More Than 40 Girls Sign Up For Math Conference At JMU

HARRISONBURG - Do fish have ears? And why are doughnuts like coffee cups? 

Those are just a couple of the questions girls from grades 9-11 will explore Saturday, April 26, at the first Expanding Your Horizons mathematics conference for girls at James Madison University. More than 40 girls from the central Shenandoah Valley and other areas of Virginia have registered to attend the conference, which will run from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the ISAT/CS Building on JMU's campus east of Interstate 81. 

The conference will be led by female mathematics faculty from JMU and is designed to stimulate girls' interest in math through hands-on activities, provide them with female scientist role models and foster awareness of opportunities in math and science-related careers. The girls will be able to choose four of six workshops to participate in during the day. Workshops also will be available to parents. 

Dr. Monica Neagoy, a mathematician and actress, will end the conference with a keynote address. Neagoy was educated in France, Asia and the United States and holds a doctorate in mathematics from the University of Maryland. Her exposure to many cultures, her mastery of several languages, and her professional involvement in both the arts and sciences give her a unique perspective on the learning and teaching of mathematics. 

After teaching mathematics at Georgetown University, Neagoy served the National Science Foundation as a program director in the division of elementary, secondary, and informal education. 

More information about the conference is available at the conference Web site.