In March 2020, I’m a Mathematician, Stay at home was launched to allow school students to stay connected with STEM during the school closures due to coronavirus. Students could log in and take part whether they were at school or at home, reconnecting with their teachers and each other.
The Circle Zone, in I’m a Mathematician, Stay at home, ran over 7 weeks as part of the Stay at home activities, instead of the usual two. This Zone was funded by UKRI.
- 33 mathematicians created profiles in the Zone, and 33 engaged with students in live chats and answering questions. 25 of these mathematicians were new to the activities.
- Mathematicians from a broad range of areas and career stages took part. For example, Hannah West is a PhD student using maths to understand how to deliver cancer treatment, Arick Shao is a Senior Lecturer researching differential equations for mathematical modelling, and Alan Champneys is researching mathematical modelling about how to return safely from work after the first wave of COVID-19. On average, 5 mathematicians attended each live chat session.
- 170 students from 10 schools all over the UK logged into the Zone. 6 of these schools had taken part in a previous I’m a… activity.
- 21% of active students were from Widening Participation schools, and 53% from Underserved Schools.