Celebrate Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month by learning about three amazing AAPI mathematicians. Find these profiles - and 50+ more! - in a ready-to-go slide deck.

Check out the Math in Action slide deck!

Dr. June Huh

Dr. Huh is a professor at Princeton University who won the Fields Medal in 2022. (from a profile in Quanta)

Watch this profile from the Simons Foundation.

Possible Questions:

• Dr. Huh says: “The boundary between knowing and not knowing is so clear in mathematics.”
  • In your own words, what does that mean?
  • What is one other area of life where that is NOT true?
• What was Dr. Huh’s dream growing up?
• Dr. Huh talks about framing a problem differently to use a “different type of intuition”. What types of problems does your intuition, or natural way of thinking, solve best?

Josephine Jue

Josephine Jue is a mathematician and aerospace technologist who spent more than thirty years working behind-the-scenes on computers and software at NASA (from the American Mathematical Society).

Read this interview with Jue to learn more.

Possible Questions:

• How does Jue describe the diversity of professionals at NASA?
• How did Jue decide to become a mathematician?
• Jue says “The next generation of women… should also care about other women and strive to lift each other up”. In your own life, what examples have you seen of people lifting each other up?

Dr. Swati Patel

Dr. Patel is mathematical biologist and an assistant professor at Oregon State University Math Department. Her research focuses on modeling population dynamics of different living organisms. In 2019, she co-founded the Math For All conference, to foster inclusivity in mathematics research. (from her website)

Watch this interview with MEET a Mathematician

Possible Questions:

• How did Dr. Patel’s early experiences with math compare to her college experiences?
• What are the real-world applications of Dr. Patel’s research?
• What does Dr. Patel say is one of her biggest challenges? Can you relate to that challenge?

About the Author

Kathryn Dawson

Kathryn (she/her) is excited to join the NGPF team after 9 years of experience in education as a mentor, tutor, and special education teacher. She is a graduate of Cornell University with a degree in policy analysis and management and has a master's degree in education from Brooklyn College. Kathryn is looking forward to bringing her passion for accessibility and educational justice into curriculum design at NGPF. During her free time, Kathryn loves embarking on cooking projects, walking around her Seattle neighborhood with her dog, or lounging in a hammock with a book.

More posts by Kathryn