Math in the City

University Of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln NE

Investigators

Abstract

Mathematical Sciences (21) This project is developing, implementing, evaluating, and disseminating materials and practices for an interdisciplinary mathematics course that is run in collaboration with local industries and government organizations. The course is built around mathematical problems of current local and national interest. In the course, small teams of students are learning and applying mathematical modeling skills through class meetings and close interaction with business partners. In the course, students are developing a better understanding of how mathematics is used to understand current major societal issues and to inform policy decisions, strengthening their oral and written communication skills, and developing their abilities to work effectively in teams. In addition to preparing students to be competitive in non-academic work environments, the project is providing materials and resources to instructors at other institutions to support the development of similar courses in other environments. To that end, the principal investigators are developing and actively disseminating an instructor manual and a student handbook. The instructor manual includes best practices for running the course, a list of suggested project topics, content on mathematical modeling, and specific mathematical background necessary for the suggested topics. The student handbook includes discussion of the roles and responsibilities of individual students working as part of a team, tips on time management, and suggestions about writing for different audiences. The materials will be freely available on the web and will be distributed at workshops held for instructors who are interested in developing similar courses.