We are thrilled to celebrate another successful Applied Mathematics Teachers Circle @ UCLA where 29 elementary, middle, and high school educators came to explore applied mathematics and pedagogy through activities grounded in biological science!
Even Highlights
Through the generous support of the Nicholas Endowment, participants engaged with lessons connecting mathematics to real-world biological phenomena. Elementary educators investigated ecosystems using data from the Isle Royale Wolf-Moose Study and predator-prey simulations. Middle school educators explored disease spread through SIR models and compared virus variants by analyzing case rates and modeling trends. High school educators used data and mathematical models to investigate biological aging, patterns in DNA, and the relationship between mammal size, lifespan, and heartbeats.
The day also featured researchers from UCLA Bioinformatics. Emma Wade, Anna McDonald, and Praveena Ratnavel shared their research with participants and guided educators through a hands-on strawberry DNA extraction lab. Their contributions offered another powerful example of how mathematics helps scientists investigate complex questions about the natural world.
What’s Next?
A huge thank you to the Nicholas Endowment, our UCLA Collaborators, and all the educators who joined us to explore mathematical thinking and pedagogy. Your energy and enthusiasm made our second AMTC another resounding success.
We look forward to welcoming educators back for the AMTC @ UCLA in the 2026-2027 academic year and sharing more innovative lessons that bring mathematics to life in the classroom.
