Outreach Projects
Our faculty and students are involved in a wide range of projects engaging the local community and beyond.
VERSEIM-REU
The Visiting and Early Scholars’ Experiences in Mathematics REU program (VERSEIM-REU) is an intensive ten-week summer research program in applied and pure mathematics at Tufts University sponsored by the National Science Foundation.
Somerville Mathematics Fund
The Somerville Mathematics Fund, an affiliate of Dollars for Scholars, was chartered in September 2000 to celebrate and encourage achievement in mathematics in the city of Somerville, Massachusetts. The Fund offers scholarships to students who went to high school in Somerville and go on to major in STEM subjects in college, as well as grants of up to $500 for local teachers working on math enrichment projects.
The Fund also sponsors a range of local events, particularly the popular annual ScrapHeap Showdown, loosely modeled on Junkyard Wars: we set a problem, and high school students, in teams of three or so, get about 3 hours to solve it, using a pile of junk we bring in and deposit on the floor. In 2010, the problem was a Rube Goldberg-type machine; another year, it was to build a bridge out of paper and tape (no duct tape—and the winning bridge held 40 pounds!); and another year, it was to build a windmill.
Math Representatives: Zbigniew Nitecki, Zachary Faubion
MA in Teaching
The Education Department offers a Masters of Arts in Teaching (MAT) degree for future teachers at the Elementary level and at the Middle/High School level. Faculty from our department, like Professors Quinto and Ruane, have a history of helping out with the mathematics part of the curriculum, such as by observing and advising student teachers.
Math Representatives: Todd Quinto, Kim Ruane