Ninth NWMI Brings Geometry to Teachers at the UW

Each August, about 60 math teachers gather on the UW campus for a week of math courses and workshops called the Northwest Mathematics Interaction Summer Program; last year was the ninth annual meeting. The centerpiece is the week-long Summer Geometry Institute in which teachers are immersed in geometric investigations and experiences. The week includes plane geometry from perimeter and area puzzles to conic sections, experiments with spherical geometry, and lots of making and studying polyhedral models. There are also evening discussions, and teachers are encouraged to stay on campus for the week for a complete ``math camp'' atmosphere.

During the same week, teachers can instead choose from a menu of five two-day, 15 hour minicourses - in 2003, the topics were polyhedra, graph theory, teaching with data, visualization in middle school math, and geometry software. NWMI alumni stay connected with a weekend Alumni Reunion that features the building of a giant geometrical object.

The Northwest Mathematics Interaction doesn't just run these summer programs - it is an outreach program for secondary school math teachers that organizes events all year long. NWMI is headquartered in the UW Mathematics Department, with UW faculty sponsor James King. The instructors of NWMI are a team of college and university mathematicians and secondary teachers, including UW math graduate alumni Brian Hopkins, Philip Mallinson, and Will Webber. The Washington secondary teachers on the team come not only from nearby Puget Sound but also from Vancouver, Bellingham, and Oroville. Most NWMI participants come from around the state of Washington. Teachers pay a registration fee for some events, but the bulk of the costs have been borne by grant support.

NWMI hopes to offer a Tenth Summer Institute in 2004. To find out more about NWMI, its programs and instructors, its affiliation with the IAS/Park City Mathematics Institute, and a photo of a giant origami box, visit the NWMI web site.

James King