Press Releases
On November 9, we celebrated the teaching profession and the MƒA community of over 1,000 New York City teachers at the 13th Annual MƒA Fall ƒunction. MƒA teachers, their guests, and other leaders in STEM education gathered at the Marriott Marquis in Times Square for our signature event. This year, we honored the education professionals who push the boundaries of mathematics and science at MƒA and beyond.
The event featured a cocktail reception – highlighted by a DIY slime station, roaming photo booths, and countless displays of our theme, “mad science” – followed by dinner and a program filled with inspiring speeches.
The Fall ƒunction speeches included:
- A scientific presentation delivered by Robbert Dijkgraaf, MƒA Board Member and Director of the Institute for Advanced Study and Leon Levy Professor, who was introduced by Jim Simons, MƒA Founder. Dijkgraaf engaged teachers in their content area, showcasing demonstrations on how the geometry of space and time determines the origin, composition, and fate of the universe, from the Big Bang to black holes.
- A thought-provoking talk given by Sendy Keenan, MƒA Master Teacher and high school mathematics teachers at Frederick Douglas Academy, who was introduced by MٟƒA Chief Operating Officer Michael Driskill. Keenan shared a powerful message on the importance of teachers pushing themselves out of their comfort zones in order to engage students in STEM and work toward a just education system.
- John Ewing, MƒA President, served as emcee of the evening. Ewing talked about how teachers play an essential role in shaping the public’s perception of science, urging those in attendance to remind their students, families, and friends about the value of reason and humanism.
Scroll through some favorite photos of the Fall ƒunction. You can also view photos from the 5th floor photo booth and from the roaming photo booths.