Participant Testimonials
First I have to congratulate all the BIRS, from the very concept of having an excellent place to work, to share experiences and knowledge, to the logistic facilities that allow people with same objectives to gather in a productive way. The staff to support the work is also perfect. It looked to me almost unreal that we can actually have such a place. For me the workshop was truly profitable in a wonderful atmosphere. I have met people from different places yet with same ideals and I could share the professional experiences of Mathematicians contributing to Mathematics Education. The number of people with specific profile attending the workshop was also a key ingredient to the success, but of course the effort of the organizers (Sol Friedberg, Ed Barbeau, Bill McCallum, Patricio Felmer and Jose Antonio de La Peña) was determinat. I express here my gratitude and appreciation to BIRS for this wonderful experience.
I must say that it has been a wonderful experience I won't forget. I want to thank the generosity of all participants. They shared their ideas, their initiatives, their experiences and at the same time they were eager to know about what is happening in other places of America. Attending the workshop showed me that it is of the highest importance involving in mathematics education issues. This meeting let me learn many things, gave me ideas and also, let me think about cooperation with mathematicians from America interested in mathematics education. Finally, I want to thank BIRS for providing such a marvelous enviroment.
I found this conference very stimulating and informative, learning the latest about the state of math education in the Americas and the efforts of mathematicians to improve this education. Our conversations also included serious discussion of ways to share resources and help each other in working in this area. I am optimistic that the workshop will have a long-term effect upon international cooperation among mathematicians in the Americas concerned with math education.
Department of Mathematics, Boston College
It was a fascinating and inspiring workshop. Of course, since the topic was math education, it did not help my research program in any direct way. However, as a professor at a university where half of our math undergraduates want to be high school teachers and one of our graduate M.A. programs is specifically for in-service teachers, it was certainly highly relevant to my professional life. It was my first exposure to math education in Latin America, and in some ways they are better organized than we are. It was also noteworthy that the majority of the people there were active innovators in teacher education (I don't count myself as one of them) and simultaneously active mathematics researchers. Thanks as always to BIRS for the great organization and facilities and financial support (especially since we can't use NSERC funds for this meeting).
The Pan-American Workshop on Mathematicians and School Mathematics Education was fantastic in bringing together a geographically and mathematically diverse group of individuals. In my specific case dealing with mathematics education as a tool of international development, the conference was a catalyst for a project to create a conference for finding donors for development projects and to coordinate a visit from participants from Paraguay and Chile to the Caribbean. These kinds of connections were facilitated by a conference as focused and international as this one. In a more unexpected way, the discussion topics outside of the panels and lectures provided a wonderful sharing of ideas such as how to increase the representation of women in mathematics and mechanisms for international cooperation. The logistical support and hospitality was excellent.
Mathematics, California State University, Fullerton