Article by Gillian Orielle Ang
Poster by Kyle Aiden A. Gattud
TRUE TO its purpose as an organization of Math enthusiasts, the Ateneo Mathematics Society (AMS) will hold the second week of the annual Mathematics Convention (MathCon) from December 7 to 12, 2020. MathCon 2020: Numbers Demystified will be conducted fully online via Zoom conferencing and Facebook Live.
In an effort to foster a deeper and more holistic awareness of the discipline, the speakers invited by the AMS will shed light on the applications of Math in different areas of interest. To augment the talks, there is also an official website which features relevant activities, challenges, talk highlights, and various student contributions.
Despite having been pushed back from its original November schedule due to multiple national crises, Week 2 shows much promise. Ms. Joy Tagle-Sarte will share her expertise in online commerce, Dr. Ma. Louise Antonette N. De Las Peñas will present her work in the field of Philippine Arts, Dr. Reinabelle Reyes will speak about Data Science and Astrophysics, and Mr. Kenneth Isaiah Ibasco Abante will address Public Finance.
The December launch comes after the markedly successful first installment of MathCon 2020. From October 5 to 10, hundreds of participants ranging from students to professionals attended Week 1 of this year’s convention. Field experts like Mr. John Luis Lagdameo, Ms. Christine Joy Okubo, Mr. Joshua Uyheng, and Dr. Queena Lee-Chua discussed startup businesses, Data Science, disinformation, and Psychology, respectively, opening diverse conversations on the widespread applications of Mathematics. Engaging and insightful open forums followed.
While the current global situation imposes certain limitations on the event, the organizing team behind MathCon 2020 views the new online platform as a way to expand the reach of the project and to further strengthen and broaden the advocacies of the AMS as a whole.
“Math is indeed a wondrous subject,” notes Jacob Lim, one of the MathCon 2020 project heads. “It is my firm belief that Math should be appreciated for how practical it is in most aspects of our lives and not shunned upon for its difficulty and complexity.”
For more details, visit the MathCon 2020 website, bit.ly/NumbersDemystified or the Facebook page www.facebook.com/MathCon2020.
