Mark A. Branson

Friday late afternoon.

Math for the People: Teaching Mathematics with Social Justice.

The myth that mathematics is somehow apolitical or impartial has been largely exploded in the current era — debates over independent & ethical redistricting; questioning of the positive slope of global mean temperatures; and discussion of the long term viability of social security & medicare programs have thrust mathematicians and mathematical arguments into the political arena. How can we bring political and social justice topics into our classrooms in a way that enhances our pedagogy, encourages students to engage with the material, does not alienate students whose political opinions may be in the minority, and doesn't get us fired? I'll discuss some materials and strategies which my colleagues and I have used successfully in the classroom and how we have navigated these challenges.

Mark Branson (any pronouns) is from Baltimore, Maryland, where he serves as professor & chair in the Department of Mathematics and Physics at Stevenson University. After studying pure mathematics and computer science as an undergraduate at the University of Oklahoma and a short stint at NASA Ames Research Center, they completed their Ph.D. at Columbia University in symplectic geometry and a postdoctoral fellowship at the Technion in Haifa Israel. These diverse experiences led to his current interest in teaching mathematics with social justice concepts and co-editing/co-authoring the Math for the People textbook project. Outside of the classroom, they are an avid amateur chef, gardener, and community organizer in the LGBTQ+ community of Baltimore.