Over 220 pupils from across North Rhine-Westphalia who are keen on maths took part in a full-day programme at Rhein-Waal University of Applied Sciences as part of the 19th Summer School of Mathematics.
Kleve/Kamp-Lintfort, 1 September 2016: The young participants in the Mathematics Summer Academy were invited either as prize-winners of the NRW Mathematics Olympiad or following their own applications. At the Mathematics Summer Academy, they explore a wide variety of areas of mathematics in depth alongside like-minded peers. For active recreation, the programme includes football tournaments, juggling and unicycling courses, as well as an excursion to Goch Ness.
The Summer Academy has been held annually for several years now on the Wolfsberg in Kranenburg-Nütterden. Last year, the programme included a visit to an English-language mathematics lecture at Rhine-Waal University of Applied Sciences. As the academy coincides with the lecture-free period this year, three professors from Kleve organised a full-day programme for the 85 pupils from Year 10 upwards. The visit was sponsored by the zdi Centre in the Kleve district, CleverMINT.
Professors Thomas Pitz (Economics), Matthias Krauledat (Computer Science) and Achim Kehrein (Applied Mathematics) presented three different topics. Their sessions offered an introduction to game theory as a mathematical model in economics and the social sciences, explored the mathematical structure of Johann Sebastian Bach’s fugues – Prof. Krauledat performed the variations on the theme on the cello – and demonstrated how mathematical problems can be solved using biological evolution as a model. Afterwards, the professors and research assistant Akah Neh spoke about their time at university and their professional experiences in various industrial sectors. These included, in particular, studies at the renowned universities of Oxford (UK), Leiden (NL) and Leuven (BE), a PhD in the USA and a collaboration with a Nobel laureate that took them as far as China. Finally, they discussed the pupils’ future plans and opportunities with them. Ms Neh strongly urged the female pupils to make full use of their potential in STEM subjects.
The Summer Academy in North Rhine-Westphalia is Germany’s largest mathematics academy for school pupils. Through its maths academies and weekend courses, the Landesverband Mathematikwettbewerbe NRW e.V. aims to spark and foster an interest in and enjoyment of maths, as well as to provide special support to pupils who are interested in and gifted at maths. Further information about the academy can be found at www.soak-nrw.de and www.mathe-nrw.de.
