Our faculty and students participate in many outreach activities on and off campus and through state and regional professional organizations.
NC Regional Math Contest:
The North Carolina Regional Math Contest, held here on campus each Spring, is affiliated with the North Carolina State High School Mathematics Contest sponsored by the North Carolina Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCCTM).
STEM Transfer Day:
Each fall, students from community colleges are invited to come to campus and learn about Appalachian. Students interested in majoring in one of the STEM disciplines of Biology, Chemistry, Computer Science, Geology, Mathematics, or Physics attend a colloquium, tour the departments, meet with a transfer admissions specialist, and do some math!
K-12 and College Mathematics Organizations:
- NCCTM: Our faculty are committed to advancing the state of K-12 mathematics and statistics teaching in NC, and many are actively involved in the NC Council of Teachers of Mathematics.
- NCMATYC: Our faculty are engaged in working with community college faculty individually and through participation in the NC Mathematics Association of Two-year Colleges' Annual Meeting and Conference.
- MAA Southeastern Section: Faculty and students attend and present at our regional section of the Mathematics Association of America.
Activities for K-12 Students:
Faculty in the Department coordinate and/or assist with a variety of activities designed for K-12 students.
- Appstate Math Walk: Do you have a student group coming to campus? Faculty and Students in our department have created a set of K-12 math problems for students to think about as they walk around campus. Give it a try!
- Elevating Mathematics Contest: A mathematics contest for students in grades 4-6, Elevating Mathematics provides opportunities for team and individual mathematics problem-solving challenges.
- High Country MathCounts Contest: MathCounts provides students in sixth, seventh, and eighth grades the opportunity to compete in live, in-person contests against and alongside their peers from Alleghany, Ashe, Avery, Watauga, and Wilkes Counties.
- Math Counts Coaching: Our faculty help with coaching MathCounts teams. In 2019 Amber Mellon coached the Hardin Park Elementary School Team, and the team took first place overall in the high country!
- Western North Carolina Math Fair: K-12 students from the western North Carolina region of the North Carolina Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCCTM) present their projects each year on campus. Finalists from the western region are invited to present at the state level held at the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics later in the spring.
- Women in Mathematics Badge for Girl Scouts: Faculty coordinate a program in which girls in grades 5-12 to interact with women mathematicians and alumnae and learn about their career paths and what they work on.
Activities For K-12 Teachers:
In addition to teaching classes, faculty in the Department participate in a number of professional development activities for mathematics teachers at all levels.
- Math Education Leadership Training (MELT) Institutes: MELT provides support and professional development for K-12 mathematics teachers in North Carolina and other states.
- Public School Partnership: In cooperation with the Reich College of Education Public School Partnership, mathematics faculty engage with teachers from the region in exploring mathematics teaching and learning, discussing collaborative efforts in curriculum and activities, and more.