Seattle Universal Math Museum

OUR MISSION IS TO SPARK EACH AND EVERY PERSON TO LOVE MATH. PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS EMBARK ON A MATH JOURNEY WITH CREATIVE OPPORTUNITIES FOR MATH EXPLORATION, LEARNING AND DISCOVERY TO FOSTER POSITIVE CONNECTIONS TO MATH, BOOST MATH CONFIDENCE AND HELP STUDENTS SEE MATH AS RELEVANT TO THEIR FUTURE. WE AIM TO REDUCE THE EQUITY GAP IN MATH EDUCATION FOR GIRLS AND STUDENTS OF COLOR, DIVERSIFY THE PIPELINE OF PEOPLE PURSUING STEAM CAREERS AND BETTER PREPARE YOUTH TO THRIVE IN THE DIGITAL ECONOMY OF THE 21ST CENTURY. WE COLLABORATE WITH PARENTS, TEACHERS, SCHOOL DISTRICT LEADERS AND NONPROFIT PARTNERS TO CREATE IN-SCHOOL AND AFTER-SCHOOL ENRICHMENT PROGRAMS, FOCUSING ON 3RD-8TH GRADE STUDENTS. THIS YEAR WE RAN A MATH-THROUGH-ORIGAMI TEACHER TRAINING, A MATH-RELATED CAREER EVENT FOR MIDDLE SCHOOLERS, FAMILY ACTIVITIES, AND MATH HIP HOP CONCERTS, ALL FACILITATED WITH PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS.

OUR MAIN PROGRAM WORK THIS YEAR WAS ENGAGING AN INDEPENDENT CONTRACTOR TO FACILITATE MUSEUM CONCEPT DESIGN DEVELOPMENT. THROUGH SEVERAL MONTHS OF WORKSHOPS, THE BOARD, COMMITTEES AND CONSULTANTS WORKED TOGETHER TO FOCUS OUR VISION AND PLANS FOR THE FUTURE MUSEUM SPACES. WE NOW HAVE A BEAUTIFUL NEW BROCHURE DESCRIBING OUR VISION FOR SUMM. THE DOCUMENT INCLUDES MAIN MESSAGE AND THEMES, AUDIENCE CONSIDERATIONS, DESIGN GOALS AND STRATEGIES, IN ADDITION TO CONCEPT DIAGRAMS, ARTISTIC RENDERINGS, NARRATIVE, AND ALLOCATIONS FOR SPACES AND EXHIBITS WITHIN THE FUTURE SEATTLE UNIVERSAL MATH MUSEUM. WE ALSO RECEIVED DONATED ARTWORK FROM SEVERAL ARTISTS FOR DISPLAY IN FUTURE MATH-ART EXHIBITS.

SUMM ACCELERATED OUTREACH THIS FISCAL YEAR TO GATHER FEEDBACK ON PROGRAMMING IDEAS AND WORKED HARD TO DEVELOP EXPERIMENTAL PROGRAMS, INFORM THE COMMUNITY OF OUR ACTIVITIES AND FUTURE PLANS, AND TO OVERALL PROMOTE THE MATH MUSEUM AS A RESOURCE FOR PARTICIPANTS TO LEARN AND LOVE MATH. COSTS INCLUDED CONTRACTOR SERVICES IN OUTREACH AND PROMOTION EXPENSES FOR EVENTS, WEBSITE SERVICES, SUPPLIES AND MATERIALS THAT WERE USED AT MULTIPLE EVENTS, AND AN ASSOCIATION MEMBERSHIP FOR UPCOMING EVENTS.

OUR EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING EVENTS THIS YEAR INCLUDED A MATH-ART EXHIBIT, A MATH-THROUGH-ORIGAMI TEACHER TRAINING, A MATH-RELATED CAREER EVENT FOR MIDDLE SCHOOLERS, AND FAMILY ACTIVITIES AT A MATH FESTIVAL, ALL FACILITATED WITH PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS. INCLUDING VARIOUS ONLINE OUTREACH PROGRAMS IN THE 2021-2022 FISCAL YEAR, WE REACHED 744 PARTICIPANTS THROUGH 114 HOURS OF PROGRAMMING. FOR THE LOVE OF MATH! WAS AN ART SHOW THAT DEMONSTRATED HOW THE VIGOR, BEAUTY AND PLEASURE OF MATH INFUSES OUR LIVES, FROM TRADITIONAL CRAFTS TO CONTEMPORARY RESEARCH AND DAILY CREATIVITY. HOSTED BY THE SUZANNE ZAHR GALLERY AND CURATED BY TIMEA TIHANYI, THIS EXHIBIT EXPLORED VARIOUS ART FORMS INFLUENCED BY MATH IDEAS AND MATHEMATICAL PROCESSES OF MAKING. THE SHOW INCLUDED 19 AMAZING ARTISTS USING VARIOUS MEDIA, INCLUDING POETRY, VISUAL ART, DANCE, MATHEMATICAL VISUALIZATION, DIGITAL GAMES, AND SOFTWARE. TWO RECEPTION EVENTS, THE OPENING ON OCTOBER 1 AND ANOTHER ON NOVEMBER 5, WERE OPPORTUNITIES TO MEET ARTISTS, BOARD MEMBERS AND PLAY WITH CREATIVE MATH ACTIVITIES. WE SERVED FOOD AND DRINKS AS WELL. THE EXHIBITION RAN FROM OCTOBER 1 THROUGH NOVEMBER 24, 10-5PM OR BY APPOINTMENT. IN ADDITION TO FUN MATH ACTIVITIES FOR CHILDREN, SUMM IS COMMITTED TO PROVIDING TEACHER PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT TO DEMONSTRATE MAKING MATH FUN AND SUPPORTING TEACHERS WITH ENGAGING AND HANDS-ON MATH ACTIVITIES FOR STUDENTS. WE ARE LUCKY TO HAVE OUR ORIGAMI EXPERT, RONA GURKEWITZ, AN ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR EMERITA OF COMPUTER SCIENCE AND MATHEMATICS TO PROVIDE ORIGAMI TRAINING. SHE HAS PUBLISHED SEVERAL BOOKS ON MODULAR ORIGAMI POLYHEDRA AND IS LEADING OUR MATH + ORIGAMI TEACHER TRAINING. WE OFFERED THIS PROGRAM AT CEDARHURST ELEMENTARY IN DECEMBER 2021 TO TEACHERS OF 3RD-5TH GRADE. THE TEACHERS LEARNED HOW TO MAKE ORIGAMI GIFT KITS (BOX, CARD, PICTURE FRAME, AND CROWN) FOR USE IN THEIR CLASSROOM. RONA ALSO TAUGHT RELATED MATH VOCABULARY WHILE EXPLAINING THE FOLDS. WE OFFERED THIS PROGRAM AT CEDARHURST ELEMENTARY IN DECEMBER 2021 TO 22 TEACHERS OF 3RD-5TH GRADE. THE TEACHERS LEARNED HOW TO MAKE ORIGAMI GIFT KITS (BOX, CARD, PICTURE FRAME, AND CROWN) FOR USE IN THEIR CLASSROOM. RONA ALSO TAUGHT RELATED MATH VOCABULARY WHILE EXPLAINING THE FOLDS. OUR MATH PATH TO NEW ADVENTURES EVENT WAS A CAREER-RELATED PRESENTATION IN MARCH 2022, WHERE WE INVITED MIDDLE SCHOOLERS TO DISCOVER THEIR JOURNEY WITH MATH. STUDENTS COULD LEARN FROM PROFESSIONALS OF DIFFERENT BACKGROUNDS HOW MATH HELPED THEM FIND THEIR PASSION AND THEIR CAREER PATH. THE EVENT WAS PRESENTED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON - FOSTER SCHOOL OF BUSINESS WHO DONATED THE SPACE. FOUR PRESENTERS ENGAGED A ROOM FILLED WITH MIDDLE SCHOOLERS ABOUT THE IMPACTS MATH HAS HAD ON THEIR LIVES AND CAREERS. AFTER PRESENTATIONS THE STUDENTS WERE GIVEN TIME TO MINGLE AND ASK QUESTIONS OF THE PRESENTERS. ANOTHER EVENT SUMM PARTICIPATED IN WAS THE ZENO MATHFEST HOSTED BY OUR PARTNER, ZENO MATH, ALSO IN PARTNERSHIP WITH RENTON INNOVATION ZONE. THE MATHFEST WAS IN MAY 2022 AND WAS A FREE CELEBRATION OF MATH FOR KIDS AGES 3-11. CHILDREN AND THEIR FAMILIES PLAYED MATH GAMES, WON PRIZES AND HAD FUN. SUMM BROUGHT HANDS-ON ENGAGING MATH TOYS FOR KIDS TO PLAY, EXPLORE AND EXPERIENCE MATH IN 3D. WE OFFERED ORIGAMI AND ENGAGING MATH ACTIVITIES TO LEARN ABOUT NUMERICAL RELATIONSHIPS, SYMMETRY AND DEVELOPING SPATIAL AWARENESS. PARENTS AND CHILDREN TOGETHER DISCOVERED OUR GIANT SOMA CUBES, AND COLLABORATIVELY BUILT GEOMETRIC SHAPES.