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| Shaping Next-Generation Math Stars March 2009
It's hardly surprising that Edith Mooers embarked on a career in advanced mathematics: her parents were both computer pioneers who passed on a passion for learning. A lead radar data analysis engineer at MITRE in Bedford, Mass., Mooers earned a Ph.D. in pure mathematics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and worked as an assistant professor of mathematics at the University of California at Los Angeles for several years. Seeking to apply her skills to major national problems, she joined MITRE in 2007. But even after she left academia, the love of teaching stayed with her. Recently she found a way to share her knowledge with promising young math students. Mooers volunteers with the Melrose, Mass., public school system's school-community partnership program called The Bridge, tutoring fifth graders in algebra, group theory, arithmetic in different bases, and other math subjects. The students are among the school system's top math performers. "With so much attention being paid to helping the other kids prepare for the MCAS [Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System] exam, the concern was that the advanced math students would become bored," she says. This prompted the school system to seek tutors to work with students ready to move to the next level, she explains. Helping Youngsters Visualize Math Concepts Mooers, whose MITRE work focuses on military sensor systems, approaches the volunteer assignment "from a problem orientation," she says. Her goal is to help the students visualize the kinds of problems that could be solved with advanced math, guiding them through the process of finding solutions. "We play a lot of games together, such as hangman-type games, which helps keep their attention by harnessing their competitive natures," she says. Though the students are too young to fully grasp the nature of her work, Mooers says they were curious about what she does for a living. "I've talked to them about the general issues involved in radar engineering and physical geometry." She describes the students as "very enthusiastic," and believes many of them show real promise for future careers relying on extensive knowledge of mathematics. Clues to a Future Career The same was once likely said of Mooers, who grew up with computer theory discussions at the dinner table. Her mother, Charlotte Davis Mooers, a technical writer and technical support expert, was a Department of Defense contractor who helped set up some of the first electronic mail systems at the Pentagon in the 1970s. Her father, Calvin M. Mooers, was an expert in information theory, information retrieval, and artificial intelligence. He founded the Rockford Research Institute in 1961, where he developed the programming language TRAC. As a child Edith had a brief television career as a member of the cast of a Public Broadcasting System children's show, "Infinity Factory," which—fittingly enough—introduced math concepts to kids. While she has been teaching math on some level on and off for many years, Mooers says it remains a challenging and rewarding endeavor. "It's wonderful to see the sense of satisfaction the students get when, suddenly, a concept makes sense to them," she says. "The kids really do have a lot of fun. It would be great if some of them eventually make their way to MITRE." —by Maria S. Lee Page last updated: March 10, 2010 | Top of page |
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