Mines Mathematics and Computing Collaborative: Stimulating Mathematical Interest in Young Minds

Students at the Colorado School of Mines are actively building a more diverse science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) community. In 2021, they founded the Mines Mathematics and Computing Collaborative (MMCC): a student-led outreach organization that aims to close the STEM exposure gap by offering inspiring, hands-on mathematics and computing workshops for high schoolers in the Denver, Colo., metropolitan area. MMCC targets high school students who may not have much experience with the world of mathematics, or who feel pessimistic about the subject in general.

MMCC was created by graduate student members of the Diversity, Inclusion, & Access Committee in the school’s Department of Applied Mathematics and Statistics (AMS). Jacqueline del Castillo, Justin Garrish, and Soraya Terrab all wanted to help the community around Mines by tutoring younger students or sponsoring other outreach activities. They decided to concentrate on fostering student interest in mathematics by actively demonstrating compelling and relevant applications of math, with the ultimate goal of motivating students to excel and possibly consider STEM as an academic and/or career path.

MMCC’s membership consists of both undergraduate and graduate students from AMS, the Department of Computer Science, and the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering (though all are welcome). The organization is run entirely by the students, who both construct the workshops and perform the numerous administrative tasks that enable workshop success. MMCC members decide which subjects to develop, what mathematical tools are necessary, and how to make the content appealing. They also design computing exercises that support mathematical learning, though doing so can be challenging since not every participant knows how to code. 

A successful workshop requires a lot of communication with Denver Public Schools (DPS), administrators at Mines, education leaders, community members, and event advertising personnel. By providing engaging content and activities that go beyond the typical curriculum, MMCC encourages students to appreciate the many real-world applications of mathematics, science, and computing. The organizers believe that framing mathematics in a relevant, applicable manner and targeting practical issues will strengthen attendees’ existing interest in math and establish new fascinations in any young skeptics. The collaborative seeks to create a welcoming environment wherein underrepresented students can learn and flourish.

The workshops begin with an introduction of MMCC, followed by a panel during which faculty and graduate students with industrial experience discuss their paths towards careers in applied math. Workshop organizers then familiarize attendees with the mathematics that pertains to the content at hand, as well as simple coding exercises with open-source software that reinforce mathematical ideas. The first MMCC workshop—which took place virtually in June 2021 due to COVID-19 restrictions—had a financial math theme and focused on the compound interest model (with annual and monthly compounding) as an example of exponential growth to help students understand the benefits of saving early and frequently.

Though this initial workshop began humbly with only four student attendees, the series has experienced significant growth since then. The February 2022 workshop on the same topic hosted 75 students from 10 different middle and high schools in Denver. This second workshop commenced in person despite snow, sub-zero temperatures, and complications with student transportation.

Most of the participants in both workshops had taken algebra, but less than half were able to code. Session feedback has been quite positive and encouraging; the majority of students said that the workshops increased their mathematical curiosity, which was the goal. These outreach workshops are successful in part because of Greg Moldow, the Gifted and Talented Coordinator for DPS, who acts as a liaison between the school system and MMCC.

MMCC organizers are confident about the program’s growth and are currently focused on content creation for the next academic year. In the future, they hope to incorporate undergraduate panels as well as information about the college application process. They also intend to host a weeklong summer workshop series to further immerse high school students from all backgrounds and experience levels in mathematical and scientific thinking.