“I was told there would be no math.” That line from a Saturday Night Live sketch sums up a common attreaditude. When I started a science & faith Sunday School series of my own devising with some math topics, that was essentially the criticism I received from those who opted not to return for week two. I find myself more inclined to the sentiment “To Live Your Best Life, Do Mathematics,” the title of a recent interview with Francis Su, friend of this blog, mathematics professor at Harvey Mudd and outgoing president of the Mathematics Association of America. Su shares his enthusiasm for math, his reasons for believing a mathematics education is worthwhile for everyone regardless of career, and his concerns for the barriers that keep such an education from some. In particular, his comments about the relationship between liberal arts colleges and research universities and the selection functions that operate at various levels of higher education will likely be of interest across disciplines.
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