July 01, 2003 :: No. 2
| What: |
Cal State Fullerton’s innovative Project
MISS (Mathematics Intensive Summer Session), a program designed
to enhance the mathematics skills of young women, begins its
14th year with approximately 64 students who are 10th- and 11th-graders
from Orange County communities and surrounding areas. |
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| When: |
July 7 – Aug. 1 |
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| Where: |
McCarthy Hall, Room 187 and Room 689 |
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| Background: |
Project MISS was started in 1990 by Dr. David
L. Pagni, CSUF professor of mathematics, to encourage young
women to pursue careers in science and math by providing an
intensive skills-building summer course. The long-range goal
is to encourage more young women to succeed in calculus, thus
opening the door to such university majors as chemistry, engineering,
geology, biology, physics and math. The short-term goal is to
address the needs of female high school students who are college
bound and succeeding in all course work except math. With the
program’s intensive training, students regain the confidence
and skills needed to succeed, according to Pagni. |
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| Activities: |
Participants study six hours a day, Monday through
Friday, and also learn to prepare for college life and explore
career options. This summer, Project MISS will conduct two classes
in Algebra II. In addition, a math competition club program
for 25 boys and girls will be offered in McCarthy Hall, Room
468. |
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| Speakers: |
A series of women speakers will add a real-world
dimension to the program.
“Student participants will see the career opportunities
and fields that await them if they do well in mathematics,”
said Pagni, who was honored in 1993 with the Outstanding Professor
Award from both CSUF and the CSU system. “Speakers include
professional women, business executives, engineers, educators
and others, who will serve as role models to motivate these
young women to achieve greater success.” |
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| Program Director: |
This spring Pagni, Project MISS director, was
named a winner of the California State University Wang Family
Excellence Award. He has been called “one of the most
respected math educators in the world” by Solomon Garfunkel,
executive director of the Consortium for Mathematics and Its
Applications. Over the years, Pagni has received more than $13.6
million in research grants to improve the way math is taught
in local schools. |
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| Sponsors: |
Southwestern Bell, Fluor Foundation, Boeing,
California Mathematics Council, GEARUP – Anaheim, CSUF
Outreach and the CSUF Faculty-Staff “It’s Our University”
Campaign and Toshiba Corp. |
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| Media Contacts: |
Dr. David L. Pagni, professor of mathematics,
at 657-278-2671 or dpagni@fullerton.edu
Dave Reid, Public Affairs, at 657-278-4855 or dreid@fullerton.edu |
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