Anna Vershynina
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Teaching Outreach
2017-2019 Quantum Cougars
middle school students from A+Unlimited Potential
middle school. The Circle is attended by 6-8 most academically
advanced students. The topics we are covering are beyond
regular school curriculum, and besides being fun, they require
additional theory and logical analytical thinking. During the
circle we don't search for an answer to a problem, we research
the problem itself, analyzing it from different perspectives,
which naturally leads to the solution. The immediate goals of the circle are:
1) to have students develop out-of-the-box and critical thinking, which can be applied in any area of student's life;
2) to encourage students' interest in math and science by showing them different areas of mathematics and physics, that are never covered in school curriculum.
The long-term goals of the circle are:
1) to encourage students to enter and graduate high-school;
2) to attend and graduate college;
3) to choose STEM subject as a future career.
Activities of the circle are supported by NSF DMS-2105583 (previously DMS-1812734).
Schedule of topics covered can be found below.
Tentative schedule
2018-2019 a. y.
| Date |
Topic |
| Nov 26 |
Introduction;
NASA's InSight rover lands on Mars |
| Dec 3 |
Graphs and knots; OSIRIS-REx meets Bennu |
| Dec 17 |
Snowflake science; InSight takes first selfie |
| Jan 17 |
Secret codes;
Enigma code/machine |
| Jan 24 |
Physics:
Electricity; Experiments |
| Feb 4 |
Visit to a
planetarium: Edge of Darkness movie (sponsored by
NSF) |
| Feb 14 |
Fractals; Space travel: slingshot maneuver |
| March 21 | Probability and
dice problems |
| April 4 | Physics: Magnetism |
| April 18 | Mathematical Logic |
| May 2 |
Overview of the year |
2017-2018 academic year
| Date |
Topic |
| November 15 |
Introduction to
Math |
| November 29 |
Walking the graph |
| December 13 |
Science behind a
snowflake |
| February 7 |
Walking the graph
II |
| February 21 |
Physics: Inclined
planes/wedges |
| March 7 |
Dirichlet/Pigeonhole principle |
| March 21 |
Probability and
dice problems |
| April 11 |
Climate and
weather |
| May 2 |
Overview of this
year |
2019-2020 Cougars and Houston Area Mathematics Program
(CHAMP)
April 2019-March 2020, I was a
Director of CHAMP - the outreach program for high school
and middle school students from undeserved communities
surrounding the University of Houston. Moreover, the
program spends a significant amount of effort to ensure
that volunteering (CHAMP Mentors) and working for CHAMP
benefits UH students' education, future carriers, and
carrier prospects.
CHAMP was running two Math Circles in two middle schools in an undeserved community, A+Unlimited Potential and Lawson Academy.
The program is no longer active.
CHAMP was running two Math Circles in two middle schools in an undeserved community, A+Unlimited Potential and Lawson Academy.
The program is no longer active.