Extracurricular opportunities for UBC math undergraduates
- The UBC Math Department conducts problem workshops in schools
each year through the fall and winter. The workshops, aimed at
grade 6 – 12 students, are largely delivered by volunteer
UBC math undergraduates. It’s a rewarding and interesting
way to spend a couple of spare hours. Go to the Math Department
office (Room 121 in the main Math building) in the fall to find
out how to sign up. A description of the program is given here.
- PIMS, the Pacific
Institute of Mathematical Sciences, is a multicampus institute
that promotes mathematics in western Canada at all levels, from
Kindergarten to cutting-edge mathematical research. It carries
on a variety of education
activities. One of the main events is ELMACON,
a math contest for grades 5 – 7 students. Another popular
event is “Math Mania.” Contact PIMS Education Coordinator
Melania Adem (melania at pims dot math dot ca) for more information
and to volunteer.
- The Putnam Contest is a challenging mathematics competition
(the median score is usually less than 10 out of 120!) written
in December by undergraduates throughout North America. If you’re
interested in participating, contact Prof. Greg Martin (gerg
at math dot ubc dot ca), or click the Putnam link at his website. UBC students
who rank in the top 200 in the continent (each year there are
usually several) receive a cash prize from UBC.
- There are various job opportunities for UBC math students,
such as marking and doing summer research (NSERC USRA program).
Also, there are exchange programs, for example for study in Europe
for a year. Visit the Math Department office for more information,
look for announcements on bulletin boards in the Math building,
or stay tuned for announcements made in your math classes.