News Roundup from Around the Web

Hello readers! Today we thought we'd pass along a few links to various articles about math, its application in the classroom, and the students who have chosen to dedicate their lives to it. Enjoy! 

Arizona State University
Arizona State University recently posted a fascinating interview with one of its award winning students about his decision to dual major in mathematics and physics. The student, Tin Phan, has a lot of interesting things to say about race and the general expectations he believes certain communities have in terms of potential career paths. "Aiming to be a mathematician is unthinkable for a vast majority of Vietnamese," he writes. "In my community, being either a doctor or lawyer is the only way for a person to be considered successful. So it is natural that although I have always been good at math, I never entertained the idea that I would spend my life learning it." Read more, here. 

Silicon Republic
Throughout our conversations with numerous national math experts in recent months, we at the Academic Success Press Blog have noticed a common theme develop regarding whether or not instructors must find ways to spoon feed their students undesirable material. This article details the efforts of Dr. Eugenia Cheng to literally describe complicated mathematical concepts through the discussion of food! "While math is often seen as a dense, impenetrable, treacle-like subject," writes Elaine Burke, "Cheng’s energy and quick wit makes it as light and fluffy as a flaky pastry." Read more, here. 

Miami Herald
If food doesn't quite pique your interest, then here is another article that promotes a comparably artistic method! "Math education needs to show math as an art, with patterns that can be found, connections that can be made, relevant and irrelevant questions that can be answered, and logical thinking that can be used," writes Hilla Rogel. "No one really knows why math is so good at explaining the world, and that is why it is magical. When teachers transfer this passion to their students, during Mathematics Education Month and every day, it can be a beautiful equation." Read more, here.