

For five years MathHappens Foundation has explored creative communication, novel learning environments and partnerships with informal education institutions like history museums, cemeteries, zoos, parks, movie theaters, medical associations and archives. Our approach to these efforts has been based in the notion that when we leave mathematics out of our cultural conversations we fail to provide connections, community context and collaborative learning experiences that show why we should learn mathematics, what we can use if for, and how we can apply this understanding to making a better world. Topics like the golden ratio, founding of epidemiology, multiple uses of the quadrant for construction, measurement and navigation, land survey systems, and more show how mathematical invention, devices and concepts are integral parts of our history, science and government. I’d like to talk about some of the work we have done, the projects we have sponsored and both the need and opportunity to do more in this era of extreme disruption to education.