Mathematical Sciences Blog

Michigan Tech Hosts Tivitz Tournament – March 18

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Michigan Tech Hosts Tivitz Tournament

Michigan Tech’s Center for Pre-College Outreach (CPCO) will be hosting the 10th annual Tivitz Tournament today from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the SDC Wood Gym. Seven schools from the western Upper Peninsula will be sending about 150 students from grades 4 through 7.

Tivitz is a board game that combines the logic and strategy of checkers/chess with arithmetic problem-solving. Students move their play pieces (tivits) across the game board, one at a time, until they reach goal spaces. Once they reach the other side of the board, they must solve the indicated math problem correctly to score the most points. Pairs of students will play one practice and three scored rounds in a friendly competition to wind up among the highest-scoring in their grade.

Between rounds of Tivitz play, students and staff of Michigan Tech will lead several hands-on activities that demonstrate mathematical concepts.

“Our goal is to show interesting demos that involve math to compliment Tivitz game play,” says Liz Fujita, coordinator at CPCO. “There is a lot of math in everyday life, and a lot of little oddities that are fun to consider.”

The Tivitz Tournament is made possible by the CPCO in partnership with the Department of Mathematical Sciences and the Western UP Center for Science, Mathematics and Environmental Education.

From Tech Today

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GSG Award Winners – Mathematical Sciences

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The Graduate School and Graduate Student Government proudly announce the 2014-2015 academic year winners (see Tech Today for all winners).

Shuaimin Kang (MS candidate, Applied Mathematics) and Rachel Rupnow (MS candidate, Pure Mathematics) received the Outstanding Scholarship Award recognizing academic performance in areas such as excellent GPA, originality in research, leadership and teamwork.  Bryan Freyberg (PhD candidate, Discrete Mathematics) and Ethan Novak (PhD candidate, Discrete Mathematics) received the Outstanding Teaching Award recognizing graduate students who have exhibited exceptional ability as a teacher, have received excellent evaluations from students, as well as gaining the respect of faculty in their departments.

From Tech Today

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Elizabeth Reed Nominated for Distinguished Teaching Award

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The William G. Jackson Center for Teaching and Learning seeks input for its annual Distinguished Teaching Awards, which recognize outstanding contribution to the instructional mission of the University.

Based on more than 50,000 student rating of instruction responses, ten finalists have been identified for the 2015 awards. The selection committee is soliciting comments from students, staff, faculty and alumni to aid in its deliberation process.

Senior Lecturer Beth Reed is one of the finalists in the Assistant Professor/Lecturer/Professor of Practice category.

Comments on the nominees are due by Friday, April 3, and can be completed online.

The process for determining the Distinguished Teaching Award recipients from this list of finalists also involves the additional surveying of their classes. The selection committee makes the final determination of the award recipients. The recipients of the 2015 Distinguished Teaching Award will be formally announced in May 2015.

Read more at Tech Today.

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