“Mathematics in Modern Society” is the theme of a mathematics poster competition open to all high school students from Hamilton County and surrounding areas of Tennessee, Georgia and Alabama. This UTC Department of Mathematics event, to be held January 26, 2008, is cosponsored by BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee. Public, private and homeschooled students may participate.
“The mathematics poster competition provides an opportunity for UTC professors to build upon relationships with high school mathematics teachers and give high school students an opportunity to experience the grace of mathematics outside the classroom,” said Dr. Lucas van der Merwe, UTC Department of Math.
Cash prizes of $200, $100, and $50 will be awarded for first, second, and third places, respectively, in each of two categories: ninth/tenth grades levels and eleventh/twelfth grade levels. Judging will be based on mathematical content, originality and creativity.
Additional information on the poster competition, scholarships, and the Department of Mathematics is available on-line . All entrants to the poster competition are required to register on-line at this website by December 15, 2007.
“In addition to the monetary reward, we want students to participate and receive recognition for their efforts,” said van der Merwe. “Students participating in the poster competition can expand their knowledge of mathematics.”
Any entrant who is interested in majoring in mathematics at UTC should also apply for one of the UTC mathematics scholarships, including the new BlueCross BlueShield Mathematics Scholarship which provides $4000 a year for four years. Two other scholarships are also available to deserving students. These scholarships were endowed by generous UTC alumni– the Dorothy Dean Shelton Mathematics Scholarship and the Dr. Marjorie Watson Mathematics Scholarship.
This is the first year the UTC Department of Mathematics is offering a mathematics poster competition and van der Merwe hopes it will continue annually.
“We hope this competition is another way to increase the number of mathematics majors,” van der Merwe said.
