The 2007-08 winner of the Siemens Foundation Founder's Award has been announced! Congratulations to Mathworks!
Mathworks is a center for innovation in mathematics education at Texas State University. Their mission is to develop model programs and self-sustaining learning communities that engage Texas K-12 students from all backgrounds in doing mathematics at a high level. Summer math camps and after school programs include undergraduate counselors mentored by more experienced math teachers, who themselves are being trained as teacher-leaders for their districts. Developing students' natural math abilities earlier is critical to their success in algebra and more advanced math. Mathworks programs are raising the level of mathematics for all students, while developing our leaders for the 21st century.
The program's Director and Founder is Dr. Max Warshauer. Dr. Warshauer began the Math Project in the San Marcos Public Schools from 1984-1988. This program was designed to prepare young students for algebra. He founded the Honors Summer Math Camp (HSMC) in 1990, and has taught the number theory course each summer. He began the Math Camp Endowment in 1991 to permanently support this program.
Dr. Warshauer extended the program to include younger students in 1996 by founding the Junior Summer Math Camp (JSMC). He developed this into a replicable model and included teacher training in 1997, and founded the Math Institute for Talented Youth (MITY) to coordinate all the programs. In 2001, Dr. Warshauer changed MITY’s name to Mathworks, stressing the expanded mission of this institute in making math work for all students as well as teachers. A list of external grants and donations is attached, totaling over $4 million.
Mathworks was recognized by Governor Perry as one of five programs in Texas to receive the 2001 Texas Higher Education Star Award for Closing the Gaps. Dr. Warshauer was one of 10 individuals in the country to receive the 2001 Presidential Award for Excellence in Science, Mathematics, and Engineering Mentoring. In 2006, Dr. Warshauer received the Presidential Recognition Award for Teaching.
From 2001-2004, Mathworks sent the first U. S. teams ever to compete in the Primary Math World Contest in Hong Kong. The teams were trained as part of Mathworks Level 5. Mathworks teams again participated in 2006, and won the Po Leung Kuk Cup as the top non-Asian team for the 4th time. Fifty-six (56) Mathworks students have been named Siemens-Westinghouse semi-finalists the past 6 years, 26 regional finalists, and 6 students (2 teams) national finalists (top 6 in the country).
For additional info:
http://www.txstate.edu/mathworks/
