K-12 Outreach

The Department of Mathematics and Applied Mathematics regularly engages in outreach efforts for K-12 students and teachers. Some of our regularly occurring activities are described below.

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Sonya Kovalevsky Day: Girls in Math

Since 2015, the Department of Mathematics and Applied Mathematics and the VCU Chapter of Women in Mathematics has hosted Sonya Kovalevsky Day: Girls in Math (SK Day). The focus of SK Day is to encourage young women to continue to study mathematics and pursue career opportunities a variety of STEM fields. The yearly event is held conference style with a plenary speaker and three one-hour breakout sessions consisting of talks, workshops and problem-solving activities. Individuals from different VCU departments, various area universities and local organizations are invited to give presentations and organize activities.

In addition to faculty from our department, past presenters have included faculty from a variety of VCU departments including Department of Statistical Sciences and Operations Research, Department of Chemistry, Department of Biology and Department of Forensic Science. The Society of Women Engineers, University of Richmond and Altria have provided hands-on activities for SK Day sessions.

The first SK Day was attended by students from two local school divisions. The event has grown to include eight regional school divisions with approximately 100 girls attending each year. The event has been supported by donations from the Greater Richmond Teachers of Mathematics, the Virginia Council of Teachers of Mathematics and individual and corporate entities.

Contact: Kristina Anthony, Ph.D.

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Math Circles

Faculty in the department facilitate the VCU Math Circle, which holds interactive, engaging and challenging mathematics problem-solving sessions for local middle and high school students. These weekend workshops bring students from the greater Richmond area to the VCU campus to meet with department faculty and explore topics ranging from recreational to scientifically pertinent; for example, prior meetings have touched on the mathematics of juggling and a mathematical model of the spread of a communicable disease. The goal in all cases is to broaden and encourage students’ appreciation for and skills in mathematical problem-solving.

Contact: Hilary Cassil, Ph.D. (mathcircle@vcu.edu)

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Virginia Mathematics and Science Coalition

Faculty in the department played leading roles in the establishment of the Virginia Mathematics and Science Coalition, a statewide organization designed to supports efforts by school systems, state administrators and other interested parties to achieve and sustain excellence in STEM education for Virginia’s K-12 and higher education students. The VMSC has provided leadership in strengthening the requirements for certification for mathematics and science teachers in Virginia and is an active advocate for mathematics and science education. The VMSC also publishes the Journal of Mathematics and Science: Collaborative Explorations. Published since 1997, it has been continually edited by VCU Mathematics faculty members P.N. Raychowdhury, Ph.D., Reuben Farley, Ph.D., and Aimee Ellington, Ph.D. (current editor).

Contact: Aimee Ellington, Ph.D.

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K-8 Mathematics Specialist Preparation

Mathematics specialists are teacher leaders who support effective PK-8 mathematics instruction and student learning. The roles and expectations of mathematics specialists can vary according to the needs of each setting, but can include coaching teachers, developing curricula and providing professional development, to name a few. For more than a decade, the Association of Mathematics Teacher Educators, the Association of State Supervisors of Mathematics, the National Council of Supervisors of Mathematics and the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics have advocated for the use of mathematics specialists to serve as leaders in districts and schools. Teachers with a strong background in mathematical content and pedagogical expertise are vitally important for the success of K-8 mathematics programs in Virginia's elementary and middle schools.

The Department of Mathematics and Applied Mathematics offers the Masters in Interdisciplinary Studies with a concentration in mathematics and science leadership for teachers interested in completing the mathematics specialist add-on endorsement to a Virginia teaching license, serving as a K-8 mathematics specialist or in pursuing other mathematics teacher leadership positions.

Contact: Aimee Ellington, Ph.D.