By Anna Mayor, USF College of Arts and Sciences
The Department of Mathematics and Statistics partnered with the USF College of Education and Hillsborough County Public Schools (HCPS) to bring more than 600 high school students together for the HCPS Math Bowl on Jan. 30 for a day of exercising their mathematical prowess.
The students showcased their problem-solving and mathematical expression capabilities while also gaining insight into the opportunities associated with pursuing a career in math.
In addition, a collaboration with the East Coast STEAM Magazine and the Orlando Math Circle also materialized into the inaugural Tampa Bay Math Festival, offering Math Bowl participants a chance to learn about research conducted by USF students, USF mathematics degree offerings, and to engage in games and challenges.
Math Bowl trophies (Photo by Corey Lepak)
(From left) Sonia Teodorescu (East Coast STEAM Magazine) and Margarita Azbel (Director,
Orlando Math Circle). (Photo
courtesy of Razvan Teodorescu)
“By doing mathematics, students acquire much more than discipline-specific skills: they understand the value of failure and learn to appreciate the importance of perseverance, collaboration, and communication,” said Dmytro Savchuk, professor and chair of the Department of Mathematics and Statistics.
Students competed individually and collaboratively in algebra, geometry, pre-calculus, statistics and calculus. The event rounded out with an awards ceremony, recognizing individual and team achievements.
“We were very grateful for the enthusiastic participation of USF undergraduate and graduate students, Hillsborough county high-schoolers, and the Florida Math Circles,” added Sonia Teodorescu, founder of the East Coast STEAM Magazine and volunteering hub, about the Tampa Bay Math Festival. “By celebrating the many dimensions of this mathematics community, we are providing resources and support for many local students in their educational journeys.”
Taggert Sabo, a mathematics major and secretary of the USF Math Club, also educated high school students on the profession of mathematics with graduate and undergraduate students sharing their latest research and mathematical theories.
“Students can see the beauty and the art in mathematics; they can see the creativity behind it,” Sabo said. “We’re a community that just loves mathematics to the bone. These students get a mathematical experience that they can't get anywhere else because we have both faculty and students who are so passionate about what they do. I think that's the level of mathematics that people need to see. They need to see the beauty.”
Winners are offered free participation in the USF STEM Summer School, a 4-week camp held in July that provides immersive experiences in research and is
led by faculty from the College of Arts and Sciences, the College of Engineering and USF Health.
Learn more about current programs and this year’s Math Bowl winners by visiting the
Department of Mathematics and Statistics’ website.