Organizer: Zachery Keisler, Saluda High School, Saluda, SC; Organizer's Email: zkeisler@saludaschools.org
While traditional history of mathematics courses extensively covers ancient Greek geometry and the calculus contributions of Newton and Leibniz, they often overlook significant mathematical developments from other cultures and pioneering work by underrepresented mathematicians. The ancient Babylonians’ foundational role in trigonometry and Graciela Beatriz Salicrup López’s pioneering work in categorical topology during the late 1970s and early 1980s exemplify the rich mathematical heritage beyond Western Europe. This second annual special session on the unspoken history of mathematics continues to illuminate the contributions of diverse cultures and historical figures typically absent from conventional curricula. Participants will engage with presentations celebrating overlooked mathematical traditions and innovators while collaborating to develop curriculum units and projects that expand history of mathematics courses. This session invites faculty and educators committed to helping students understand the diverse, interconnected, and truly global nature of mathematical development.
Throughout history, conquering powers have sought to suppress culture as a means of control. This talk will explore underground universities as sites of intellectual resistance, focusing on clandestine efforts in occupied Poland during the Second World War. Although higher education was directly targeted by Nazi policy, Polish scholars organized secret courses, exams, publications, and degree programs, often at great personal risk. Using education itself as an act of defiance, these faculty members and students contributed to sustaining national identity and many would go on to shape postwar intellectual life.
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In this talk, we’ll trace the development of mathematics in Latin America, using precise examples to anchor a broader story. We’ll start with the Mayans' vigesimal positional numeral system—remarkable for its early and systematic use of zero—which enabled sophisticated calendrical calculations and astronomical observations. Fast forward to the present, and we encounter the work of Carolina Araujo in birational geometry, particularly her contributions to the theory of Fano manifolds and rational curves within Mori theory. These cases serve as guideposts for a deeper discussion spanning Indigenous mathematical traditions, the influence of colonial-era education, and the emergence of active research communities in Mexico, Brazil, and Argentina. By sharing these stories, we’ll see how Latin American mathematics has been shaped by creativity, exchange, and resilience, and why its contributions matter in today’s global mathematical landscape.
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Mathematics, at its heart, is African. Unfortunately, much of ancient African traditions and customs have been lost due to colonization and slavery, including their knowledge and practice of mathematics. However, artifacts uncovered by archeologists confirm the understanding of math principles by African artisans. African art holds the secret behind the history of mathematics in Africa. With a focus on Sona sand drawings, this presentation will explore the beauty of mathematics that can be pulled from the ancient customs of the Tchokwe people of Angola. By exploring the work of Paulus Gerdes, a mathematician known for his work with the Tchokwe people, a discussion of mirror curves and symmetry arises from the analysis of the Sona sand drawings. He takes the patterns created by these curves to make what he coins as Lunda-designs. In this presentation, you will learn how to create your own Lunda-design and learn why they are mathematically beautiful.
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