Mathematics Awareness Month began in 1986 as Mathematics Awareness Week with a proclamation by President Ronald Reagan, who said in part:
—President Ronald Reagan in Proclamation 5461 – National Mathematics Awareness Week, April 17, 1986
Beginning in 2017, Mathematics Awareness Month became Mathematics and Statistics Awareness Month to recognize the unique and important contributions from the statistics discipline, but the goal remains to increase public understanding of and appreciation for mathematics and statistics. We encourage members of our community to organize activities for Mathematics and Statistics Awareness Month. Events could include workshops, competitions, exhibits, or lectures. You may even be able to convince your local elected officials to issue a proclamation for MSAM.
To celebrate Mathematics and Statistics Awareness Month, the American Statistical Association will once again host a Virtual Science Fair. Participants will work independently or as part of a team, spend the month investigating an interesting topic, and submit a short video highlighting their process and results.
We also want to encourage your creativity, so we are introducing a meme contest. Create a meme that showcases the goal of MSAM by highlighting the importance of statistics and data science. The contest is open to all. You might want to check out memer to get started. Use the form to submit your entry by 5 p.m. ET on Friday, April 30. Examples of memes the ASA has created can be found in the Resources section of the Mathematics and Statistics Awareness Month website.
Share your MSAM activities on social media using #mathstatmonth! Download the MSAM 2021 poster and print it out to share in your classroom. We are planning some surprises, so follow us on social media and don’t miss the fun.
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