The College Of New Rochelle Hosts Annual Sonia Kovalevsky Mathematics Day For High School Girls

Written By: Talk of the Sound News

NEW ROCHELLE, NY — The College of New Rochelle (CNR) School of Arts & Sciences Mathematics Department will host its annual Sonia Kovalevsky Mathematics Day on Friday, October 26, 2012 from 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. on its Main Campus in New Rochelle.

According to Dr. Michelle Merriweather, Associate Professor of Mathematics at CNR, “As a women’s college we not only encourage women to study math and science, we provide them ample opportunity to become excited about their future careers in these fields through individualized career counseling, course structures and conference attendance. Students, professors and college resources become a team to guide each student to the fields that best suit their talents and interests. Coursework and additional opportunities outside the classroom are provided to enrich students’ learning and prepare them for their future.”

This special event at The College of New Rochelle, sponsored by Con Edison, will feature math and science sessions, a problem solving contest and a career panel of professional women who demonstrate how math can be an intriguing and financially rewarding career choice.

TI-Nspire Calculator Workshop will also be offered for teachers. Teachers attending with their students are eligible to receive Professional Development Units.

High School students attending this special “Math Day” are from the Academy of Mount St. Ursula and St. Catharine Academy, both in the Bronx.

The students during the day will visit Math and Sciences undergraduate classes on the Main Campus and participate in workshops involving:

· Cryptography
· Blood Splatter Analysis
· Adventures in Chemistry
· Graph Theory

They will also take part in a Math & Science Game Show and attend a Career Panel given by successful women employed in business and medical fields using their college science degrees. Students will be awarded prizes for problem solving achievements at the close of CNR’s Sonia Kovalevsky Day.

Sonia Kovalevsky was the most widely known Russian mathematician of the late 19th century. A distinguished writer and advocate for women’s rights, her prominence as a professional mathematician reached its apex in 1888 when she received the prestigious Prix Bordin from the French Academie des Sciences for one of her research papers. The selection committee – unaware that the writer was a woman — voted unanimously in favor of the winning paper. Mathematics Days for High School Girls are intended to encourage young women to continue their study of mathematics as they move from high school to college.

For information, contact Dr. Michelle Merriweather at 914-654-5462 or mmerriweather@cnr.edu