High school students compete at AUS MathFest 2022

High school students put their mathematical skills to the test in a Math Olympiad held as part of the Sharakah MathFest organized recently at American University of Sharjah (AUS).

Students had 75 minutes to solve questions in algebra, geometry, trigonometry, statistics and probability without the use of a calculator. Naya Wardeh from Al Mawakeb School Al Garhoud won first place. Tied for second were Jian Mohamed Gamal from American International School in Dubai and Yaman Masad from Al Nahda National School. Malak Abdelraouf Noufad from American International School in Dubai and Ghaith Fadi Hussein from Dubai International School in Garhoud tied for third place.

High school students were also encouraged to explore their creativity through a poster competition themed around the impact of Muslim mathematicians on today’s technology. Housam Wadaa, Amin Bedasand and Sina Mohammadi from Al Mawakeb Garhoud School won the first place. Coming second were students Alya AlShemaili, Aisha Alshehhi and Mahra AlQassimi from Ras Al Khaimah American Academy. Amer Ayyash and Belal AlGhussein from Al Rawafed Private School placed third.

“MathFest encourages high school students to become critical thinkers and problem solvers and ignites their creativity. Mathematics is an exciting subject that can easily open up opportunities for students. It gives them skills that they can use across other subjects and apply in many different job roles,” said Dr. Taher Abualrub, Professor of Mathematics and Statistics at AUS and event organizer.

Students also learned about the origins of mathematics and its relation to subjects of logic, philosophy and other fields of science in the talk “A Mathematical Excursion” by Dr. Amjad Tufaha, Professor of Mathematics and Statistics at AUS.  While the students were busy, their math teachers participated in the workshop “Technological Teaching Tools During the Pandemic,” led by Diana Audi, Senior Instructor in Mathematics and Statistics at AUS. Teachers discussed the challenges they faced during the COVID-19 pandemic and were introduced to advanced math teaching methods.

“As educators, we have to always find innovative ways to engage students and help them realize the importance of this subject matter. The past few years were challenging for many educators, and it was important that we reflect on lessons learned and also look at new ways of teaching math in our ever-changing world,” said Dr. Abualrub.

MathFest is part of the AUS Sharakah program, a partnership program between AUS and select high schools across the UAE and the region, and is organized by the Department of Mathematics and Statistics at the College of Arts and Sciences in collaboration with the Office of Enrollment Management. Schools in the Sharakah program are invited to participate in educational and sports events at AUS, and AUS faculty share their expertise with teachers at the participating schools. For more information on the Sharkah program and the opportunities it offers partner schools, visit www.aus.edu/sharakah.

The Department of Mathematics and Statistics at the College of Arts and Sciences offers bachelor’s and master’s degree programs in mathematics that seek to provide students with broad outlines of modern mathematics and its applications in a variety of disciplines, to stimulate their interest in research and to prepare them for their future work. It also offers minors in actuarial mathematics, applied and computational mathematics, and data science. For more information, please visit www.aus.edu/cas/department-of-mathematics-and-statistics/programs.