Black History Month

The Center of Math celebrates Black History Month by emphasizing African American scientists and mathematicians that excelled in their respective fields. In commemoration, we created an infographic that highlights important mathematical achievements and also features several individuals highly regarded in STEM. More information is located below the infographic, where we elaborated on biographies of selected mathematicians.

Click here for a closer look at the infographic!

Jesse Ernest Wilkins (1923-2011)          

Jesse Ernest Wilkins Jr, a mathematics prodigy, was named the ‘negro genius’ by the media and quickly made huge advancements in the fields of math, mechanical engineering, nuclear science, and optics. He became the youngest student to enter the University of Chicago, at only 13. During World War II, Wilkins worked on the Manhattan Project and later authored several journals.

Benjamin Banneker (1731-1806)

Banneker had close to no formal education and was largely self taught. He is most famously known for his contributions to a group led by Major Andrew Ellicott that surveyed the borders of the original District of Columbia. He referenced Thomas Jefferson on the topics of slavery and racial equality. Banneker’s understanding of astronomy inspired several contributions to series of almanacs.

David Blackwell (1919-2010)

Blackwell was the first African American to be inducted into the National Academy of Sciences and to secure a permanent position at the University of California at Berkeley in 1954. He is known as perhaps the greatest African American mathematician of his time.

Charles L. Reason (1818-1893)

Charles L. Reason greatest achievements were centered on improving the education system for African Americans. He founded the Society for the Promotion of Education among Colored Children. He then worked as a professor of mathematics, Greek, and Latin at New York Central College – becoming the first African American to teach at a predominately white university. Later, he went on to found the Quaker Institute for Colored Youth in Philadelphia, and successfully led efforts to desegregate New York Schools.

Gloria Ford Gilmer (1956-Present)

Gilmer earned a B.S. in mathematics from both Morgan State University, and the University of Pennsylvania. In her lifetime she taught at six different HBCUs - historically black colleges and universities. Soon after receiving a Ph.D, she became the first Black female on the board of governors of the Mathematical Association of America (1980-82). She later served as a Research associate with the U.S. Department of Education and was the first women to give the National Association of Mathematician’s Cox-Talbot Address.

William Schieffelin Claytor (1908-1967)

Claytor earned his A.B. and M.A. from Howard university and later his Ph.D. from the University of Pennsylvania - the third African American to earn a Ph.D. in Mathematics. He was also the third African American to publish mathematics research. Soon after in 1937, he received a Rosenwald Fellowship and preceded to post-doctoral studies, working specifically with an experienced group of topologists.

Martha Euphemia Lofton Haynes (1890-1980)

Commemorated as the first African American woman to earn a Ph.D in mathematics, Haynes played a critical role in establishing an educational community for African Americans. After receiving a master’s degree from the University of Chicago, she went on to receive her doctorate. She spent over 47 years teaching mathematics in public schools, and was the first woman to chair the Washington D.C School Board.

Math Madness: First Round

Math Madness is under way here at the Center of Math. We've made our decision for the first two matches, which we'll describe here. Keep checking in on the Math Madness webpage- we'll update the bracket image when we've released all the first round winners!

Match 1: Newton vs. Abel 

In this match, we’ve pitted the famous 1600s physicist and mathematician Isaac Newton against Niels Henrik Abel, after whom the Abel prize in mathematics is named.

Newton, born into a poor farming family in 1642, went to Cambridge to become a preacher, and then found his love of mathematics. His contributions to mathematics are numerous- the most significant of which is perhaps the invention of Calculus, which he developed separately from Leibniz.  Not just a mathematician- Newton was also an accomplished physicist. He penned the Principia Mathematica, inside which the Laws of Motion are written. According to Wolfram Science World, Newton “contributed more to the development of science than any other individual in history.”

Abel was a Norwegian mathematician and young prodigy. At only 16 years of age, Abel determined a proof of the binomial theorem, making it valid for all numbers and expanding Euler’s findings. He independently invented the basis of group theory.  As a member of a very poor family, Abel had to enter the Royal Frederick University on scholarship. However, by the time he entered, he had independently studied so much mathematics that his professors couldn’t teach him anything new. Abel never obtained a professorial position, though he tried for several years after his degree. He died of tuberculosis at 26 years old before seeing recognition for his work.

A Textbook Carol | The Evolution of the Textbook Publishing Industry

Hello math lovers! We know all of you love math... and you probably love the holidays, too, so we thought we would combine the two to give you a fun and informative infographic about the evolution of the publishing industry! We drew inspiration from the classic "A Christmas Carol" that we thought you'd all be able to relate to. We hope you enjoy it!

 

Though it's a topic you might not have ever thought about, publishing has an impact on you whether you are a student, professor, collector, or just a math enthusiast. We appreciate those of you who choose the Center of Math and support our mission of finding ways to make math affordable and accessible!

From the Center of Math, Happy Holidays!!!

P.S. If you'd like a print-friendly version of this infographic (at full size), send us an email at info@centerofmath.org.

6 Jobs You Can Get With a Math Degree

Have you ever wondered, “What can you do with a math degree? Is becoming a math teacher my only option?” Well today I am here to show you the many options you have upon graduating with a math degree.

Actuary

An actuary is someone who calculates the financial impact of situations that have risk and uncertainty. This is common in the insurance industry, since the nature of these industries is based on unplanned events. Actuaries are also hired by private companies to determine things such as potential demand for a new product, or to predict the probability and cost of an event. Being an actuary has proven to be a very lucrative field, and is consistently ranked as one of the most desirable professions that will continue to be in great demand in the future. If you feel you have a strong understanding of mathematics, statistics, as well as business, this would be a great job to consider.

Statistician

As the name implies, statisticians work with using statistics in the application of mathematical principles. They collect, analyze, and present numerical data in the form of surveys and experiments. If you are considering or are already majoring in applied mathematics, this might be the career for you. Additional background in computer science would help, as would additional studies in chemistry or a health science (in the case of testing products).

Market Research Analyst

If you like gathering and analyzing information, particularly about what people think and how they will perceive things, this might be the career path for you! Market research analysts help companies use statistical data from past sales to predict future sales and to predict which market they should target for their products or services. In addition to mathematics and statistics skills, knowledge in computer science, survey design and sampling theory would help you in this field.

Budget/Financial Analyst

Budget and financial analysts will both work with a company to maximize the way they spend their money. Budget analysts develop, analyze and execute budgets, making sure that they are accurate and in compliance with laws. Financial analysts also guide businesses in their finances, but are more geared towards investment opportunities. They give recommendations and help companies develop investment strategies that will be profitable after evaluating the industry and business trends.

Government Careers

Many departments of the government recruit math majors for various types of careers (notably, the NSA). For many of these fields, you would need significant knowledge in another field such as engineering, computer science, or business, but your background of analysis, statistics, and differential equations from your math education will give you a great start into any field you decide to go into.

Teacher/Professor

Yes, it’s the most obvious job that people think of when they think of a math degree, but that doesn’t mean it’s a bad thing! If you truly love both math and teaching, then it makes sense to consider a career as a math teacher. You can become a K-12 math teacher with a bachelor’s degree, but you will most likely need a Ph.D. to become a college professor or higher.

These are just a few of the examples of amazing careers you can pursue with a math degree. Some of them may have been obvious, but hopefully you’ve learned a bit more about the possibilities that are open to you! Remember, even if a job does not specifically involve math, having a math degree still makes you desirable to employers because it shows that you have experience with analyzing data and problem solving.

 We also have a fun and helpful infographic to share with you, showing all of these various jobs!

So if you were undecided about declaring yourself as a math major, or perhaps you had even overlooked it as a possibility, I hope this article has changed your mind! If there are any other job possibilities for math majors you’d like to share, we’d love to hear it in a comment!

P.S. If you'd like a print-friendly version of this infographic (at full size), send us an email at info@centerofmath.org.