The Institute for Advanced Study/IAS/Park City Mathematics Institute (PCMI) is designed for mathematics educators at the secondary and post-secondary level, as well as mathematics researchers and students at the post-secondary level. These groups find at PCMI an intensive mathematical experience geared to their individual needs. Moreover, the interaction among groups with different backgrounds and professional needs increases each participant’s appreciation of the mathematical community as a whole as well as the work of participants in different areas.
PCMI programming consists of the following:
The flagship program of PCMI is the three week Summer Session for:.
At the annual Summer Session all six of PCMI’s groupsmeet simultaneously, pursuing both individual courses of study and a meaningful amount of interaction. The rich mathematical experience combined with interaction among all participants results in greatly increased understanding and awareness of the issues confronting mathematics and mathematics education today.
The Research in Mathematics Program comprises daily seminars and informal working groups. It offers advanced scholars the opportunity to do research, collaborate with their peers, meet outstanding students, and explore new teaching methods with professional educators. The organizers envision a strong interaction between the Research Program and the Graduate Summer School and thus encourage participants in each program to actively participate in as many of each program’s activities as desired.
Centered around lectures by leading computer scientists, the Graduate Summer School gives students the opportunity to interact with advanced researchers as well as professional educators, other graduate students, and undergraduate students. Activities are designed to promote personal contact, facilitate collaborative work, advance careers, and demonstrate the complementary aspects of research and education.
The Undergraduate Summer School immerses undergraduate students in a multi-level, intensive research environment and in the educational, cultural, and social issues that characterize the broader mathematics community. Strong interaction with the Undergraduate Faculty Program is fostered.
Collegiate mathematicians with a strong interest in undergraduate education are encouraged to apply to the Undergraduate Faculty Program. Seminars and activities are designed to give these participants the opportunity to advance their mathematical knowledge and hone their teaching skills in an environment where both research and educational goals are being pursued.
The Secondary School Teachers Program is designed to deepen teachers' knowledge of mathematics and to explore new methods of teaching with the goal of realizing mathematics education reform.
Professional Development and Outreach Groups:
For Secondary school teachers, the Summer Session is one of two opportunities available for professional development. The second opportunity is involvement in a year-long program of Professional Development and Outreach (PDO) groups based at cooperating universities around the country. Within their PDO groups, the participating secondary school teachers work in collaboration with university faculty to become leaders in their schools, their school districts, and the larger community.
How PCMI is different:
The defining feature of PCMI is the interaction among participants from all programs. With few exceptions, all program lectures and seminars at the Summer Session are open to all participants. In addition to the lectures and courses developed specifically for each group, there are daily activities and lectures of general interest. These are designed to foster communication among the participants and deepen insight into mathematics at all levels. Many opportunities for informal and social interaction are available, ranging from organized Cross Program activities to casual conversations over breakfast or lunch. In addition, the PCMI environment facilitates cross-program mentoring to encourage a sense of community among participants.
| THE INSTITUTE FOR ADVANCED STUDY
The Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, New Jersey, exists to encourage and support fundamental scholarship, the original and often speculative thinking that is at the source of new knowledge. Founded in 1930 as an independent nonprofit institution, the Institute fulfills a unique role in postgraduate education and scientific and scholarly research. As "the university to universities" the Institute serves all colleges and universities by providing a place where scholars can do their best work, thereby adding substantially to their ability to contribute as both teachers and scholars to the academic institutions where they will base their careers. The Institute is organized in four schools: Historical Studies, Mathematics, Natural Sciences, and Social Science. The broad range of scholarly interests within each school transcends the usual divisions of academic subjects. This breadth of coverage and the opportunity it provides for independent, self-directed scholarship distinguish the Institute from most other centers for research and scholarship, as does its permanent faculty, composed of twenty-two eminent scholars who guide the work of the Schools and each year award fellowships to about 180 visiting Members. The IAS/Park City Mathematics Institute is an outreach program of the School of Mathematics at the Institute for Advanced Study. |
PCMI Steering Committee:
Director: Richard Hain, Duke University
Aaron Bertram, University of Utah
Andrew J. Bernoff, Harvey Mudd College
Gail Burrill, Michigan State University
Carol Hattan, Skyview High School, Vancouver, WA
James King, Universtiy of Washington
Johnny Lott, University of Mississippi
John Polking, Rice University
Cristian Popescu, University of California-San Diego
Karl Rubin, University of California-Irvine
Alice Silverberg, University of California-Irvine
Ronald Stern, University of California-Irvine
PCMI Oversight Board:
Chair: Phillip Griffiths, Institute for Advanced Study
Hyman Bass, University of Michigan
Peter Goddard, Institute for Advanced Study
Ronald Graham, University of California San Diego
Robert MacPherson, Institute for Advanced Study
Elaine Wolfensohn, Wolfensohn Family Foundation