MoMath September – October 2023 Upcoming Events
Dear MoMath friends,
It’s a season of new beginnings at MoMath. Kick off the new school year this September with FREE field trips for Title I schools — set the stage for a great year by bringing your students to MoMath, where math is always engaging, exploratory, and fun! Composite, the gallery at MoMath, has a new beginning of its own with a show featuring the rarely-seen sculptural work of Holocaust survivor Hans Noë, curated by veteran arts writer Lawrence Weschler. And the Museum is delighted to welcome its new Distinguished Visiting Professor for the Public Dissemination of Mathematics, Dr. Ingrid Daubechies, a Belgian physicist and mathematician who will bring an artistic bent to her time at MoMath —
don’t miss your opportunity to meet and welcome Ingrid in person at her free public talk on September 19, or join her online as she hosts a series of exciting programs throughout the coming months. New programs, new people, new season… stay tuned to MoMath for an ongoing year of new beginnings.
MoMath (11 East 26th Street, in Manhattan) is open from 10 am to 5 pm, seven days a week, 364 days a year. The Museum occasionally closes early for events; please check visit.momath.org for more information.
| MoMath at a Glance | ||
| All times are in Eastern Time Zone (New York). | ||
| For educators: | ||
Book with MoMath to illuminate the beauty of math to your students!
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| For parents and students: | ||
Apply now for MoMath’s afterschool math programs, designed to engage and challenge mathematically-gifted students in NYC and beyond
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| 2024 Steven H. Strogatz Prize for Math Communication Are you a high school student who wants to share your love of math with the world? Cash prizes will be awarded for compelling math communication projects, and winning projects will be posted online. Learn more and apply, starting on September 1, at strogatzprize.momath.org. |
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| Opening Sept 7 | ||
Sculpture: the work of Hans Noë, a new mathematical art exhibition opening in Composite, the gallery at MoMath
Visiting Composite is free with Museum admission or membership; no advance registration required. |
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| Sat, Aug 26 | 3:00 pm | Krazy Kahoot, MoMath’s family quiz show! Hosted by Steve Sherman (online) |
| Sun, Aug 27 | 10:00 am to 1:00 pm |
Free Play (Free general admission to MoMath) (in person) |
| Sun, Aug 27 | 4:00 pm | Topological Crochet (in person) |
| Tue, Aug 29 | 4:00 pm | Loving Math — stories, games, and laughter in a hilariously fun children’s series (online) |
| Wed, Aug 30 | 2:00 pm | Senior Sessions: “Math in the Corner Pocket” (online) |
| Fri, Sep 1 | Application period opens for The 2024 Steven H. Strogatz Prize for Math Communication | |
| Tue, Sep 5 | 4:00 pm | Loving Math — stories, games, and laughter in a hilariously fun children’s series (online) |
| Wed, Sep 6 | 4:00 pm 7:00 pm |
Free! Math Encounters: “The Simplicity of Complexity: the Art of Unpuzzling Mathematics” featuring Hugo Parlier (in person) |
| Thu, Sep 7 | 2:00 pm | Senior Sessions: “Gallery of Graphs” (online) |
| Thu, Sep 7 | 4:00 pm | Ask a Mathematician — Anything! featuring Ingrid Daubechies (online) |
| Thu, Sep 7 | 6:00 pm | Opening reception for Sculpture: the work of Hans Noë, a new art show in Composite, the gallery at MoMath (in person) |
| Fri, Sep 8 | 4:30 pm | Folding Fridays, MoMath’s origami series (online) |
| Fri, Sep 8 | 6:30 pm | Free! Family Fridays: “Moving All Around” with Chaim Goodman-Strauss (in person) |
| Sun, Sep 10 | 4:00 pm | Tween Primes: “Mathemalchemy: A Comic Book Adventure in Math and Art” featuring Jay and Max Hosler; hosted by Ingrid Daubechies (online) |
| Mon, Sep 11 | 6:30 pm | QED: a conversation about math and math education — featuring Colleen Robles; hosted by Ingrid Daubechies (online) |
| Tue, Sep 12 | 2:00 pm | Senior Sessions: “Math in Art: Tessellations I” (online) |
| Tue, Sep 12 | 4:00 pm | Loving Math — stories, games, and laughter in a hilariously fun children’s series (online) |
| Wed, Sep 13 | 5:30 pm | Book launch: Once Upon a Prime: The Wondrous Connections Between Mathematics and Literature, featuring author Sarah Hart (in person) |
| Wed, Sep 13 | 7:00 pm | Volumes: featuring a discussion of Once Upon a Prime: The Wondrous Connections Between Mathematics and Literature with author Sarah Hart (online) |
| Fri, Sep 15 | 4:30 pm | Folding Fridays, MoMath’s origami series (online) |
| Tue, Sep 19 | 4:00 pm | Loving Math — stories, games, and laughter in a hilariously fun children’s series (online) |
| Tue, Sep 19 | 8:00 pm | Free! Wavelets: a mathematical synthesis of ideas from many fields, honoring the installation of Ingrid Daubechies as MoMath’s 2023-2024 Distinguished Visiting Professor (in person) |
| Wed, Sep 20 | 2:00 pm | Senior Sessions: “Polyomino Puzzlers” (online) |
| Thu, Sep 21 | 3:00 pm to 6:00 pm |
Free Play (Free admission to MoMath!) (in person) |
| Thu, Sep 21 | 6:30 pm | Starring Math: the math of Numb3rs, hosted by Ingrid Daubechies (online) |
| Fri, Sep 22 | 4:00 pm | Meet a Mathematician: Jonathan Mattingly (online) |
| Fri, Sep 22 | 4:30 pm | Folding Fridays, MoMath’s origami series (online) |
| Sat, Sep 23 | 3:00 pm | Krazy Kahoot, MoMath’s family quiz show! Hosted by Steve Sherman (online) |
| Sun, Sep 24 | 10:00 am to 1:00 pm |
Free Play (Free admission to MoMath!) (in person) |
| Sun, Sep 24 | 1:00 pm | Extensions online program for gifted math students in grades 6–12 (online) |
| Tue, Sep 26 | 4:00 pm | Loving Math — stories, games, and laughter in a hilariously fun children’s series (online) |
| Wed, Sep 27 | 4:00 pm | Free! Math Gym, a workout for your brain (online) |
| Thu, Sep 28 | 2:00 pm | Senior Sessions: “Dynamic Dice” (online) |
| Fri, Sep 29 | 4:30 pm | Folding Fridays, MoMath’s origami series (online) |
| Tue, Oct 3 | 6:30 pm | Beyond Boundaries: MoMath on the Move, the 2023 MoMath gala (in person) |
| Wed, Oct 4 | 2:00 pm | Senior Sessions: “Rep-tiles” (online) |
| Wed, Oct 4 | 4:00 pm 7:00 pm |
Free! Math Encounters: “Farm to Table Math: Play with your food and learn!” featuring Kathleen Kavanagh (in person) |
| Mon, Oct 9 | 6:30 pm | Mathemalchemy: “Infinity” — a minicourse with Ingrid Daubechies (in person) |
| Tue, Oct 10 | 2:00 pm | Senior Sessions: “Magic Squares” (online) |
| Wed, Oct 11 | 6:30 pm | Mathemalchemy: “Symmetric Patterns and Tiling” — a minicourse with Ingrid Daubechies (in person) |
| Mon, Oct 16 | 6:30 pm | Mathemalchemy: “Error-Correcting Codes” — a minicourse with Ingrid Daubechies (in person) |
| Tue, Oct 17 | 2:00 pm | Senior Sessions: “Exhibit Explorations: Pythagorean Puzzlers” (online) |
| Tue, Oct 17 | 6:00 pm | Hans Noë in conversation with Lawrence Weschler, Chaim Goodman-Strauss, Alva Noë, and others (in person) |
| Wed, Oct 18 | 6:30 pm | Mathemalchemy: “Prime and Composite Numbers” — a minicourse with Ingrid Daubechies (in person) |
| Fri, Oct 20 | 6:30 pm | Free! Family Fridays: “Artful Math” with Clarissa Grandi (in person) |
| Sun, Oct 22 | 1:00 pm | Extensions online program for gifted math students in grades 6–12 (online) |
| Sun, Oct 22 | 5:30 pm | Unlimited, MoMath’s mix-n-mingle program for students in middle and high school — create a Rubik’s Cube Mosaic! (in person) |
| Wed, Oct 25 | 4:00 pm | Free! Math Gym, a workout for your brain (online) |
| Thu, Oct 26 | 2:00 pm | Senior Sessions: “Cryptarithmetic” (online) |
| Sat, Oct 28 | 3:00 pm | Krazy Kahoot, MoMath’s family quiz show! (online) |
| Wed, Nov 1 | 4:00 pm 7:00 pm |
Free! Math Encounters: “Realizing Abstractions: what can mathematics do for art?” featuring Edmund Harriss (in person) |
| Fri, Nov 3 | 6:30 pm | Free! Family Fridays: “Build Like Banneker… with Math!” with Shelly Jones (in person) |
IN THE NEWS:
- What Improv Can Do for Mathematicians, highlighting MoMath’s Mathematics Outreach Seminar and Training (MOST) Program for early career professionals in mathematics who identify as female (New York Times)
- With a New, Improved ‘Einstein,’ Puzzlers Settle a Math Problem, featuring MoMath’s Outreach Mathematician, Chaim Goodman-Strauss (New York Times)
- Why Are There So Many Big Lottery Jackpots?, featuring MoMath’s Distinguished Visiting Professor, Tim Chartier (NerdWallet)
- Conversations with women in STEM: Museum of Mathematics & Cindy Lawrence, Executive Director of MoMath (Ordinarily Extraordinary)
- Using Math To Teach The Rules Of Baseball (NBC News 4)
- Visit inthenews.momath.org for more!
Visit MoMath
Purchase admission tickets to visit MoMath at visit.momath.org, or show your support for MoMath by joining as a member at members.momath.org. Members receive free unlimited admission and free access to an extensive library of event recordings.
Retail Pick-of-the-Month: Puzzle Face
With Puzzle Face, one single 300-piece puzzle can be assembled — and re-assembled, again and again — to make any face. To start, sort the 300 pieces. Then, using the Image Key as a guide, place each color-coded/numbered piece (code side up) in the correct place and orientation. Once all the pieces are assembled, flip the puzzle to reveal the Puzzle Face! There are billions of possibilities and infinite fun!
MATH MADE SPECIALLY FOR YOU
Organizing a team outing or class playdate? Make it fun and mathematical — host it at MoMath!
Large groups of 25 or more individuals receive discounted admission rates; email groupsales@momath.org for details and pricing. Advance purchase and a reservation is required for all large groups.
Need a gift for the math fan in your life? Give them a MoMath gift card!
Give the gift of math! Purchase a gift card by phone (212-542‑0566) or stop by Additions , the shop at MoMath, to pick up your gift card today, good for purchases in the shop or for admission to the Museum.
Host your birthday party at MoMath! (in person or online!)
Looking to host a one-of-a-kind birthday party full of fabulous mathematical fun? Invite your guests to MoMath for unique party activities and games, plus a chance to explore more than 40 engaging exhibits! From captivating constructions to scintillating scavenger hunts, enjoy exceptional experiences for birthday celebrants of all ages. Can your hands race as fast as your minds? With your choice of customized activities, parties can be personalized for all ages of birthday boys and girls — from children through adults, from simple to complicated. Not in New York? Check out MoMath’s origami birthday parties, available exclusively online — you and your guests can learn the wondrous art of
paper folding from an origami expert! Birthday honorees of all ages are welcome to celebrate at MoMath. For pricing and details, please email birthdays@momath.org.
Book a Derivatives tour of MoMath (in person)
Whether you’re part of a group or by yourself, book a Derivatives tour and enjoy a new perspective on MoMath in a small group setting as you stroll through the Museum with an expert tour guide leading the way. Learn more at derivatives.momath.org. To request a tour, please email groupsales@momath.org with the subject line “Derivatives Tour.”
Sign up for one-on-one math tutoring (in person/online)
Is your child struggling in math? Or are they mathematically precocious and ready for more? We can help! MoMath is offering limited private tutoring for grades K–12 with certified teachers who have extensive experience successfully teaching students online and in the classroom. Whether your child needs assistance with homework or exam preparation, or they’re eager to discover the beauty in mathematics beyond the curriculum, MoMath’s instructors are ready to help. For more information, please email tutoring@momath.org.
MoMath goes out to SCHOOLS! Book an educator visit, MM2GO traveling exhibition, or on-campus field trip today
Students and educators, let MoMath come to you! MoMath’s fully vaccinated and engaging math specialists can bring MoMath’s unique blend of enriching math activities and/or hands-on MM2GO exhibits to your campus, anywhere in the US and beyond. Learn more and book your in-school MoMath workshop today at fieldtrips.momath.org. (Sponsorships for Title I schools are available; funding is limited. Apply online at titleone.momath.org.)
Math on the House mailing list — sign up to be notified when FREE tickets become available
MoMath is pleased to offer Math on the House, a mailing list for valued Museum patrons to receive free, last-minute tickets to select events when spots become available. To subscribe, visit mathonthehouse.momath.org.
REGISTER OR APPLY NOW
The Einstein Mad Hat Competitions
Now accepting entries
To celebrate the recent discoveries of the Hat and Spectre tiles — a family of shapes that tessellate the plane but only in a non-repeating way — MoMath and the United Kingdom Mathematics Trust are pleased to announce The Einstein Mad Hat Competitions. Prizes will be awarded for creative renditions of the Hat and Spectre tiles, especially designs that highlight the connections between mathematics, art, design, and catering. The submission deadline is October 15, 2023. Learn more and submit your entry at momath.org/hatcontest.
Expansions, MoMath’s gifted math program to engage and challenge NYC’s brightest math students (grades 1–12)
Apply now for the 2023–2024 school year; classes begin September 26
Reinvent math class with Expansions, MoMath’s afternoon gifted program. Featuring programs for math-loving students enrolled in first through eighth grades, Expansions workshops are designed and delivered by MoMath’s education team to illuminate the wonders of mathematics, challenge and inspire students, and broaden their mathematical horizons. With topics ranging from fractals to cellular automata, these afternoon classes provide an opportunity for participants to learn advanced and fascinating topics not included in the standard K–12 curriculum. Plus, students can benefit from enjoying math together in small groups of talented and focused young scholars. The application window for
the 2023-2024 school year is open! Learn more and apply for the program at expansions.momath.org.
Extensions, MoMath’s online gifted math program (grades 6–12)
Apply now for the 2023–2024 school year; Sundays once a month, beginning September 24
One Sunday a month, put on your thinking cap and join Chaim Goodman-Strauss online for a session to engage and challenge the brightest minds from around the country in grades six through twelve. Chaim is MoMath’s Outreach Mathematician and one of the four researchers who most recently discovered two mathematical breakthroughs: the Hat and the Spectre. This fall semester, students will learn about probability while also benefiting from enjoying math together in small groups of talented and focused young scholars. The application window for the 2023-2024 school year is open! Learn more and apply for the program at exptensions.momath.org.
Integrators: the MoMath high school volunteer program (in person)
MoMath accepts a limited number of high school students for ongoing volunteer roles during summer vacation and/or the academic year. The Integrators program offers a unique chance to improve interpersonal and communication skills, explore mathematical concepts, and learn valuable job skills. MoMath Integrators interact with visitors (on the Museum floor or online) and train with professional educators, interpreters, and managers. Students who participate during summer vacation commit five days per week, while school-year participants commit approximately one day per week, typically a Saturday or Sunday, from September through June. The application window is now OPEN for volunteering in the
2023-2024 school year. Interviews will be conducted in August and early September. Learn more at integrators.momath.org.
School field trips and other educational opportunities (in person/online)
MoMath offers almost two dozen educator-led sessions for K-12 students, ranging from constructing polygons to creating Möbius strips, available either in person or online. Bring your students to MoMath for a peek into the exciting world of mathematics, and see why students and teachers of all ages love the Museum. Or, let MoMath come to you — choose from a range of on-campus options, including MoMath educator-led activities or MoMath traveling exhibits. Learn more and register at fieldtrips.momath.org.
Steven H. Strogatz Prize for Math Communication — awarded to students 15 to 18 years old
Application period opens Friday, September 1
Are you a high school student who wants to share your love of math with the world? Enter this worldwide contest! Cash prizes will be awarded for compelling math communication projects, and award-winning projects will be posted online. To learn more, visit strogatzprize.momath.org.
Title I schools are eligible for free programs and field trips (in person/online)
MoMath’s free outreach programs for Title I schools include in-person and online field trips to the Museum, workshops presented by experienced MoMath educators in your classroom, and visits to your school by Math Midway 2 Go (MM2GO), MoMath’s travelling suite of original mathematical exhibits. Support for these programs is now available, thanks to contributions from individuals and organizations including: Judith Gibbons and Francesco Scattone, Con Edison, The Scripps Family Fund for Education and the Arts, Two Sigma, the Hearst Foundations, the Manhattan Community Awards Program (MCAP), and New York City Council Members Carlina Rivera (Council District 2) and Mercedes Narcisse (Council District 46). These
programs are supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council. To apply for one of these free programs, visit titleone.momath.org. Interested in sponsoring one of them? Email donation@momath.org.
UPCOMING EVENTS
For a complete listing of upcoming events and programs at MoMath, please visit events.momath.org.
Krazy Kahoot, MoMath’s family quiz show (online)
Saturday, August 26 at 3:00 pm ET
Join MoMath’s favorite math quizmaster Steve Sherman for a fun-filled family game bursting with a wide range of entertaining questions for all ages. Is your family up for this lively challenge?! Recommended for ages 10 to 110, although younger children who are mathematically precocious are always welcome. Register at krazy.momath.org.
Free! Free Play — free general admission to MoMath! (in person)
Sunday, August 27, 10:00 am to 1:00 pm ET
During Free Play, general admission to MoMath will be completely free! Come enjoy all your favorite exhibits — and if you have friends who have never been to the Museum, there’s no better time to bring them along. Please note that free admission is available on a first-come, first-served basis; MoMath will limit entry once capacity is reached. An early arrival is strongly encouraged for this popular event. Registration is not required.
Topological Crochet (in person)
Sunday, August 27 at 4:00 pm ET
Are you a topologist who’s keen to make an interesting mapping cylinder, a geometer who likes to see a beautiful surface spanning in space, a polyhedra worshipper, a knotter tyer who would love to expand your portfolio? Maybe you are a crocheter in search of a novelty project, or a fan of Bathsheba Grossman, Charles Perry, and Brent Collins and would love to make small models of their work by yourself? If you answered “yes” to any of those questions, or if you just want to crochet some interesting and beautiful mathematical surfaces, topological crochet is perfect for you! Register at momath.org/crochet.
Loving Math — stories, games, and laughter in a hilariously fun children’s hour (online)
Tuesday, August 29 at 4:00 pm ET
Join master storyteller Steve Sherman for an exciting session designed for kindergartners through third graders. If your child loves stories, games, and laughter, don’t miss this wild and wacky event! Register at loving.momath.org.
Senior Sessions: “Math in the Corner Pocket” (online)
Wednesday, August 30 at 2:00 pm ET
Senior citizens, exercise your brain in 45-minute math sessions! Join MoMath’s experienced presenters for intriguing classes on a variety of stimulating topics, and enjoy the discovery and challenges in these engaging, interactive activities with a collegial cohort of mature minds. In this session, you’ll explore angles and the law of reflection while tracing the path of a billiard ball as it bounces off the walls of a pool table. Use patterns to discover a simple method to predict in which pocket the ball will land and learn how to prove that your prediction is correct. Game on! For senior citizens / mature adults. Register at seniorsessions.momath.org.
Application period opens for the 2024 Steven H. Strogatz Prize for Math Communication — awarded to students 15 to 18 years old
Friday, September 1
Are you a high school student who wants to share your love of math with the world? Enter this worldwide contest! Cash prizes will be awarded for compelling math communication projects, and award-winning projects will be posted online. To learn more and apply, visit strogatzprize.momath.org.
Loving Math — stories, games, and laughter in a hilariously fun children’s hour (online)
Tuesday, September 5 at 4:00 pm ET
Join master storyteller Steve Sherman for an exciting session designed for kindergartners through third graders. If your child loves stories, games, and laughter, don’t miss this wild and wacky event! Register at loving.momath.org.
Free! Math Encounters: “The Simplicity of Complexity: the Art of Unpuzzling Mathematics” featuring Hugo Parlier (in person)
Wednesday, September 6 at 4:00 pm and 7:00 pm ET
How can we use puzzles to illustrate the process of mathematical research? Join mathematician Hugo Parlier for an exploration of the engaging Quadratis puzzles, which use simple rules on square-tiled surfaces and are engaging at all levels. Using ideas from topology, each puzzle can be associated with a “puzzle space” — the network you travel in while playing the puzzle. These spaces can be visualized and studied, and they turn out to have all sorts of interesting properties. From simple to difficult to potentially impossible, exploring these puzzles will allow us to experience the birth of mathematical complexity. Math Encounters is MoMath’s popular free public presentation
series celebrating the spectacular world of mathematics, produced with support from Simons Foundation International. Register for free at mathencounters.momath.org.
Senior Sessions: “Gallery of Graphs” (online)
Thursday, September 7 at 2:00 pm ET
Dig into graph theory by exploring the connection between vertices and edges — and the walls of any house. Discover a method to determine whether a ghost can haunt a castle or if a figure can be drawn without lifting the pen. Explore how these two problems are related and learn what they have to do with bridges in 18th-century Prussia, all while enjoying a unique and accessible introduction to this sophisticated branch of mathematics. For senior citizens / mature adults. Learn more and register at seniorsessions.momath.org.
Ask a Mathematician — Anything! featuring Ingrid Daubechies (online)
Thursday, September 7 at 4:00 pm ET
Ever wanted to ask a mathematician something, maybe about a curious new idea you have, or a concept you’d like to understand better? Don’t know whom to ask? Here’s your chance! MoMath’s 2023–2024 Distinguished Visiting Professor for the Public Dissemination of Mathematics, Ingrid Daubechies, will host this one-hour, online session. Learn more and register at momath.org/ask-anything.
Opening reception for Sculpture: the work of Hans Noë, a new art exhibition in Composite, the gallery at MoMath (in person)
Thursday, September 7 at 6:00 pm ET
Hans Noë is a 95-year-old Holocaust survivor who may not be so much a hidden master as a hiding one. Over the past several decades, he has been compiling a remarkable body of mathematically flecked, geometrically confounding sculptural work in virtually complete secret. Hans was born in 1928 in Czernowitz, a town of 250,000 in Eastern Europe which saw most of its population of 140,000 Jews perish. After many harrowing years of subterfuge and hiding, often in plain sight, he arrived in NYC where he became a protégé of and assistant to Tony Smith, the eminent sculptor and architect. Though he had some success thereafter building homes for artists in the Hamptons during the fifties and early sixties,
the deeply ingrained habit of never calling attention to himself worked somewhat against his success as an architect. After retiring, Hans built an exquisite house of his own up north along the Hudson River and started generating a singular collection of sculptures and maquettes. This show, curated by the veteran arts writer Lawrence Weschler, is the first time he is sharing this work with the public. Join us on Thursday, September 7 at 6:00 pm to celebrate the opening of this incredible show in Composite, the gallery at MoMath. Refreshments will be served. Register at composite.momath.org.
Folding Fridays, MoMath’s origami series (online)
Friday, September 8 at 4:30 pm ET
Tap into your creative mathematical side by learning to fold a unique origami model each week! Every session will be different, and each can stand alone. Explore the wonders of paper folding — there’s math in every fold! Register at foldingfridays.momath.org.
Free! Family Fridays: “Moving All Around” with Chaim Goodman-Strauss (in person)
Friday, September 8 at 6:30 pm ET
Family Fridays is designed to bring family members of all ages together to enjoy a diverse array of engaging mathematical activities, promoting interest and enthusiasm among kids and adults alike. Thanks to the generous support of Two Sigma, this program is free to attendees. Details and registration coming soon to familyfridays.momath.org.
Tween Primes: “Mathemalchemy: A Comic Book Adventure in Math and Art” (online)
Sunday, September 10 at 4:00 pm ET
Join Distinguished Visiting Professor Ingrid Daubechies for an engaging discussion of Mathemalchemy: A Comic Book Adventure in Math and Art. Ingrid will be joined by the book’s authors Jay and Max Hosler. Jay Hosler is a professor of biology at Juniata College and a cartoonist who has written and drawn several comics and graphic novels about science. Max Hosler has a degree in mathematics from the College of Wooster and has spent his life trying to explain math to his father, Jay. This comic book, which is available online for your reading pleasure, is evidence that some of that work has paid off! Register at tweenprimes.momath.org.
QED: a conversation about math and math education, featuring Colleen Robles (online)
Monday, September 11 at 6:30 pm ET
Join Ingrid Daubechies, MoMath’s 2023-2024 Distinguished Visiting Professor for the Public Dissemination of Mathematics, for engaging conversation about math and math education. This month, Ingrid welcomes Colleen Robles, professor of mathematics at Duke University where she led a team of undergraduate students who developed a teaching aid for an introductory linear algebra course. Using Lean, an open software tool that allows encoding formal proofs in its own functional programming language, the package they put together plays out like a game that allows students to write formal proofs in linear algebra. Learn more and register at qed.momath.org.
Senior Sessions: “Math in Art: Tessellations I” (online)
Tuesday, September 12 at 2:00 pm ET
Discover the wonderful world of tessellations! Explore how geometric shapes can completely cover a plane with no gaps or overlaps and discover where tessellations appear: in nature, in ancient Roman mosaics, in Islamic art and architecture, in quilting patterns, and in the works of modern artists such as M.C. Escher. Join us to build your own tessellations with regular polygons in this first offering in the Math in Art series. For senior citizens / mature adults. Learn more and register at seniorsessions.momath.org.
Loving Math — stories, games, and laughter in a hilariously fun children’s hour (online)
Tuesday, September 12 at 4:00 pm ET
Join master storyteller Steve Sherman for an exciting session designed for kindergartners through third graders. If your child loves stories, games, and laughter, don’t miss this wild and wacky event! Register at loving.momath.org.
Book launch: Once Upon a Prime: The Wondrous Connections Between Mathematics and Literature with Sarah Hart (in person)
Wednesday, September 13 at 5:30 pm ET
Join Sarah Hart for the launch of her new book, Once Upon a Prime: The Wondrous Connections Between Mathematics and Literature. We often think of mathematics and literature as polar opposites. But what if, instead, they were fundamentally linked? Learn more about the many connections between math and literature when you come by MoMath to meet Sarah in person and pick up a copy of Once Upon a Prime. Register at momath.org/onceupon.
Volumes: featuring a discussion of Once Upon a Prime: The Wondrous Connections Between Mathematics and Literature with author Sarah Hart (online)
Wednesday, September 13 at 7:00 pm ET
Love mathematics and books? Looking for a stimulating and fun discussion? Volumes, the MoMath book club, is just the thing for you. This reading group is designed especially for those interested in mathematics and science and how they affect our lives. Join MoMath’s Distinguished Visiting Professor Ingrid Daubechies as she welcomes Sarah Hart for an engaging conversation about Once Upon a Prime. In her clear, insightful, laugh-out-loud funny debut, Once Upon a Prime, Sarah shows us the myriad connections between math and literature, and how understanding those connections can enhance our enjoyment of both. Did you know, for instance, that Moby Dick is full of
sophisticated geometry? That James Joyce’s stream-of-consciousness novels are deliberately checkered with mathematical references? That George Eliot was obsessed with statistics? That Jurassic Park is undergirded by fractal patterns? That Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie wrote mathematician characters? From sonnets to fairytales to experimental French literature, Sarah shows how math and literature are complementary parts of the same quest to understand human life and our place in the universe. Register at volumes.momath.org.
Folding Fridays, MoMath’s origami series (online)
Friday, September 15 at 4:30 pm ET
Tap into your creative mathematical side by learning to fold a unique origami model each week! Every session will be different, and each can stand alone. Explore the wonders of paper folding — there’s math in every fold! Register at foldingfridays.momath.org.
Loving Math — stories, games, and laughter in a hilariously fun children’s hour (online)
Tuesday, September 19 at 4:00 pm ET
Join master storyteller Steve Sherman for an exciting session designed for kindergartners through third graders. If your child loves stories, games, and laughter, don’t miss this wild and wacky event! Register at loving.momath.org.
Wavelets: a mathematical synthesis of ideas from many fields, featuring Ingrid Daubechies, MoMath’s 2023-2024 Distinguished Visiting Professor (in person)
Tuesday, September 19 at 8:00 pm ET
Wavelets and the wavelet transform were formulated in the 1980s; they brought together in one concept ideas from many fields, including quantum mechanics, harmonic analysis of singular operators, geophysics, computer vision, and electrical engineering. The synthesis of these ideas into one family of tools led to applications in many directions, ranging from astrophysics to medical imaging and sports transmissions. Explore the fascinating topic of wavelets with the woman behind the concept, Ingrid Daubechies, MoMath’s 2023-2034 Distinguished Visiting Professor for the Public Dissemination of Mathematics. Register at momath.org/wavelets.
Senior Sessions: “Polyomino Puzzlers” (online)
Wednesday, September 20 at 2:00 pm ET
You’ve heard of dominoes, but have you ever heard of trominoes, tetrominoes, or pentominoes? Discover the many surprising shapes you can create simply by combining single-size squares and explore various types of symmetry using these unique objects. For senior citizens / mature adults. Register at seniorsessions.momath.org.
Free! Free Play — free general admission to MoMath! (in person)
Thursday, September 21, 3:00 pm to 6:00 pm ET
During Free Play, general admission to MoMath will be completely free! Come enjoy all your favorite exhibits — and if you have friends who have never been to the Museum, there’s no better time to bring them along. Please note that free admission is available on a first-come, first-served basis; MoMath will limit entry once capacity is reached. An early arrival is strongly encouraged for this popular event. Registration is not required.
Starring Math: the math of Numb3rs (online)
Thursday, September 21 at 6:30 pm ET
Each month for Starring Math, MoMath’s Distinguished Visiting Professor Ingrid Daubechies will host an hour of discussion about a specific episode of the tv series Numb3rs. Each month you’ll watch the featured episode at your convenience, then join Ingrid and her special guests, who will take us deeper into the making of the show and the math behind it. Learn more at starring.momath.org.
Meet a Mathematician: Jonathan Mattingly (online)
Friday, September 22 at 4:00 pm ET
Did you ever wonder what a mathematician does all day? Or what made someone decide to become a mathematician? Or even, what a mathematician does for fun? You may be surprised by some of the answers! Join Ingrid Daubechies, MoMath’s 2023–2024 Distinguished Visiting Professor for the Public Dissemination of Mathematics, in her inaugural Meet a Mathematician event as she welcomes Jonathan Mattingly to the MoMath stage to share his experiences, his story, and his love of mathematics. Jonathan is a faculty member at Duke University in the Mathematics and Statistics Departments as well as the holder of the Kimberly J. Jenkins Distinguished University Professor of New Technologies.
Mattingly’s research in probability has spanned many different areas and has led him to pioneering work on the math of gerrymandering, about which he testified to the Supreme Court. Register at meetmath.momath.org.
Folding Fridays, MoMath’s origami series (online)
Friday, September 22 at 4:30 pm ET
Tap into your creative mathematical side by learning to fold a unique origami model each week! Every session will be different, and each can stand alone. Explore the wonders of paper folding — there’s math in every fold! Register at foldingfridays.momath.org.
Krazy Kahoot, MoMath’s family quiz show (online)
Saturday, September 23 at 3:00 pm ET
Join MoMath’s favorite math quizmaster Steve Sherman for a fun-filled family game bursting with a wide range of entertaining questions for all ages. Is your family up for this lively challenge?! Recommended for ages 10 to 110, although younger children who are mathematically precocious are always welcome. Register at krazy.momath.org.
Free Play — free general admission to MoMath! (in person)
Sunday, September 24, 10:00 am to 1:00 pm ET
During Free Play, general admission to MoMath will be completely free! Come enjoy all your favorite exhibits — and if you have friends who have never been to the Museum, there’s no better time to bring them along. Please note that free admission is available on a first-come, first-served basis; MoMath will limit entry once capacity is reached. An early arrival is strongly encouraged for this popular event. Registration is not required.
Extensions online program for gifted math students in grades 6–12 (online)
Sunday, September 24 at 1:00 pm ET
One Sunday a month, put on your thinking cap and join Chaim Goodman-Strauss online for a session to engage and challenge the brightest minds from around the country in grades six through twelve. Chaim is MoMath’s Outreach Mathematician and one of the four researchers who most recently discovered two mathematical breakthroughs: the Hat and the Spectre. This fall semester, students will learn about probability while also benefiting from enjoying math together in small groups of talented and focused young scholars. The application window for the 2023-2024 school year is open! Learn more and apply for the program at extensions.momath.org. (Eligibility requirements apply.)
Loving Math — stories, games, and laughter in a hilariously fun children’s hour (online)
Tuesday, September 26 at 4:00 pm ET
Join master storyteller Steve Sherman for an exciting session designed for kindergartners through third graders. If your child loves stories, games, and laughter, don’t miss this wild and wacky event! Register at loving.momath.org.
Math Gym, a workout for your brain (online)
Wednesday, September 27 at 4:00 pm ET
Students, spend an hour independently working on engaging and beautiful math problems. Choose whichever challenges you like and explore them with the guidance and mentorship of an expert mathematician. If you love to experience the incredible joy of mathematical discovery, you won’t want to miss this enjoyable monthly program. Free to register; spots are limited. Register at mathgym.momath.org.
Senior Sessions: “Dynamic Dice” (online)
Thursday, September 28 at 2:00 pm ET
What are the odds of rolling a given sum with a pair of standard dice? Explore how to determine the probability, then challenge yourself to find a different way to number the dice to get the very same probabilities. For senior citizens / mature adults. Register at seniorsessions.momath.org.
Folding Fridays, MoMath’s origami series (online)
Friday, September 29 at 4:30 pm ET
Tap into your creative mathematical side by learning to fold a unique origami model each week! Every session will be different, and each can stand alone. Explore the wonders of paper folding — there’s math in every fold! Register at foldingfridays.momath.org.
Beyond Boundaries: MoMath on the Move, the 2023 MoMath gala (in person)
Tuesday, October 3 at 6:30 pm ET
Don’t miss math’s most fashionable event of the season! Join us at the Museum on October 3 for MoMath’s annual gala, a special evening of fun and mathematics. This year’s gala promises to be an entertaining and engaging evening, providing a rare opportunity to interact with MoMath’s exhibits without the crowds and to learn about the Museum’s exciting plans for the future. Learn more and show your support with a table sponsorship or gala ticket purchase at gala.momath.org.
Senior Sessions: “Rep-tiles” (online)
Wednesday, October 4 at 2:00 pm ET
Come discover mathematical rep-tiles, geometric shapes that can tile into repetitions of themselves. Learn about scaling, special tessellations, and mathematical proofs, while solving fun rep-tiles puzzles. For senior citizens / mature adults. Register at seniorsessions.momath.org.
Free! Math Encounters: “Farm to Table Math: Play with your food and learn!” featuring Kathleen Kavanagh (in person)
Wednesday, October 4 at 4:00 pm and 7:00 pm ET
When you think about where your food comes from, how to prepare it, and why it tastes good, you probably don’t think mathematics has much to do with it. Surprise! Join mathematician Kathleen Kavanagh — whose collaborations with farmers and passion for cooking led her to explore agriculture processes, cooking techniques, and food pairings — for a hands-on (and tasty!) exploration of the ways in which mathematics plays a role in what we eat. Learn more at mathencounters.momath.org.
Mathemalchemy, a minicourse with Ingrid Daubechies: “Infinity” (in person)
Monday, October 9 at 6:30 pm ET
Designed and fabricated during the pandemic by a team of 24 mathematical artists and artistic mathematicians, the Mathemalchemy art installation celebrates the fun, beauty, and creativity of mathematics. The installation illustrates many different subfields of mathematics, and at many different levels. Join Distinguished Visiting Professor Ingrid Daubechies and delve a little deeper into several of these, exploring both the mathematical concepts and their visualizations in Mathemalchemy. In this first session of the series, delve into the concept of infinity. Encounter fun examples where infinity plays a role and get a glimpse of different types of infinity! Register at momath.org/mathemalchemy.
Senior Sessions: “Magic Squares” (online)
Tuesday, October 10 at 2:00 pm ET
Magic squares are a set of puzzles that have long fascinated many of the world’s most brilliant thinkers. Dating back more than 4,000 years to ancient China, magic squares are those in which the sums of each column, row, and diagonal are always “magically” the same number! Discover surprising strategies to solve these mysterious puzzles and learn how to create your very own magic square. For senior citizens / mature adults. Register at seniorsessions.momath.org.
Mathemalchemy, a minicourse with Ingrid Daubechies: “Symmetric Patterns and Tiling” (in person)
Wednesday, October 11 at 6:30 pm ET
There are only so many ways (17, to be precise) in which one can arrange a given pattern on the plane so that it keeps repeating “rhythmically,” as on wallpaper. In Mathemalchemy, an art installation designed and fabricated during the pandemic by a team of 24 mathematical artists and artistic mathematicians, a little mouse appears all over, illustrating each of these. But sometimes it is knitted, sometimes embroidered, sometimes appliquéd — why? Each of these wallpaper arrangements also defines a periodic tiling of the plane, a regular arrangement of the same shape, copied over and over again; together these copies cover the plane exactly, without overlaps. There also exist
non-periodic tilings — how do they work? Join Distinguished Visiting Professor Ingrid Daubechies and delve a little deeper into symmetric patterns and tiling. Register at momath.org/mathemalchemy.
Mathemalchemy, a minicourse with Ingrid Daubechies: “Error-Correcting Codes” (in person)
Monday, October 16 at 6:30 pm ET
We start by playing a game: you pick an arbitrary number between 1 and 16 that I will have to guess. You have 7 cards, on each of which the numbers 1 through 16 are printed, 8 of them on the yellow front and 8 on the green back. For each card, I ask whether your special number is on the yellow side or the green side, and you answer — but not necessarily truthfully! You can choose to lie or not, but at most once. At the end, I tell you not only your number, but also whether you lied or not, and for which card! Let’s play the game, and then see why it works. Underlying this game is an error-correcting code that is illustrated on the Cryptography quilt in Mathemalchemy, an art installation
designed and fabricated during the pandemic by a team of 24 mathematical artists and artistic mathematicians. Join Distinguished Visiting Professor Ingrid Daubechies and delve a little deeper into error-correcting codes. Register at momath.org/mathemalchemy.
Senior Sessions: “Exhibit Explorations: Pythagorean Puzzlers” (online)
Tuesday, October 17 at 2:00 pm ET
The Pythagorean theorem is one of the most important results in all of mathematics. There are more than 120 geometric proofs currently known! Explore geometric proofs in this hands-on workshop based on MoMath’s Time Tables puzzler. For senior citizens / mature adults. Register at seniorsessions.momath.org.
Noë in Conversation with Lawrence Weschler, Chaim Goodman-Strauss, Alva Noë, and others (in person)
Tuesday, October 17 at 6:00 pm ET
Join us for a conversation with artist Hans Noë, Lawrence Weschler, Chaim Goodman-Strauss, Alva Noë, and others. Sculpture: the work of Hans Noë is currently on exhibition in Composite, the gallery at MoMath. Register at momath.org/inconversation.
Mathemalchemy, a minicourse with Ingrid Daubechies: “Prime and Composite Numbers” (in person)
Wednesday, October 18 at 6:30 pm ET
The squirrels and chipmunks in Mathemalchemy — an art installation designed and fabricated during the pandemic by a team of 24 mathematical artists and artistic mathematicians — are having their annual festival, and are exploring prime numbers. We’ll look over their shoulders to see what they are doing and try to understand what Tassos the librarian is squirrel-splaining. And maybe we’ll understand the mysterious mosaic pavers in the park! Join Distinguished Visiting Professor Ingrid Daubechies and delve a little deeper into prime and composite numbers. Register at momath.org/mathemalchemy.
Free! Family Fridays: “Artful Math” with Clarissa Grandi (in person)
Friday, October 20 at 6:30 pm ET
What do foxes chasing rabbits and beautiful mathematical art have in common? Join Clarissa Grandi, math teacher, geometric artist, and author of the Artful Math books, to learn all about these fascinating ‘curves of pursuit’. Explore how to draw these beautiful curves with just a ruler and pencil, and how to combine them to make your own stunning works of art. The possibilities are endless! Register at familyfridays.momath.org.
Extensions online program for gifted math students in grades 6–12 (online)
Sunday, October 22 at 1:00 pm ET
One Sunday a month, put on your thinking cap and join Chaim Goodman-Strauss online for a session to engage and challenge the brightest minds from around the country in grades six through twelve. Chaim is MoMath’s Outreach Mathematician and one of the four researchers who most recently discovered two mathematical breakthroughs: the Hat and the Spectre. This fall semester, students will learn about probability while also benefiting from enjoying math together in small groups of talented and focused young scholars. The application window for the 2023-2024 school year is open! Learn more and apply for the program at extensions.momath.org. (Eligibility requirements apply.)
Unlimited, MoMath’s mix-n-mingle program for students in middle and high school, featuring a collaborative Rubik’s Cube Mosaic! (in person)
Sunday, October 22 at 5:30 pm ET
Middle and high school students, come indulge in an evening of mathematical (and parent-free!) fun at MoMath’s mix-n-mingle program. Explore dynamic exhibits and enjoy fun, hands-on mathematical activities designed with you in mind. Vibe with a peer group that thinks math is cool, and don’t miss the chance to boogie down on New York City’s only interactive, light-up Voronoi dance floor. Be sure to stop by the Octachoron Café, where decadent hot cocoa and chocolate chip cookies await! Register at unlimited.momath.org.
Math Gym, a workout for your brain (online)
Wednesday, October 25 at 4:00 pm ET
Students, spend an hour independently working on engaging and beautiful math problems. Choose whichever challenges you like and explore them with the guidance and mentorship of an expert mathematician. If you love to experience the incredible joy of mathematical discovery, you won’t want to miss this enjoyable monthly program. Free to register; spots are limited. Register at mathgym.momath.org.
Senior Sessions: “Crytarithmetic” (online)
Thursday, October 26 at 2:00 pm ET
Arithmetic is fun, but arithmetic with letters is even better! & Using process of elimination and clever logic, we will explore fundamental properties of base-10 arithmetic in a unique and challenging way. Join us for CRYPT4R1THM3T1C! For senior citizens / mature adults. Register at seniorsessions.momath.org.
Krazy Kahoot, MoMath’s family quiz show (online)
Saturday, October 28 at 3:00 pm ET
Join MoMath’s favorite math quizmaster Steve Sherman for a fun-filled family game bursting with a wide range of entertaining questions for all ages. Is your family up for this lively challenge?! Recommended for ages 10 to 110, although younger children who are mathematically precocious are always welcome. Register at krazy.momath.org.
Free! Math Encounters: “Realizing Abstractions: what can mathematics do for art?” featuring Edmund Harriss (in person)
Wednesday, November 1 at 4:00 pm and 7:00 pm ET
Does counting sheep help you understand counting? Can drawing a picture help you capture geometry? With that understanding, can we make new tools to create art? Can tools such as 3D printers, alongside mathematics, reconnect art to its ancient tradition of technology? Join Edmund Harriss, the first-ever joint professor of mathematics and art, to discover how mathematical thinking can push the possibilities of art and how artistic sensibilities and illustration can challenge the boundaries of mathematics research. Learn more at mathencounters.momath.org.
Free! Family Fridays: “Build Like Banneker… With Math!” (in person)
Friday, November 3 at 6:30 pm ET
Construct a working clock just like Benjamin Banneker did in 1752! His clock, believed to be the first built in America, kept precise time for decades. Inspired by this mathematician and astronomer and guided by Shelly Jones, math educator and President of the Benjamin Banneker Association, your family will huddle together to create mathematical expressions, symbols, tables, and graphs to represent the sequence of numbers on an analog clock as you design your very own timepiece to take home. Don’t miss this amazing opportunity to “Build Like Banneker!” Family Fridays is designed to bring family members of all ages together to enjoy a diverse array of engaging mathematical activities, promoting
interest and enthusiasm among kids and adults alike. Thanks to the generous support of Two Sigma, this program is free to attendees. Register at familyfridays.momath.org.
Mathemalchemy, a minicourse with Ingrid Daubechies: “Self-Similarity and Fractals” (in person)
Tuesday, November 7 at 6:30 pm ET
Self-similarity at different scales abounds in Mathemalchemy, an art installation designed and fabricated during the pandemic by a team of 24 mathematical artists and artistic mathematicians: from the Koch snowflakes to the different sized-bees and their hives, or to the decoration of the Bakery roof and Tess’s kite. These decorations also play a role in understanding non-periodic tilings! Join Distinguished Visiting Professor Ingrid Daubechies and delve a little deeper into self-similarity and fractals. Register at momath.org/mathemalchemy.
For the full listing of upcoming events, visit events.momath.org.
JOIN THE TEAM
Are you passionate about spreading a love of mathematics? Contact us — we’d love to welcome you to the team! Send the following to jobs@momath.org: a cover letter, your résumé with GPA, and a statement (at least one paragraph long, but no more than a page, please) describing your views on mathematics or an experience you’ve had related to mathematics.
Positions are available in education, administration, marketing, technology, communications, and more — visit jobs.momath.org for a complete list of MoMath’s exciting job and volunteer opportunities.
Featured positions:
Educator (Full-time / Part-time / Substitute / Per diem)
MoMath is seeking creative, energetic individuals to join its staff as educators. The educator role offers the opportunity for a teacher with strong formal K-12 classroom teaching experience to participate in one of America’s major efforts in mathematical outreach to students, teachers, and the public. This role is an excellent opportunity for an experienced math teacher to stay active in education.
Patron Relations Assistant (Full-time)
MoMath is seeking a Patron Relations Assistant to help steward member, donor, and customer relationships. The Patron Relations Assistant will provide administrative support to membership programs, fundraising efforts, and customer queries covering a variety of programs and topics. Candidates must have excellent communication skills, a strong desire to provide exceptional customer service, and a proven ability to follow through on all patron communications.
JOIN and CONTRIBUTE to the MoMath community!
Become a MoMath member
Become a member today and take advantage of exciting and engaging math programs for all ages. Join now to receive unlimited access to MoMath’s innovative exhibits, plus discounts for select programs and for products in Additions, the shop at MoMath. Members also receive free registration to select online programs, free access to recordings of MoMath programs, and exclusive invitations to members-only online events. Become a premium member and receive priority seating at monthly Math Encounters presentations, early notices to register for events, special invitations to exclusive MoMath member events, discounts on birthday
parties, and more. Purchase your tax-deductible membership at members.momath.org.
Volunteer at MoMath
MoMath welcomes volunteers who provide valuable support in a variety of individual ways across the Museum, in both public-facing and internal roles. Are you a high school or college student who loves math and would like to earn the President’s Volunteer Service Award by assisting during special events or helping Museum visitors enjoy MoMath’s interactive suite of exhibits? Are you an adult who can occasionally assist with MoMath events, demonstrations, birthday parties, and other activities at the Museum? Are you a professional — especially if you are an educator, administrator, videographer, or technologist — who would like to donate your expertise and time to MoMath? MoMath welcomes your
support!
To express interest in volunteering, please email volunteer@momath.org with a subject line that includes “Volunteer” and your name. It would be helpful if you include a cover letter, current résumé, and a short essay (no more than one page) describing an experience that shaped your love of mathematics.
Spread the word
Like MoMath? Let the world know! Share your comments on:
- Twitter: @MoMath1
- Instagram: @momath1
- YouTube
- TripAdvisor
There are many programs and activities to enjoy; please read carefully to determine whether programs are in person or online. Additionally, many of MoMath’s programs are being offered for free or at a reduced rate for those in need and for MoMath members — please visit individual event pages for more information. The Museum (11 E 26th St) is open 364 days of the year (closed on Thanksgiving Day) but may occasionally limit access as needed. Be sure to check visit.momath.org for the most up-to-date information, including special hours and/or early closures.
We hope to see you — in person and virtually — soon!
Regards,
National Museum of Mathematics
Support MoMath at momath.org/contribute
momath.org
212-542-0566
New York, NY 10010
United States
Looking for more to do? MoMath offers a variety of fun-filled events, both in person and online. Check out the full lineup at events.momath.org.
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