm, Student Lounge (Arlington)

In this event, timed to last one hour, participants are placed in teams of 5-6 persons and compete as a team to answer a set of trivia questions (approximately 20). The team with the highest score at the end wins, and prizes are awarded for first, second, and third place. Questions come from the general history of mathematics, but we make an effort each year to feature some questions specifically about that year's MathFest location. We actively encourage undergraduates to attend this event as it serves as both a mathematical session and a social event. Anyone can attend, however, and since participants are assigned to teams at the start of the event, there is no need to form a team in advance. This is a great way to meet other attendees who are interested in the history of mathematics.

Organizers:
Abe Edwards, Michigan State University
Ximena Catepillan, Millersville University
Thomas Drucker, University of Wisconsin - Whitewater
Eugene Bowman, Penn State University - Harrisburg

Sponsors:
Committee on Undergraduate Student Programming (CUSP)
SIGMAA on the History of Mathematics (SIGMAA HOM)

Section Officers Meeting

Friday, August 7, 4:30 pm - 6:00 pm, Provincetown

This session is moderated by Judith Covington, Northwestern State University of Louisiana, Chair of the MAA Council on Sections. It is open to all section officers and their guests.

Alder Award Session

Friday, August 7, 4:30 pm - 5:45 pm, Salon EF

The MAA established the Henry L. Alder Award for Distinguished Teaching by a Beginning College or University Mathematics Faculty Member to honor beginning college or university faculty members whose teaching has been extraordinarily successful and whose effectiveness in teaching undergraduate mathematics is shown to have influence beyond their own classrooms. Each year, at most three college or university teachers are honored with this national award.  The awardees are invited to make a presentation in this session.  The session is moderated by MAA President Jenna Carpenter, Campbell University.

Joy in the Struggle
Claudio Gomez-Gonzales, Carleton College

This is a strange time to be a mathematician! Our discipline currently faces widespread reconfiguration, accelerated by automation and threatened by sweeping changes that challenge our fundamental infrastructure. At the individual level, and yet somehow at the societal scale, nearly everyone has a memory of a time when doing mathematics made them feel worthless. As instructors, we hope to share with our students some of the reparative joy we have found through our own practice, and to collectively make meaning of sustainable mathematical futures. In this talk, I will show how I strive to facilitate classrooms and nurture communities where students can find mathematical joy in changing times. I hope that they can relish in beautiful frameworks and grow through productive struggles, but also that they might come to realize that they are part of a living branch of study shaped by material conditions and human needs.

From Outlier to Teacher-Scholar-Mentor: Lessons from Productive Struggle
Hwayeon Ryu, Elon University

Many of the most meaningful lessons in my mathematical journey emerged from moments of uncertainty, failure, and feeling out of place. As someone who often felt like an outlier in mathematics, I learned that growth rarely comes from avoiding challenges; rather, it comes from engaging with them. These experiences have profoundly shaped my philosophy as a teacher-scholar-mentor. Drawing on experiences in mathematical biology, undergraduate research mentoring, and interdisciplinary curriculum development, I will reflect on how productive struggle can foster resilience, confidence, and intellectual growth. I will share lessons learned from mentoring students with diverse backgrounds and aspirations, many of whom initially questioned whether they belonged in mathematics or were capable of conducting research. By reframing struggle as an essential part of learning rather than a sign of inadequacy, we can create environments where students feel empowered to take intellectual risks, persist through challenges, and develop a strong sense of belonging. I will conclude with practical strategies for cultivating supportive mathematical communities that help students not only succeed but thrive as mathematicians, scholars, and future leaders.

Cathedrals of Thought
Alex Barrios, University of St. Thomas

Students often meet mathematics as a finished monument, yet it was built stone by stone across generations. Mathematics is a cathedral of ideas built through curiosity, collaboration, and productive struggle. Seeing mathematics in this way helps students understand that difficulty is not a failure, but part of learning well. It also builds resilience, confidence, and a deeper sense of belonging within the discipline, while reminding us that mathematics is not only about answers, but about the voyage of thought that makes them possible. In an age of rapidly advancing AI, that lesson matters more than ever: information may be immediate, but knowledge is earned, and true understanding begins in the foundations beneath the output.

Mathematical Modeling Challenge @ MathFest Awards

Friday, August 7, 4:30 pm - 5:30 pm, Student Lounge (Arlington)

Join us in the Student Lounge for the Math Modeling Challenge Awards! This session highlights exceptional work from MathFest participants, with up to five teams (priority to student teams) sharing their solutions. Open to all, we especially encourage faculty to attend and see student modeling in action.

Organizers:
Amanda Beecher, Consortium for Mathematics and its Applications (COMAP)
Eric Marland, Appalachian State University

Undergraduate Student Dessert Reception

Friday, August 7, 8:00 pm - 9:00 pm, Student Lounge (Arlington)

Besides serving various desserts, we shall recognize all students who gave talks in the MAA Student Poster Session.

Sponsor:
Committee on Undergraduate Student Programming (CUSP)

Project NExT Reception

Friday, August 7, 8:30 pm - 10:30 pm, Salon EF

All alumni and friends of Project NExT are invited to celebrate with hors d'oeuvres, desserts, coffee, and tea. (Brief remarks at 9:30pm)

MAA Business Meeting

Saturday, August 8, 9:00 am - 9:30 am, Salon EF

Join your fellow MAA members at the annual business meeting to hear about MAA's exciting activities and impact over the past 12 months. During the meeting, you'll also hear about MAA's financial position and programmatic priorities to support our community in this current challenging environment. The business meeting includes a Q&A session for members with MAA leaders.

Math Outreach Session

Saturday, August 8, 9:30 am - 10:50 am, Salon G

The Panamanian Foundation for the Promotion of Mathematics (FUNDAPROMAT), SIGMAA MCST and SIGMAA REC invite all members of the mathematics community to attend our special session on math outreach. Attendees will learn from panelists who have organized math outreach activities, offering them suggestions on what to do and what not to do when running these types of events. Speakers from a wide variety of life experiences will illustrate why math outreach is relevant and share the difficulties they have faced and the achievements they have accomplished. We aim to empower more members of the mathematics community to return to their own institutions and organize outreach initiatives all around the globe.

Organizer:
Jeanette Shakalli, The Panamanian Foundation for the Promotion of Mathematics (FUNDAPROMAT)

Sponsors:
SIGMAA on Recreational Mathematics (SIGMAA REC)
SIGMAA on Math Circles for Students and Teachers (SIGMAA MCST)

Julia Robinson Mathematics Festival x YPP Math Playground

Julia Robinson Mathematics Festival: Saturday, August 8, 10:00 am - 12:50 pm, Arlington (Student Lounge)
YPP Math Playground: Saturday, August 8, 10:00 am - 12:50 pm, Gloucester

Join us for this public math festival designed to spread the joy of mathematics through hands-on puzzles and games. The activities are from Julia Robinson Mathematics Festival and The Young People’s Project Math Playground. MAA MathFest attendees can join as a participant or sign up to volunteer to lead an activity for students and families. Participants are welcome to come and go throughout the duration of the event.

Organizers:
Daniel Kline, Julia Robinson Mathematics Festival
Cliff Freeman, The Young People's Project
Noore Elkatta, The Young People's Project
Jody Efron, Mathematical Association of America

Sponsors:
Julia Robinson Mathematics Festival (JRMF)
Young People's Project (YPP)

Read the Masters! Galois' Memoir on Solvability by Radicals

Saturday, August 8, 3:00 pm - 5:00 pm, Provincetown

The event will open with brief remarks by Daniel Otero (Xavier University) on Galois’ brief mathematical career and his highly influential use of “groups of substitutions” in the development of the theory of equations in the early nineteenth century. Then, handouts of the texts will be distributed to participants by “table proctors,” who will guide discussions at their assigned tables. (Table proctors will already have a passing familiarity with the text, but they will primarily act not as experts but as facilitators for table discussions. In addition, they can note questions and issues that would be appropriate to raise during the general discussion that will conclude the session.) The common reading at individual tables is scheduled to last 70 minutes, followed by a 30-minute-long open general discussion. Here is a timetable:

0-15 mins: Introductory talk: “Évariste Galois and the beginnings of modern algebra” Daniel Otero (Xavier University)

15-20 mins: Distribution of texts (Galois, Mémoire sur les conditions de résolubilité des équations par radicaux, 1830, in English translation) by table leaders, with self-introductions by participants at each table

20-90 mins: Table reading and discussion of the texts, monitored by table leaders

90-120 mins: General discussion with open mike

As the timetable shows, this two-hour session is planned to be held in a room that can comfortably accommodate 50-75 people (based on experience with attendance at earlier Read the Masters! events) seated at ten (ideally round) tables accommodating 6-8 persons each, along with a standard speaker’s stand/microphone/ projector/screen arrangement, with one or two traveling (wireless) microphones that can be used for comments/questions from the floor. Twelve banquet tables should suffice for the expected number of participants.

Organizers:
Daniel Otero, Xavier University (Ohio)

Sponsors:
SIGMAA on the History of Mathematics (SIGMAA HOM)
MAA Convergence
The TRIUMPHS Society (Transforming Instruction: Understanding Mathematics via Primary Historical Sources)
ORESME Reading Group

Counted Out Screening with Special Guest Panel Discussion

Saturday, August 8, 3:00 pm - 5:00 pm, Salon EF

Join us for a screening of Counted Out, a film that highlights the power of mathematics and the critical need to ensure all citizens have access to high-quality mathematics experiences. It presents a collection of stories, interviews, and examples of transformative programs that directly address the erroneous perception that a portion of our population are just not math people. This session will offer participants a chance to view the film, meet the filmmaker, and speak with featured guests about what they can do to help address the issues raised in the film.

Organizers:
Catherine Paolucci, Mathematical Association of America
Cliff Freeman, The Young People's Project
Noore Elkatta, The Young People's Project

The Art of Effective Course Coordination

Saturday, August 8, 4:00 pm - 6:00 pm, Tremont

Coordinating multi-section and multi-course introductory mathematics programs can yield significant benefits for both students and instructors, including improved student learning outcomes, equity, and consistency. Yet implementing and sustaining coordination is often complex and challenging. This session is designed for anyone currently responsible for coordination at their institution, as well as those considering how to introduce or expand coordination efforts.

Short, practical presentations will surface common challenges and local successes related to topics such as facilitating weekly meetings, term-to-term continuity and improvement, and content alignment. Participants will have structured time to discuss how these issues manifest in their own contexts and to learn how colleagues have navigated similar constraints and opportunities.

A portion of the workshop will be devoted to prioritizing the work of an MAA learning community on coordination, launching this fall. Participants will be invited to join working groups that will collaboratively develop a coordination practice guide. This emerging learning community aims to provide perspective, expertise, and joy for those whose roles can be isolating, offering a space to ask questions, share local data and strategies, and co-create solutions.