History of Math SIGMAA

Time/Date/Location: Thursday, August 6, 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm, Salon G

Guest Speaker: Phil Blau, Shawnee State University

Title: Road to Insolvability

Abstract:

The quadratic formula provides a method for finding the roots of a general polynomial equations of degree 2; early applications to specific equations can be traced back thousands of years. By the 1500s, Italian mathematicians had discovered methods for solving general polynomial equations of degree 3 and 4. By contrast, no such formula exists for degree 5. A 1799 paper by Paolo Ruffini claimed to have proved the impossibility of solving the general quintic by radicals. Niels Abel later established this result independently—first in a brief self‑published pamphlet in 1824 and then in a more complete paper written in 1826. This talk will provide a historical overview of these developments and examine Abel’s paper and Ruffini’s contributions in greater depth.

Time/Date: Saturday, August 8, 3:00 pm – 5:00 pm,

Organizer: Daniel Otero, Xavier University

The event will open with brief remarks by Daniel Otero (Xavier University) on Galois’ brief mathematical career and his highly influential use of “groups of substitutions” in the development of the theory of equations in the early nineteenth century. Then, handouts of the texts will be distributed to participants by “table proctors,” who will guide discussions at their assigned tables. (Table proctors will already have a passing familiarity with the text, but they will primarily act not as experts but as facilitators for table discussions. In addition, they can note questions and issues that would be appropriate to raise during the general discussion that will conclude the session.)

Time/Date/Location: Friday, August 7, 3:30 pm – 4:30 pm, Student Lounge (Arlington)

Come join fellow mathematics and history enthusiasts for an exciting team trivia event! Participants will test their mathematical and historical knowledge over several rounds and compete for prizes. All are welcome, and undergraduate students are especially invited to attend. Players will be put in teams at the event, so please come and make some new friends, too!

Time/Date/Location: Thursday, August 6, 1:00 pm – 5:35 pm, Yarmouth

Organizers: Abe Edwards, Michigan State University, Ximena Catepillan, Millersville University, Cynthia Huffman, Pittsburg State University

This contributed paper session fosters dialogue among mathematicians, historians, and educators who study the mathematical past and culturally situated practices to enrich both scholarship and pedagogy. Presenters can highlight historical or philosophical case studies, share classroom or outreach activities grounded in primary historical sources, or draw from ethnomathematical perspectives that show how mathematical ideas arise within diverse cultural traditions. We welcome contributions that show how engaging with the past, and with global mathematical practices, can stimulate curiosity, broaden participation, and connect mathematics to its human contexts. Presentations may include descriptions of new archival research, reinterpret classical results, or describe strategies to incorporate cultural and historical insight into instruction. Speakers should help illustrate how the mathematical past continues to influence our present thinking and pedagogy. By bringing together perspectives from history, mathematics, and ethnomathematics, the session emphasizes mathematics as a deeply human, cultural endeavor. Participants will leave with concrete examples, methods, and resources for integrating historical and cultural dimensions of mathematics into their teaching, research, and outreach.

Schedule of Presentations

• The Room Where the Math Happened: History and Culture anchored by Place
  1:00 pm – 1:15 pm
  Mariah Birgen*, Wartburg College
• Degrees of Defiance: Underground Education in Occupied Poland
  1:20 pm – 1:35 pm
  Ryan Thomas*, Charleston Southern University
• Reclaiming Hidden Figures: Grace Chisholm Young in Context
  1:40 pm – 1:55 pm
  Cynthia Taylor*, Millersville University of Pennsylvania
• History-Driven Storytelling and Mathematical Pedagogy
  2:00 pm – 2:15 pm
  Eugene Boman*, Penn State University, Harrisburg campus
  Robert Rogers, SUNY, Fredonia
• Historical Perspectives in a First-year Seminar on Data
  2:20 pm – 2:35 pm
  Emilie Wiesner*, Ithaca College
• Mathematics between Friends: Teaching Mathematics through Storytelling
  2:40 pm – 2:55 pm
  Lily Yen*, Capilano University
• Mathematics as Living Heritage: Insights from a Fulbright in Vietnam
  3:00 pm – 3:15 pm
  Noureen Khan*, University of North Texas at Dallas
• Seeing Our Students in the Past: Uncovering Teachers and Learners in US Freedmen’s Schools
  3:20 pm – 3:35 pm
  Amy Ackerberg-Hastings*, MAA Convergence
• Reframing Mathematics Narratives, Identities, and Representations of South and West Asian Faculty in Collegiate Classrooms
  3:40 pm – 3:55 pm
  Apoorva Mate*, Pennsylvania State University
  Hartono Tjoe, Pennsylvania State University
  Jocelyn Rios, University of Northern Colorado
  Cathery Yeh, University of Texas at Austin
• Early Pioneer of Mathematics: Dudley Weldon Woodard and his Contributions to the Field
  4:00 pm – 4:15 pm
  Terika Harris*, Teachers College, Columbia University
• Integrating Math History into High School Curriculum
  4:20 pm – 4:35 pm
  Julie Wess*, Mathematics Department, Maine Central Institute
• The Holocaust as a Case Study in STEM Ethics
  4:40 pm – 4:55 pm
  Rachel Roca*, Michigan State University
  Victor Piercey, Ferris State  University
  Rachel Frisbie, Michigan State University
  Emily Bolger, Michigan State University
  Kyla Hotton, Michigan State University
  Ishita LNU, Michigan State University

Time/Date/Location: Thursday, August 6, 1:00 pm – 2:15 pm, Poster Hall (Fairfield/Exeter/Dartmouth)

Organizers: Rick Gillman, Valparaiso University, Grace Cook, Montclair State University

Posters in this session will display stories from the history of their section. These stories, based on original sources, may be about significant individuals, key events, or notable programs in the history of the presenter’s section. While accessible to all MathFest attendees, it offers younger members of our community a unique opportunity to glimpse into the history of the MAA in a way that provides them insight into its current state.

Time/Date/Location: Friday, August 7, 8:00 am – 9:20 am, Wellesley

Organizers: Jennifer Clinkenbeard, California State University Monterey Bay, Abraham Edwards, Michigan State University, Daniel Otero, Xavier University

This interactive workshop introduces a classroom-tested approach for teaching mathematics through guided reading projects based on primary historical sources. Each Primary Source Project (PSP) focuses on a key topic in the undergraduate mathematics curriculum and engages students directly with the writings and ideas of mathematicians from a variety of cultures, time periods, and backgrounds—including those from historically marginalized groups whose contributions are often overlooked in traditional courses.

Through carefully selected excerpts and guided exercises, PSPs invite students to experience mathematical discovery as it originally unfolded, deepening their understanding of both content and context. Participants will take on the role of students as they work collaboratively through portions of specific projects, exploring the challenges and rewards of learning mathematics from primary sources. The workshop will also introduce metacognitive reading routines that help students make sense of historical texts and develop stronger mathematical literacy skills. By the end of the session, participants will understand how PSPs can enrich undergraduate instruction, foster active learning, and connect students to the diverse human stories behind mathematics.