Three Ways to Support Students

By Axel Brandt Among college and university personnel, faculty (arguably) have the greatest opportunity for interactions with students. We are often called upon to support students in many aspects of their lives, including academic, emotional, and career preparation. Let’s talk about some relatively simple ways that we can answer that call. Academic Support via Office...

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Beliefs and Belongings in Mathematics

By David Bressoud @dbressoud As of 2024, new Launchings columns appear on the third Tuesday of the month. I believe that there is no discipline that elicits such strong negative reactions as mathematics. To admit that one is a mathematician is to invite comments on how difficult and frustrating others have found their experience of...

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Supporting Mathematics Graduate Students: A Call for Departmental Leadership

By Deewang Bhamidipati @theewaang As I prepare my job applications and reflect on my graduate school experience, I want to share thoughts on how departments can better support their mathematics graduate students. While peer support is valuable, I want to emphasise that these support structures must be department-led initiatives rather than relying on graduate student...

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The Higher Ground

By Lew Ludwig One of the more memorable scenes from the Star Wars prequel trilogy features a pivotal standoff between Jedi master Obi-Wan Kenobi and his apprentice, Anakin Skywalker, on the fiery volcanic planet of Mustafar. As their duel reaches a climactic end, Obi-Wan secures a tactical advantage by positioning himself on a higher embankment....

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A Mathematician in a School of Art: an interview with Edmund Harriss

By Tim Chartier Within the intersection of mathematics and art lie beautiful creations to delight mathematicians and artists alike.  Mathematics may be the muse that inspires art or serves a more fundamental role alongside a brush, lathe, or loom.  To gain greater context on this field, we interview Dr. Edmund Harriss, a mathematician, artist, and...

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The (very) tricky math of detecting gerrymandering in election districts

Keith Devlin @KeithDevlin@fediscience.org, @profkeithdevlin.bsky.socialwith Ellen Veomett https://ellenveomett.com District gerrymandering. The map on the left looks unfair; it was. The one on the right seems fine. But how do you know for sure? Today is Election Day in the United States. Which, among other things, means we are likely in for a series of lawsuits, many...

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Reflections on applying for jobs as a PhD Student, Part II

By Christopher Keyes In part I, I shared my thoughts on how to determine what you actually want out of your first job search. Here I’ll focus on specific things I did, or pieces of advice I received, that I found especially useful leading up to my first academic job search, as well as some...

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Reflections on applying for jobs as a PhD Student, Part I

By Christopher Keyes Navigating the academic job market as a finishing PhD student can be a daunting experience. It is a delicate balance of reflection, writing compelling applications, and uncertainty, all while trying to stay on top of your research agenda and teaching responsibilities. Now nearly two years removed from my first time on this...

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Introducing Power Analysis in the Mathematics Classroom

By Carrie Diaz Eaton Over the last several years, there have been a number of calls for us to understand and convey to students that mathematics is not neutral. Piper H’s Inclusion/Exclusion blog calling to #DisruptJMM, Belin Tsinnajinnie’s 2020 Hrabowski-Gates-Tapia-McBay Invited Lecture on colonialism in education and mathematics, and the NCTM position statement on the...

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What Makes Active Learning Effective?

By Michael Oehrtman After a few classes in which students were working in groups, one table called me over for help. I responded to their question with my own, that I expected would point them in a productive direction. Clearly not appreciating my Socratic turn, one student burst out in frustration. “Aren't you going to...

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