[MoMath] 2015 Jan-Feb Upcoming Events

Dear MoMath friends,

Start the New Year right — with math!  Make a resolution to discover the secrets of Newton, create mathematical lamps and window clings, design an all-new pentagonal tiling, or win this year's Masters Tournament.  Plus, make sure to drop by for Free Play, MoMath's first-ever free afternoon!

MoMath at a Glance  
Now through March 2015 Matthew Brand's Luminaries in Composite: the gallery at MoMath
Now through February 21 MoMath's 2015 Pi Day competition is accepting submissions!
January 6 Science and Screen: The Imitation Game panel discussion at the Jacob Burns Film Center
January 7 Math Encounters: “On The Shoulders of Giants: Newton Revealed” with William Dunham
January 8 Winter Wonderlamp workshop
January 16 Family Fridays at MoMath presented by Time Warner Cable: “Creature Cuts”
January 23 Composite Chat: the exotic optics of Matthew Brand's Luminaries
January 25 Shapes Abound members-only preview
January 26 Shapes Abound: geometrically advanced furniture and new pentagon Tessellation Station tiles come to MoMath!
January 29 Free Play: a free(!) afternoon at MoMath, brought to you by Citadel
February 2 Professional development (PD) workshops for teachers
February 4 Math Encounters: “Mysteries at an Exhibit: Math as Art Detective” with Ingrid Daubechies
February 13 Composite Chat: the surprising technology of serial inventor Matthew Brand
February 24 2015 MoMath Masters Tournament
February 27 Family Fridays at MoMath presented by Time Warner Cable: “ITSPHUN”
New weekend times coming in 2015! PolyPals toddler program
Tuesdays/Thursdays Expansions after-school program for gifted students

Matthew Brand's Luminaries at Composite: the gallery at MoMath
Through March 2015

If you like the Light Grooves exhibit at MoMath, you’ll love this gallery show featuring the newest work of light artist, inventor, and visionary Matthew Brand.  Evoking figures from ancient Egypt to the medieval Silk Road to modern casinos, Brand has captured some of history’s most intriguing thinkers.  Visit Composite: the gallery at MoMath to discover the world’s first large-scale show of lumography — smooth, water-clear lenses whose undulating surfaces rearrange light beams into ghostly morphing pictures.  Many years in development, Brand’s marriage of sand castle mathematics and swimming pool optics runs through March 2015.  Entry is included with Museum admission.

MoMath's 2015 Pi Day competition is now accepting submissions!
Through Saturday, February 21

Share your love of pi!  Write and record pi-themed lyrics, create a limerick about pi, or send in a pi-ku, and you could win MoMath's 2015 Pi Day contest.  The contest will run through February 21, so start brainstorming!  See more details and submit your entries at piday2015.momath.org.

Science and Screen: The Imitation Game panel discussion at the Jacob Burns Film Center
Tuesday, January 6, 7:15 pm

Note: This event will take place at the Jacob Burns Film Center in Pleasantville, NY
Watch The Imitation Game, then decode the math and science behind the movie with this exciting panel discussion.  MoMath's own founder and President, Glen Whitney, will moderate the conversation between Harvard’s Leslie Valiant, a computer scientist and Turing Award recipient, and Craig Gentry, a MacArthur Fellow and research scientist with IBM's Cryptography Research Group.  Register at imitationgame.momath.org.

Math Encounters: “On The Shoulders of Giants: Newton Revealed” with William Dunham

Wednesday, January 7, 4:00 pm and 7:00 pm


Meet the great Sir Isaac Newton, as revealed through a lifetime of collaboration and communication.  William Dunham, who delves into both math and its history, uses Newton’s own words to expose the man behind the math.  From his earliest known letter, through exchanges with Leibniz, Locke, and others, to his most-quoted passage about standing on the shoulders of giants, Newton comes to life at his best… and his worst.  Refreshments follow the afternoon presentation of Math Encounters; arrive by 6:30 pm for refreshments preceding the evening presentation. Register at mathencounters.org.

Winter Wonderlamp

Thursday, January 8, 6:30 pm

In celebration of 2015, the International Year of Light, brighten up winter by taking a journey into the wonder of mathematical form and biomimicry.  Join educators from the International Grammar School in Sydney, Australia in creating your own beautiful lamp using iterative paper folding techniques.  Enjoy a math-maker mash-up of elementary symmetries, crystallography, origami, and light while learning about structure, strength, stability, and translations — an aesthetic experience not to be missed!  Register at wonderlamp.momath.org.

Family Fridays at MoMath presented by Time Warner Cable: "Creature Cuts”
Friday, January 16, 6:30 pm



Using a sharp eye and a sharp tool, create an Escher-like tessellation of lizards or other creatures to decorate your home.  Computer science and math instructor Kevin Lee demonstrates how removing the negative space from a vinyl window cling creates a two-color design similar to the work of M. C. Escher.  Learn about the math of symmetry and tessellations, and take home your very own 10” x 10” tessellation window cling.  Suggested for ages 10 and up.  This presentation is free to attendees, as part of Time Warner Cable's Connect a Million Minds campaign.  For more information and to register, visit familyfridays.momath.org.

Composite Chat: the exotic optics of Matthew Brand's Luminaries
Friday, January 23, 6:30 pm

How were those amazing optics in the Luminaries exhibition created, and how do they make pictures?  What is the connection to sand castles?  And how did Napoleon and Stalin get into this story?  Join us for a conversation with artist and inventor Matthew Brand about the curious mathematical history of his freeform lumographic lenses.  Brand, who is also the artist behind Light Grooves, MoMath's holographic metalwork, will give a brief presentation to start the conversation, and he just might demonstrate some exotic optics you've never seen before.  See more details and register at brandchatjan.momath.org.

Shapes Abound: geometrically advanced furniture and new pentagon Tessellation Station tiles come to MoMath!
Monday, January 26

Discover the power of shapes with MoMath’s newest additions.  Get moving on MoMath's new geometrically advanced furniture: the Spun Chair lets you rotate on a giant solid of revolution reminiscent of Twist 'n' Roll, and the Squared Triangle Bench, designed for MoMath by Stanford student Alejandro Palandjoglou, transforms from a square to a triangle and back via a "hinged dissection."  Also, check out the three new types of pentagonal tiles at Tessellation Station: Cairo, Prismatic, and the mirrored Versatile.  Use Cairo and Prismatic pentagons — recently proved to create the most efficient pentagonal tilings — to construct tessellation patterns; you may discover a pattern that’s entirely new to mathematics!

Members-only preview
Sunday, January 25, 5:30 pm

Triangles, squares, and pentagons — oh my!  Become a member today (momath.org/join) and become one of the first to discover the math behind the Squared Triangle Bench, tilt wildly — but never fall down — in the Spun Chair, and try to create an entirely new pentagonal tiling at MoMath, all over light refreshments.  RSVP required: email membership@momath.org for details.

Free Play: a free(!) afternoon at MoMath, brought to you by Citadel
Thursday, January 29, 2:00 pm – 7:00 pm

For one afternoon, admission to MoMath will be completely free for all visitors!  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!  Plus, MoMath will be open two hours later than usual, so you can optimize your fun.  Free Play is made possible through the generous support of Citadel.

Professional development (PD) workshops for teachers
Monday, February 2, 8:30 am – 2:30 pm

Participate in hands-on interactive activities that reveal the wonders of mathematics, and learn how to spark your students' curiosity with easy-to-reproduce materials linked to the Common Core curriculum.  The workshop will feature topics covered in the Common Core standards, including the relationship between 2D shapes and 3D objects, angles, patterns, symmetry, algebraic thinking, number and operations, symmetry, and probability, and will also include a Museum tour.  Workshops will be provided at two different levels: high school teachers (grades 9 through 12), and upper elementary and middle school teachers (grades 4 through 8).  Email programs@momath.org for more details.

Math Encounters: “Mysteries at an Exhibit: Math as Art Detective” with Ingrid Daubechies
Wednesday, February 4, 4:00 pm and 7:00 pm


Ingrid Daubechies, Past President of the International Mathematical Union, shows the sleuthing side of mathematics as she tackles thorny questions coming out of the art world: what was underneath that Van Gogh painting?  What did this Renaissance masterpiece look like before it aged and cracked?  And most vitally, which paintings are real and which are forgeries?  Come discover how analytic image processing helps unravel these mysteries.  Refreshments follow the afternoon presentation of Math Encounters; arrive by 6:30 pm for refreshments preceding the evening presentation. Register at mathencounters.org.

Composite Chat: the surprising technology of serial inventor Matthew Brand
Friday, February 13, 6:30 pm

Have you seen Light Grooves, MoMath's holographic metalwork, or the picture-forming lenses in MoMath's Composite gallery?  Did you know that both are demonstrations of entirely new technologies?  Join us for a conversation with artist and serial inventor Matthew Brand on the mathematical and technical challenges of doing art with optics — and doing freeform optics with automotive tools.  Brand will give a short presentation to kick off the event and just might take the opportunity to reprogram your visual system.  See more details and register at brandchatfeb.momath.org.

2015 MoMath Masters Tournament
Tuesday, February 24, 6:00 pm

Join MoMath for the 2015 MoMath Masters Tournament, the exciting annual competition and charitable fundraiser!  Get your thinking caps on for this fun-filled night, from the entertaining cocktail round right through to the challenging and suspenseful finals.  Will Shortz will return as this year's host — but who will win?  Space is limited, so reserve your seats now at masters.momath.org.

Family Fridays at MoMath presented by Time Warner Cable: "ITSPHUN”
Friday, February 27, 6:30 pm

The creators of ITSPHUN, the geometric construction toy, are back at MoMath!  Learn how to build the five “perfect” polyhedra and other highly symmetric, geometric objects that have fascinated humans for thousands of years.  Discover interesting facts about shapes and explore their mathematical beauty during this fun, hands-on evening of mathematical play.  Warning: playing with patterns and symmetry can be addictive!  This presentation is free to attendees, as part of Time Warner Cable's Connect a Million Minds campaign.  For more information and to register, visit familyfridays.momath.org.

PolyPals: Bring your toddlers and preschoolers to MoMath for weekly fun!
New weekend times coming in 2015!  (Ages 2-5)




PolyPals, MoMath's program for pre-K children, offers our littlest mathematicians the opportunity to listen to math-themed stories and have fun exploring the concepts behind them.  Led by MoMath's skilled educational staff, toddlers and preschoolers participate in songs, stories, and activities tied to a different theme each week.  Patterns, shapes, numbers, and more – PolyPals is a great way to enrich your child's day with mathematical inspiration.  There's still time to register for the last class of 2014; registration for 2015, with new weekend sessions, will open soon.  For further information and to register, visit polypals.momath.org.



Expansions: MoMath’s innovative program to engage and challenge NYC’s brightest math students

Tuesday afternoons starting January 6 (HS students); Thursday afternoons starting January 8 (K-8, separated by level)




Reinvent math class with Expansions, MoMath's after-school gifted program.  Featuring programs for all mathematically gifted students currently enrolled in kindergarten through 12th grade, the Expansions workshops are designed and delivered by MoMath's educational team to challenge and inspire students, and to broaden their mathematical horizons.  With topics ranging from fractals to cellular automata, these afternoon sessions provide an opportunity for participants to learn advanced and fascinating topics not included in the standard K-12 curriculum.  Plus, your child can benefit from enjoying math together with small groups of talented and focused young scholars.  Expansions offers sessions at five levels, which are differentiated by mathematical experience rather than age.  Admission is by application only.  Registration for 2015 will open soon.  For more information and to apply, visit expansions.momath.org.

Do you have a great idea for a mathematical art show?  Send it to MoMath!  MoMath is seeking proposals for a show in the Composite gallery, to begin approximately one year from now.  Applications are open here: applycomposite.momath.org.

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Events, Birthday Parties, and More



Looking to host a one-of-a-kind event where your guests can interact with over 30 engaging exhibits?  Enter a world of mathematical intrigue, but don’t worry; amongst all the activity, there is plenty of space for gala-worthy dinners, over-the-top birthday bashes, and bar/bat mitzvahs.  Who knew math could be this much fun?  New: 3D-printing and laser-cutting parties available now.  Send guests home with their own custom 3D-printed and laser-cut party favors!  Email events@momath.org for more information.

School group visits for 2015

MoMath has over a dozen great programs for school groups visiting the Museum.  From graph coloring to Möbius bands, bring your students to MoMath for a view into the exciting world of mathematics, and see why New York Magazine named MoMath the "Best Kids Museum of 2013."  Space is filling fast; visit fieldtrips.momath.org to register for a group visit during the upcoming year.  Thanks to the generous support of Google, support for Title I schools is now available.  For more information, email admin@momath.org.

Join the MoMath community

Become a member today, and help ensure that MoMath continues to deliver exciting and engaging math programs for all ages.  Visit momath.org/join to become a member, and receive unlimited access to MoMath's innovative exhibits, plus discounts in Additions, the shop at MoMath.  Become a premium member and receive early notices and invitations to exclusive MoMath events.

We need your help!


Interested in volunteering on the Museum floor?  If you love math, would like to help others enjoy MoMath's interactive suite of exhibits, and are willing to devote two 4-hour shifts each month, please send an email to jobs@momath.org with the subject line "MoMath integrator."  Please include a cover letter, current resumé, and a newly-written essay that, in approximately 150 to 300 words, describes an experience that shaped your love of mathematics.

We hope to see you at MoMath!
 

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