MoMath News

01/29/2016 8:30 AM | Anonymous

Dear MoMath friends,

Unique gift idea: Print your own Mathaeneum designed sculpture!  Turn your mathematical designs into three-dimensional reality.  Email additions@momath.org for more information.

MoMath at a Glance  
Mon, Feb 1 Exploding DotsTeacher Professional Development workshop
Mon, Feb 1 Global Math Project kickoff meeting: all welcome
Wed, Feb 3 Math Encounters: "Life is Beautiful: The Startling Consequences of Three Simple Rules" with Bob Bosch
Thu, Feb 4 Unbounded: An Evening of Mathematical Mystique
Mon, Feb 15 Meet the Author! MoMath welcomes Rod Kimball, creator of Path Puzzles
Tue, Feb 23 2016 MoMath Masters Tournament
Thu, Feb 25 Volumes: the MoMath book club 
Fri, Feb 26 Family Fridays at MoMath presented by Time Warner Cable: "Coloring Outside the Sines"
Wed, Mar 2 Math Encounters: "Mathematical Magic: the Two-Way Street between Math and Illusion" with Erik Demaine: Special Fifth Anniversary edition
Thu, Mar 3 Math on the High Seas with Rich Wilson
Wed, Mar 9 Harmonic Series "Sam Zygmuntowicz: The Math, Science, and Art of Violin Making" 
Sun, Mar 13 Happy Pi Day with MoMath!
Thu, Mar 24 Volumes, the MoMath book club
Fri, Mar 25 Family Fridays at MoMath presented by Time Warner Cable: "Spiraling into Art and Nature"
Coming this spring The Insides of Things: the art of Miguel Berrocal

Have you tried out for Varsity Math yet?  Get your weekly puzzle fix from MoMath in the Wall Street Journal every Saturday, or check out varsity.momath.org and blogs.wsj.com/puzzle.

College students: become a MoMath intern!
Now accepting applications for summer
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Share your love of math with others!  MoMath is now accepting applications for summer internships for current college students.  Improve your interpersonal and communication skills, explore mathematical concepts, and learn valuable job skills.  See more at momath.org/jobs.  Please note that internships are unpaid.

High school students: Intern at MoMath on weekends this spring!
Last chance: This spring, high school students with a love of math can become a part of MoMath!  Gain valuable experience while helping others, and add something unique to your college applications. Applications for Spring 2016 high school internships are now available at momath.org/jobs and will be accepted through the end of January. 

Exploding Dots: Teacher Professional Development workshop
Monday, February 1, 9:30 am – 3:30 pm
James Tanton returns to MoMath!   Math educators, sign up now to join James on Monday, February 1 as he shares his innovative Exploding Dots curriculum, and see how this astoundingly simple idea can revolutionize K-12 arithmetic and algebraic thinking and teaching.  Bring an extra pair of socks with you, as this workshop will knock your first pair right off! Space is limited -- register now at exploding.momath.org.

Global Math Project kickoff meeting: all welcome
Monday, February 1, 6:00 pm – 7:00 pm

Want to share the joy of math with the world?  MoMath is teaming up with The Global Math Project to build a series of synchronized, annual online global events — Global Math Weeks — for teachers and their students, community groups, families, and individuals worldwide.  The Global Math Project aims to reach and thrill one million people with an engaging piece of mathematics during one special week in 2017.  Come meet founding team member Dr. James Tanton and learn more about this exciting new initiative and how you can get involved. Refreshments will be served. Register at global.momath.org

Math Encounters: “Life is Beautiful: The Startling Consequences of Three Simple Rules” with Bob Bosch
Wednesday, February 3, 4:00 pm and 7:00 pm
Enter the world of cellular automata! Popularized by Martin Gardner in the 1970s and adored by students, teachers, and enthusiasts of mathematics and computer science ever since, John Conway's Game of Life has been called the world's most fascinating one-player game. Though the rules for Life are extremely simple, the behavior of the game — exactly how a starting configuration will change over time — is impossible to fully predict. Mathematician and artist Bob Bosch will initiate us into the unexpected complexities of this early venture into the world of artificial "life."  Refreshments follow the afternoon presentation of Math Encounters; arrive by 6:30 pm for refreshments preceding the evening presentation. Register at mathencounters.org.

Unbounded: An Evening of Mathemagical Mystique
Friday, January 22, 7:30 pm – 10:00 pm
21+ (ID required)

Fall in love with Unbounded!  Join us for MoMath's version of Happy Hour on Thursday, February 4, from 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm, and experience the wonder of math firsthand.  Explore the Museum with friends, make new friends, and enjoy a live demonstration of the math of mutual choice.  Plus, don't forget to register for Irrationality, a unique, exclusive magical experience — limited tickets available, so don't delay!  And everyone receives the first drink free with admission.  Register at unbounded.momath.org

Meet the Author! Rod Kimball, author of Path Puzzles 
Monday, February 15, 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm
Rod Kimball, author of Path Puzzles and former MoMath employee, will be signing copies of his book at MoMath on Monday, February 15 from 1:00 – 3:00 pm. Learn about path puzzles from their creator and get an autographed copy. If you like Sudoku or Ken Ken but you're ready for something new, you're going to love Path Puzzles. Rod has made puzzles for Games Magazine, Reader's Digest Canada, The National Museum of Mathematics, the Unemployed Philosopher's Guild, and NPRs 'Ask Me Another'.  These days, Rod tours the world juggling with the Flying Karamazov Brothers, but he's never forgotten his love of math. 

MoMath Masters
Tuesday, February 23, 6:00 pm
Tribeca Rooftop

Join MoMath for the 2016 MoMath Masters Tournament, the exciting annual competition and charitable fundraiser.  Do you have what it takes to be a MoMath Master?  Get your thinking caps on for this fun-filled night, from the entertaining cocktail round right through to the challenging and suspenseful finals.  Will Shortz returns as this year's host — but who will win?  Space is limited, so reserve your seats now at masters.momath.org

Volumes: the MoMath book club
Thursday, February 25, 6:00 pm
Volumes, the MoMath book club, now includes the opportunity to mingle and meet other participants over coffee, tea, and cookies. Last month's discussion was animated and thought-provoking with participants exchanging sometimes conflicting ideas in a congenial atmosphere.  This month's selection is The Silicon Jungle: A Novel of Deception, Power, and Internet Intrigueby Shumeet Baluja.  We expect that the discussion on the topic of data mining will be equally engaging.  No prior math or science background is necessary. Register at volumes.momath.org

Family Fridays at MoMath presented by Time Warner Cable: “Coloring Outside the Sines”
Friday, February 26, 6:30 pm

Coloring meets mathematics!  Start with a series of delightful images and explore their details and patterns through coloring. Then learn about the mathematical ideas used to construct them: from the incredible structure of four dimensions to seven-fold Venn diagrams, you'll be surprised how much you can learn simply by putting colored pencils to paper. Join mathematician and artist Edmund Harriss as he shares some of his favorite images from Patterns of the Universe, the stunning new coloring book he recently published with British writer and broadcaster Alex Bellos. This presentation is free to attendees, as part of Time Warner Cable's Connect a Million Minds campaign. For more information and to register, visit familyfridays.momath.org.

Math Encounters: "Mathematical Magic: The Two-Way Street between Math and Illusion" with Erik Demaine
Special Fifth Anniversary Celebration!
Wednesday, March 2, 4:00 pm and 7:00 pm

There’s math behind the magic!  MIT professor Erik Demaine takes us down a mathematical path that leads to magic, then heads back the other way to show how analyzing a magic trick can lead to some fun and challenging mathematics.  His bag of tricks will include cards, coins, rope, paper folding, and even juggling as he shows us the hidden math within the magic. Register at mathencounters.org.

Math on the High Seas with Rich Wilson
Thursday, March 3
Meet Rich Wilson, an experienced sailor whose 121-day passage solo 'round the world was one of the outstanding human adventure stories of our time.  Having completed several record-breaking ocean voyages, Rich is about to begin training for the next edition of the Vendée Globe, the toughest solo sailing challenge there is.  What's a former math teacher and lecturer doing on the high seas?  Join us to find out!  Registration will open soon for this not-to-be-missed event, brought to you by OppenheimerFunds. 

Harmonic Series: "Sam Zygmuntowicz: The Math, Science, and Art of Violin Making"
Wednesday, March 9, 7:00 pm
Engelman Recital Hall, Baruch Performing Arts Center 

How does a small wooden box help a violinist fill a concert hall with music?  Harmonic Serieshost Bruce Adolphe welcomes violinmaker Samuel Zygmuntowicz as he takes us into the hidden inner workings of the violin.  The conversation will explore geometric principles of violin design that date back to the Renaissance, modern technologies that reveal everything from vibration patterns to the internal contours of wood, and how new techniques combine with violinmakers' traditional skills to make instruments rivaling the Old Masters. Zygmuntowicz gets into detail in this special presentation in which modern science meets ancient tradition.  And, hearing is believing: enjoy a special performance by the incomparable violinist Daniel Phillips on both Stradivarius and Zygmuntowicz violins. Register at harmonic.momath.org

Happy Pi Day with MoMath
Sunday, March 13

Come join in the Museum's weekend celebrations in honor of the upcoming Pi Day 2016 on 3/14/16, the one date this entire century that most closely approximates pi (which rounded to four decimal places is 3.1416).  All events free with Museum admission.

  • 10:15 am Meaning of Pi  
    A short audience-participatory demonstration that will bring to life what pi is, what it does, how we know about it, and at least two-and-a-half surprising facts about pi.
  • 11:30 am Rhythmic Rotations 
    Check out MoMath's hula-hooping contest in honor of pi, the circular constant.  You've never seen hoops this big!  How far must your hips travel to twirl the biggest hoop? Pi tells you the answer.  Pi-morabilia prizes for the top hoopers!  Meet in MoMath's lobby but dress warmly: Rhythmic Rotations will be held outdoors, weather permitting.
  • 12:45 pm Apollonian Apertures 
    Join MoMath to build Apollonian Apertures, the 9-foot fractal circles-within-circles sculpture that embodies a minor miracle of mapmaking.  The sculpture you help to build will remain on display in the Museum through Pi Day.

Volumes: the MoMath book club
Thursday, March 24, 6:00 pm
Get a jump start on your reading for this third meeting of Volumes, the MoMath book club. We will be discussing The Man Who Counted: A Collection of Mathematical Adventures by Malba Tahan.  And be sure to join us for coffee, tea, and cookies afterwards.

Family Fridays at MoMath presented by Time Warner Cable: “Spiraling into Art and Nature”
Friday, March 25, 6:30 pm

Why do we see spirals so often in the world around us?  What is so singular about their geometry that makes them recur in many contexts? John Edmark, inventor, artist, and professor of design at Stanford, will guide participants in constructing their own spirals, following the hidden recipes that nature uses in creating pinecones, artichokes, pineapples, and more.  Along the way, you'll discover the subtle connections between these spirals, the Fibonacci series, and the golden ratio.  Come and share in the beauty that has catapulted Prof. Edmark's latest video, "Blooms: Strobe-Animated Sculptures," to over 14 million views online. This presentation is free to attendees, as part of Time Warner Cable's Connect a Million Minds campaign.  For more information and to register, visit familyfridays.momath.org.

Coming this spring... The Insides of Things: the art of Miguel Berrocal
MoMath's newest art exhibit will focus on the work of Spanish sculptor Miguel Berrocal. What does Berrocal's work have in common with MoMath's Enigma Café?  Visit this intriguing new exhibit to find out as you take in the masterful craftsmanship of Berrocal's art.

Expansions: MoMath’s innovative program to engage and challenge NYC’s brightest math students
Tuesday or Thursday afternoons (K-12, separated by level)

Reinvent math class with Expansions, MoMath's afternoon gifted program. Featuring programs for all mathematically gifted students currently enrolled in kindergarten through 8th grade, Expansions workshops are designed and delivered by MoMath's educational team to challenge and inspire students, and to broaden their mathematical horizons. With topics ranging from fractals to cellular automata, these afternoon sessions provide an opportunity for participants to learn advanced and fascinating topics not included in the standard K-12 curriculum. Plus, your child can benefit from enjoying math together with small groups of talented and focused young scholars.

Expansions offers sessions at several levels that are differentiated by mathematical experience rather than age. Admission is by application only. To learn more and submit an application, visit expansions.momath.org. Now with Tuesday options starting at 4:00 pm and 4:30 pm!

Mathematical Artistry
Do you have a great idea for a mathematical art show?  Send it to MoMath!  MoMath is seeking proposals for a show in the Composite gallery, to begin approximately one year from now.  Applications are open here: applycomposite.momath.org.

Spread the MoMath Word
Like MoMath?  Let the world know!  Share your comments at:

Events, Birthday Parties, and More
Looking to host a one-of-a-kind event where your guests can interact with over 30 engaging exhibits?  Enter a world of mathematical intrigue, but don’t worry; among all the activity, there is plenty of space for gala-worthy dinners, over-the-top birthday bashes, laser-cutting parties, and bar/bat mitzvahs.  Who knew math could be this much fun?  Email events@momath.org for more information.

School and group visits for 2016-2017
MoMath has over a dozen great programs for school groups visiting the Museum.  From graph coloring to Möbius bands, bring your students to MoMath for a view into the exciting world of mathematics, and see why kids of all ages love visiting the Museum.  Register for a trip at fieldtrip.momath.org.

Free trips for Title I schools
Thanks to the support of companies including OppenheimerFunds, Google, Con Edison, and Two Sigma, as well as some generous MoMath friends, support for Title I schools is now available.  To register for a free trip this year, visit titleone.momath.org.  Interested in sponsoring a field trip?  Email admin@momath.org.

Join the MoMath community
Become a member today, and help ensure that MoMath continues to deliver exciting and engaging math programs for all ages.  Visit momath.org/join to become a member, and receive unlimited access to MoMath's innovative exhibits, plus discounts in Additions, the shop at MoMath.  Become a premium member and receive early notices and invitations to exclusive MoMath events.  Join now, and take advantage of MoMath's low rates.  To learn more about long-term memberships, call (212) 542-0566.

We need you!
Interested in volunteering on the Museum floor?  If you love math, would like to help others enjoy MoMath's interactive suite of exhibits, and are willing to devote two four-hour shifts each month, please send an email to jobs@momath.org with the subject line "MoMath integrator."  Please include a cover letter, current resumé, and a newly-written essay that, in approximately 150 to 300 words, describes an experience that shaped your love of mathematics.

We hope to see you at MoMath!

Regards,
National Museum of Mathematics

The ATOMIC Mission is to ensure that every Connecticut student receives world-class education in mathematics by providing vision, leadership and support to the K-16 mathematics community and by providing every teacher of mathematics the opportunity to grow professionally.

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