Welcome to The Mathematician Mosaic, an initiative designed to celebrate the rich and diverse contributions of mathematicians from all walks of life. Through this initiative, we aim to inspire students to explore the varied experiences and stories within the fields of mathematics and computing.
By encouraging students to research and create biographical posters about a person in the mathematical sciences*, particularly those from underrepresented backgrounds, we hope to broaden participation and increase visibility in these fields. Whether as individuals, small groups, or whole classes, students will delve into the lives and careers of these remarkable figures, bringing their stories to life. Their educator or parent/guardian will submit the completed posters, which may be featured on the CEMC website, showcasing the creativity and learning of students to a wide audience.
This project is open to students from all grades.
*Mathematical sciences refers to any field for which mathematics is the foundation. Examples include, but are not limited to: pure/applied mathematics, statistics, mathematics education, computer science, physics and astronomy, data science, etc.
Poster Criteria
We would like to see posters highlighting mathematicians who:
- are members of marginalized groups (e.g. race, gender, country of origin, age, ability)**,
- have pursued diverse career paths,
- are in diverse specializations, and/or
- come from diverse educational backgrounds.
**For more inspiration, see how the University of Waterloo describes various demographics herenorth_east.
Each poster must contain the following categories, with a maximum of 5 sentences per category:
- Early Life
- Education
- Contributions to their field
- Unique circumstances/adversity (e.g. first generation college student, inequitable treatment)
- (Optional) Miscellaneous/fun facts
Posters must cite sources. All received posters will be proofread by CEMC personnel for accuracy. The CEMC reserves the right to edit and modify posters for content as well as look and feel. Each poster will display a credit along the lines of “Students from Ms. Punetha’s Grade 6 class at Northridge Public School, Waterloo, Canada.”
It is preferable that each poster includes a headshot of the mathematician featured, and that this headshot is submitted alongside the poster on the submission form.
Editable, digital posters (Google Docs, Canva) are preferred; however, pdfs will also be accepted.
Posters will be accepted up to January 17, 2025.
Why educators should consider using the Mathematician Mosaic as a project in their classroom
- It can be connected to curriculum strands that are newer in some regions (like the Mathematical Thinking and Making Connections strand in Ontario).
- It can be used as a cross-disciplinary project between math, history, and languages.
- It can give students a chance to learn about real-life applications and careers in mathematics.
- It can be used to give students a chance to learn more about mathematicians that represent aspects of their own identities and that they can relate to.