Former Math Zoom Summer Camp Guest Speakers:
Dr. Arthur Benjamin, Math Professor, Harvey Mudd College
Dr. Arthur Benjamin has the ability to make numbers dance. Dr. Benjamin works by day as a professor of math at Harvey Mudd College, but at night he's a "Mathemagician," taking the stage in his tuxedo to perform high-speed mental calculations, memorizations and other astounding math stunts. He follows the footsteps of his heroes, such as Martin Gardner, in his drive to teach math and mental agility in interesting ways.
Richard Rusczyk, Art of Problem Solving (AoPS Inc.)
Richard Rusczyk is the founder of AoPS Inc. He is co-authors of the Art of Problem Solving textbooks; co-creator of the Mandelbrot Competition; and the Director of the USA Mathematical Talent Search. He was a participant in National MATHCOUNTS; a three-time participant in the Math Olympiad Summer Program; and a USA Mathematical Olympiad winner (1989). He graduated from Princeton University in 1993, helped inaugurate ESPN's SportsFigures program, and worked as a bond trader for D.E. Shaw & Company for four years. AoPS marks Richard's return to his vocation – educating motivated students. We were honored to welcome Mr. Rusczyk in both Summer 2007 and Summer 2009 when he motivated campers to his areas of expertise.
Dr. Christoph Thiele, Math Department Chair and Professor, UCLA. Dr. Thiele is an accomplished professor and department chair at the Math Department of UCLA. At 27 years of age, he received his Ph.D. from Yale University, becoming a full professor at the age of 34. By the age of 38, he was appointed the universitiy's department chair. Campers were delighted at the closing ceremony of Math Zoom Summer Camp 2008 when Professor Thiele gave a one-hour speech on the Mathematical Research and Applications Areas.
Angelo E. Bastianpillai, Senior Actuary and CAS Fellow. Mr. Angelo E. Bastianpillai is an accomplished Senior Actuary in the Insurance Industry. He spoke to campers regarding the career path, day-to-day life, salary structure, pros and cons of an actuary.
Raissa R.Z. Diamante, Assistant Director of Admission, Harvey Mudd College
Ms. Raissa R.Z. Diamante visited our camp in Summer 2008 to explain the admission and scholarship selection process at Harvey Mudd College to our campers. She talked about the academic programs, the culture, the undergraduate involvement in research, and a variety of other informative topics that make Harvey Mudd College a high ranking university.
Ruth Rodriguez, Admission Officer, UCLA
Ms. Ruth Rodriguez visited our camp in Summer 2008 to discuss the admissions process and scholarship options at UCLA. She talked about the academic programs, the culture, the campus, the Westwood area, and inspired campers to want to learn more about this top public university.
Bruce Arnold, Director of Mathematics Testing and Placement, UCSD Bruce Arnold is the Director of Mathematics Testing and Placement, the Site Director for the Mathematics Testing and Diagnostic Project (MDTP), and a part-time lecturer in the Mathematics Department at UCSD. He coordinates the High School Honors Mathematics Contest (now in its 50th year) and the High School Honors Statistics Contest (which currently held its first contest) for the university. He also provides logistical and administrative support to the San Diego Math Circle and MATHCOUNTS for meetings and events at UCSD. He spoke to our campers in Summer 2007.
Manda Riehl, University of California, San Diego
Manda Riehl is a fifth year Ph.D. candidate in the Deptartment of Mathematics at UCSD. Her dissertation is in algebraic combinatorics (specifically symmetric functions and permutation patterns). She attended MIT as an undergraduate, where she received her degree in Mathematics and a teaching certification. In high school, she attended Governor's School, a six-week summer program in mathematics. She spent two summers as a math TA at the MIT Women's Technology Program. She loves teaching mathematics and especially combinatorics. MathZoom welcomed her in Summer 2007.
