The Math Bridge Speaker Program: Bridging the Gap Between High School and University Mathematics

Conjecture (James): every math student, at one point or another, has been, or will be, asked the following question: “What do you plan on doing with a math degree?”

Often, this question is paired with the assumption that you plan on teaching or pursuing a research position in the cutthroat, publish-or-perish world of academia. What people often fail to realize is that a math degree can get someone hired in the areas of sports statistics, finance, mathematical software development, or even biomedical engineering. Ultimately, amidst all the worrying about getting into teacher’s college or passing the dreaded comprehensive exams, even we are often guilty of forgetting about the various career options that exist for mathematicians.

Through a series of talks given by Western University students, the Math Bridge Speaker Program aims to facilitate the transition from high school to university and showcases the benefits of incorporating math into one’s university degree. The program also makes a point of highlighting the alternative paths one can take as a mathematician to assure students that teaching and academia needn’t be their destiny. This high school outreach program is made possible by the sponsorship of Western University’s Department of Mathematics and the Association for Women in Mathematics Western Chapter.

President Erina Mitha founded the Math Bridge Speaker Program to enable students with powerful personal stories to share their experiences with high school students. In March, as President of Western University’s chapter of the Association of Women in Mathematics (AWM), Erina gave a talk at Oakridge Secondary School in London, Ontario, during which she discussed the connection between neuroplasticity and mathematical thinking. She aimed to dismantle the belief that one must be naturally good at something in order to pursue it; in particular, you do not need to be a “math person” to pursue an education in mathematics.

“Sometimes all it takes is saying one thing that resonates with a student to alter the path they take in this life.” 

— Erina Mitha, President and Founder of the Math Bridge Speaker Program

Erina is a firm believer that anyone, including those with learning disabilities such as attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and dyscalculia, can incorporate the mathematical sciences into their education. “My biggest message to students was that if I can pursue a math degree, anyone can,” Erina says. She knows that others also have powerful personal stories that, when shared, could have an incredible impact on high school students; this is what inspired her to create the Math Bridge Speaker Program.

In the upcoming year, the Math Bridge Speaker Program aims to give several talks to high school classrooms across London, Ontario. With that, the program is looking for speakers affiliated with Western University who are interested in giving a short talk about an inspirational personal story; though the talk need not be related to math, the program suggests that it be related to academics in some capacity. Speakers are also responsible for preparing visual aids for their talk, ideally in the form of Canva slides with animations. Moreover, selected speakers will be supported in the development of their speaking skills to ensure an impactful delivery of their story; to this end, the program requires chosen speakers to attend a minimum of one workshop hosted by SpeakWestern, an organization at Western University which aims to help students build their social confidence.

More details about application requirements can be found on the Math Bridge website. For those who are interested in getting involved with the Math Bridge Speaker Program, speaker applications are due September 20, 2024. Any questions or concerns can be emailed to emitha@uwo.ca with “Math Bridge” in the subject line.