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An Essay On Teaching And Learning Mathematics: Through The Lens Of Artificial Intelligence, Music, And Sports, James Diederich

Journal of Humanistic Mathematics

This essay is aimed at a wide audience: anyone who has engaged in learning or teaching math. It provides a unique perspective drawn from a mathematician’s interests in working with K-12 teachers, familiarity with artificial intelligence (AI), and amateur pursuits of learning to play an instrument and of learning a difficult sport. While I delve into these topics, no special background is needed in the slightest. In particular, I draw lessons from some failures in AI that reflect on why the conventional procedural approach to teaching and learning math fails many students. I also provide insight into how we learn …

Graduate Student Reflections On Mentoring Undergraduate Researchers In Mathematics, Melissa Beerbower, Jillian Cervantes, Pamela E. Harris, Kimberly J. Harry, Matt Mcclinton, Gabriella Pinter

Journal of Humanistic Mathematics

This is an interview with four graduate students who for the first time mentored undergraduate students during a summer research program. The interviewees present their lessons learned in mentoring and advice to other graduate students looking to mentor students.

The Czechoslovak Way Of Competing For Better Mathematics In 1950s, Petra Antošová

Journal of Humanistic Mathematics

In the period after World War II, many significant changes took place in Czechoslovakia. This paper focuses on the changes that were taking place in the field of mathematical education. Education, in general, acquired a new structure as a response to the school reform of 1948 and subsequent reforms. Great emphasis began to be placed on polytechnic education, of which mathematics was a key part. Teachers sought out ways to find mathematical talents and to excite students about mathematics in various ways.This paper focuses on mathematical circles (whether tutoring or inspirational) and other motivational methods such as mathematics competitions that …

Prime Numbers Are Written On Your Hand: You Simply Have Not Been Counting Correctly, Nona Servais Kamdem Simo, Awa Traore

Journal of Humanistic Mathematics

Prime numbers have resisted systematic description for over two millennia. We propose that part of the difficulty may lie in an insufficiently attentive examination of one’s own hands. In particular, we assign the natural numbers to the joints of the human hand according to a cyclic traversal protocol, and make a handful of observations which can naturally be translated into number-theoretic properties of prime numbers. We show that these properties lead us to natural activation thresholds of a unified three-phase sieve algorithm — the resulting framework provides, for the first time, a zone-based partition of the admissible space with explicit …

Developing A Learner-Centered Teaching Routine, Hyeeun Jang

Journal of Humanistic Mathematics

This paper shares my story of developing, from Fall 2022 to Spring 2025, a learner-centered teaching routine for my undergraduate mathematics courses. I use four steps: an opening question, a short mini lecture about meaning, structured small group work, and a short end-of-class exit check, at times supported by quick visuals in Mathematica and, when useful, Python. Instead of relying on extended traditional lectures, the routine emphasizes collaborative problem solving and invites students to articulate and check their reasoning together. I used this routine mainly in my elementary statistics classes, but also in calculus and linear algebra. The evidence I …

Preparing Undergraduates To Philosophize With Children About Mathematics, Lawrence M. Lesser

Journal of Humanistic Mathematics

This paper shares my reflections and insights from preparing and facilitating a session in a weeklong inaugural study away program for undergraduate students (especially philoophy majors). My session was a vehicle for helping these students experience or visualize how the program’s Philosophy for Children (P4C) approach could be applied to exploring and discussing mathematics with children.

Mathematicians Against The Tide, Nicola Ciccoli

Journal of Humanistic Mathematics

Mathematicians in popular culture are often depicted as people obsessed by their studies but with little connection to society, poor social skills, mental issues and narrow interests, and more generally a dull life. Adding to these explicit stereotypes, subtler and more implicit ones also abound, regarding mathematicians’ gender, ethnicity, age; they are all supposed to be white middle-aged men. In this paper I describe a project aimed at disrupting such stereotypes that culminated in a book containing short comics and biographies of twentieth-century mathematicians that were, with respect to the perceived image of mathematicians, against the tide.

Waiting For The Magic: A Historical And Mathematical Study Of Queues In Disney Theme Parks, Nina E. Becket

Journal of Humanistic Mathematics

This paper, written as part of an honors research project in high school, provides an introduction to the line and queuing systems at Disney theme parks. We begin with a brief history of Disney World and its creators. We then introduce the basics of queuing theory and queuing notation. Finally, we examine modern line systems at Disney (as of 2023) and the future of its different queue systems.

Impact Of Covid-19 Pandemic On Mathematics Achievement And Problem-Solving Ability: Insights From Secondary Schools In India, Laishram Nirtish Singh, Anand Jyoti Sanasam, Jocyline Thokchom, Ningombam Cha Cogent, Laisom Sharmeswar Singh

Journal of Humanistic Mathematics

The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted students’ engagement with mathematics. This study aims to contribute to our understanding of the extent of this disrupting by examining differences in mathematics achievement and problem-solving ability between adjacent cohorts who learned Class 8 under different schooling conditions in India: Group A (pandemic-exposed Class 8 cohort) and Group B (post-reopening Class 8 cohort). Using a descriptive design in a natural setting, we selected a stratified sample of 1,200 students from Class 9 and Class 10 across 21 secondary schools in Manipur, India. The sample was stratified by gender, family type, school type, and locality to ensure …

"Math Is Like A Rollercoaster": Exploring Math Similes And Metaphors, Carmen M. Latterell, Janelle L. Wilson

Journal of Humanistic Mathematics

In this article we explore the metaphors and similes that pre-service elementary teachers use to describe mathematics. Employing qualitative content analysis, we separately coded the metaphors and similes into conceptual categories and analyzed themes that emerged. This grounded theory approach led to the creation of seven categories of metaphors and similes and three overarching themes. Math was viewed as a journey, a puzzle, a personal experience, a creative process, an algorithm, infinite, and an embodied process. Pre-service elementary teachers viewed mathematics as a process that takes effort. Overall, mathematics is a positive experience for them. In addition, mathematics involves fitting …

A Method For Folding Origami Rectilinear Polygon Extrusions, Everett L. Jin

Journal of Humanistic Mathematics

We present a method for generating crease patterns for folding any rectilinear polygon extrusion with a specified uniform minimum edge-to-edge distance, using a rectangular sheet of paper. We demonstrate that the resulting models are efficient and watertight. In addition, they achieve optimal efficiency, meaning they attain the smallest possible scale factor from the original sheet of paper to the folded rectilinear polygon extrusion. Finally, we provide a code implementation of the method. Our study not only facilitates crease pattern design for origami artists but also offers an innovative, art-driven pedagogical tool for inspiring interest in mathematics.

The Set Card Game And Partitions Into Maximal Caps: A Partial Difference Sets Approach, John Polhill

Journal of Humanistic Mathematics

More specifically, we revisit the problem of determining the maximum number of cards that can be dealt in the SET® card game without any matches, which is well known to be equivalent to the problem of determining the size of a maximal cap in the affine space AG(4,3). We present a new approach to the problem by using partial difference sets, a method that is equivalent to using strongly regular graphs with a regular automorphism group. The paper includes several possible avenues for future investigations on how partial difference sets might be used in related problems.

Front Matter

Journal of Humanistic Mathematics

No abstract provided.

The Productivity Of A Sown Grassland On Drained Low-Bog Soil As Influenced By Soil Moisture Regime And Fertilization, J Lukoshyavichyus, R Vaichyulite, A Vlasov, A Panamarevene

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

In the Yoke Branch of the Lithuanian Research Institute of Agriculture, within the frame of the programme for working out the fundamen­tals of a sound and reliable basis of raw ma­terials for producing feed pellets and wafers along industrial lines, experiments have been performed since 1972 for determining an effi­cient combination. of fertilization and soil moisture regime of sown grassland on drained low-bog soil. Field and laboratory experiments have shown that in the course of the growing season the optimum moisture regime in the root layer of the drained low-bog soil under investigation sho1,1ld range between the upper limit (which …

Cover Crops For Perennial Forage Plants Under Conditions Of High-Intensity Arable Farming, Yu K. Novoselov

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

High and stable yields of perennial forage plants grown under conditions of high-intensity arable farming depend decisively on proper timing of sowing as well as on correct choice of the most suitable sowing method. Early-spring sowing of perennial forage plants under summer crops was found to be an opti­mum approach in the nonchernozem zone of the European part of the • USSR. The safe development of the seedlings of a given forage crop depends on proper choice not only of the species but also of the variety of the cover crop. If more nitrogen is applied, particularly in years with …

Annual Quality And Safety Summit Abstract Booklet 2026, Elizabeth A. Saunders, Amanda Jones, Paulette A. Wehner

Marshall Journal of Medicine

The Annual Quality and Safety Summit is a cornerstone event dedicated to advancing excellence in health care delivery, bringing together a diverse community of health care professionals, educators, researchers, and learners. Each year, the summit serves as a dynamic platform to showcase innovative initiatives, evidence-based practices, and transformative ideas that aim to enhance patient care, improve safety, and drive better system-wide outcomes across the health care continuum.

Jointly sponsored by the Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine and Marshall Health Network, the Summit features abstracts spanning a wide range of topics, including innovative care delivery models, quality improvement strategies, patient …

Rare Case Of Subcutaneous Panniculitis-Like T-Cell Lymphoma In A Pediatric Patient, Jasmine Kaur, Omar Abdelaal, Ammar Masood, Aaron Mcguffin, Kathleen Martin

Marshall Journal of Medicine

Subcutaneous panniculitis-like T-cell lymphoma (SPTCL) is a rare subtype of primary cutaneous T-cell lymphoma that has clinical overlap with common benign conditions, thus making diagnosis challenging. SPTCL primarily affects younger adults with a female predominance. Pediatric cases are exceedingly rare and often misdiagnosed as bacterial infections, delaying proper clinical diagnosis and treatment.

In this case study, we report on a 9-year-old female who initially presented to an urgent care clinic with two weeks of an itchy, painful nodule on her right buttock and thigh. The nodule was initially misidentified as a skin abscess, and the patient was prescribed sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim. The …

Long-Term Changes In Ground-Level Ozone And Nitrogen Dioxide, Blake Bixby, Kevin Du, Noah Teske

Summer Undergraduate Research Program (SURP) Symposium

Ground-level ozone (O₃) is a secondary pollutant formed through photochemical reactions involving nitrogen oxides (NOₓ), volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and sunlight. This study combines satellite observations from NASA OMI with surface monitoring data from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) to evaluate long-term changes in NO₂ and ozone between 2005 and 2025. Global NO₂ distributions, Houston monitoring stations, and hourly pollutant concentrations were analyzed to investigate temporal and seasonal variations. Results indicate declining NO₂ concentrations over many developed regions, while ozone continues to exhibit strong photochemical and seasonal behavior.

Analyzing The Effect Of Physical And Chemical Properties On Spectral Absorption Of Hemoglobin, Anna N. Gregorsok, Carl L. Thurman

Summer Undergraduate Research Program (SURP) Symposium

Hemoglobin oxygen affinity is influenced by intracellular pH through the Bohr effect, making pH an important regulator of oxygen delivery throughout the body. Before oxygen-binding affinity can be quantified, the optical properties of hemoglobin under different pH conditions must first be characterized. In this study, free hemoglobin was analyzed at five physiologically relevant pH values (6.72, 7.00, 7.33, 7.63, and 7.92), representing conditions ranging from acidosis to alkalosis. Human red blood cells were lysed in hypotonic phosphate solutions, and absorbance spectra were collected using a scanning spectrophotometer. The resulting spectra establish baseline optical characteristics of hemoglobin across physiologically relevant pH …

Role Of Oxygen Vacancy In Photocatalytic Water Splitting Using Ceria Bismuth Oxide Solid Solution, Kahkashan Ansari, Rajani Meena, Yuktanshi Gautam, Neelu Chouhan

Sultan Qaboos University Journal For Science

In this study, we report the successful synthesis of solid solution (SS) cerium bismuth oxide (CBO) photocatalysts via a facile combustion method using urea as starting materials at different calcination temperatures (300–900°C). The prepared CBO exhibited a nanocrystalline fluorite structure with a direct band gap of 3.02 eV, enabling efficient visible light driven photocatalytic water splitting. Under natural solar irradiation, the optimized CBO achieved excellent H2 and O2 evolution rates of 776.3 μmol g-1 and 388.2 μmol g-1 respectively. A high hydrogen evolution rate of 766.3 μ mol g-1 was also obtained under artificial sunlight using methanol as a sacrificial …

Green Synthesis Of Nanomaterials For Carbon Capture And Clean Energy Applications, Ranjana Rayaraddi, Sathyabama Balaji, Blessy Babukutty, Mahendra Kolya, Sunil Meti, Sabu Thomas

Sultan Qaboos University Journal For Science

The rapid increase in anthropogenic carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions and the growing global energy demand have intensified the search for sustainable carbon mitigation and clean energy solutions. Nanomaterials have emerged as promising candidates for carbon capture, energy conversion, and storage technologies due to their high surface area, tunable physicochemical properties, and superior catalytic performance. However, conventional nanomaterial synthesis routes often involve toxic chemicals, harsh reaction conditions, and high energy consumption, limiting their environmental sustainability. In this context, green synthesis of nanomaterials has gained significant attention as an eco-friendly alternative that aligns with the principles of green chemistry. This review presents …

Assessing Amino Acids And Peptide Adsorption On Pristine Graphene In Aqueous Solution: Nmr Spectroscopy, Budoor S. Al Umairi, Rahma Al Busaidi, Walaa Sameer Aburayan

Sultan Qaboos University Journal For Science

Graphene offers tremendous potential for applications in biomedical and pharmaceutical areas, ranging from molecular diagnostics, biosensors, and prosthetics to implants and drug delivery. However, realising the full potential of graphene is blocked by a limited understanding of the nature and detail of its noncovalent interactions with biological molecules in aqueous dispersion, where such applications can be used. Here, we studied the adsorption of amino acids and peptide on graphene in water utilising Nuclear Magnetic Resonance spectroscopy by observing 1H signals of individual biomolecules when exposed to graphene. The peptide-graphene interactions appeared to be driven by the binding affinity of individual …

Mechanically Modulated Photothermal Dynamics In Au-Pdms Nanocomposites For Non-Contact Stress Sensing, Woosuk Chung, Rengaraj Selvaraj, Younghun Kim

Sultan Qaboos University Journal For Science

Photothermal films used in flexible and wearable devices are inevitably exposed to mechanical deformation, yet their thermal response under such conditions remains poorly quantified. In this work, gold nanoparticle–embedded polydimethylsiloxane (Au@PDMS) films are fabricated and their photothermal behavior is examined under controlled stretching, bending, twisting, and curved-surface attachment. Gold nanoparticles were formed in situ in the PDMS matrix, producing uniformly dispersed, spherical nanocrystals with retained crystallinity. Systematic variation of Au loading reveals a proportional increase in optical absorption and light-to-heat conversion efficiency without significant aggregation. Under near-infrared irradiation (808 nm), the Au@PDMS films exhibit rapid and repeatable temperature modulation. Mechanical …

Integrating Ai-Based Electricity Demand Forecasting With Solar Grid Planning To Enhance Sustainability And Reliability, Anas Thamer Mustafa, Omar Sharaf Al-Deen Al-Yozbaky

AUIQ Technical Engineering Science

Proper electricity-demand forecasting is essential for reliable power-system planning, particularly in urban networks facing rapid demand growth and transformer overloading. However, many previous studies have treated load forecasting and renewable-energy integration as separate tasks, which limits their usefulness for practical planning. This study develops an integrated forecasting–planning framework that links AI-based electricity-demand forecasting with photovoltaic (PV) system design and transformer-loading assessment. The framework is applied to real daily data from the Al-Intisar 132/33 kV substation in Mosul, Iraq, covering electrical load, temperature, population, and date-related variables for the period 2022–2024. Fourteen forecasting models from four methodological categories were evaluated: machine-learning …

Religion And Judicial Jurisdiction Conflicts In Personal Status & Inheritance Affairs, Manal Ahmad Shebaro

BAU Journal - Journal of Legal Studies - مجلة الدراسات القانونية

In light of the philosophy underlying the Lebanese legal system, which is based on accommodating the multiplicity of personal status laws; specifically the family system for individuals in relation to marriage, parenthood, and related matters, according to the different sects and recognized religious denominations, which form an exception to the general legal system known as civil law, the general rule governing other relationships; the study aims to analyze the impact of religion on determining judicial jurisdiction in international and internal relations related to inheritance and personal status affairs.

The objective of this study is as follows:

•             To shed light …

Al Shura In Light Of The Concept Of Reality, A Historical, Jurisprudence And Legal Study, Fawzi Adham

BAU Journal - Journal of Legal Studies - مجلة الدراسات القانونية

This research undertakes an in-depth study of the concept of Shura (Consultation) in Islam from historical, jurisprudential and legal perspectives. It begins by reviewing the concept itself, starting with a realistic understanding of it. This involves defining Shura in its current form, presenting the views of Islamic jurists on the matter, highlighting the methodological flaws in the current understanding, and offering a corrective approach to the pre-Islamic tribal view of Shura. The research also distinguishes between Shura and the concept of Mashurah. Furthermore, it presents the political concept of Shura based on the era of Caliphs Alrashidin, the Umayyad and …

Phytochemical Analysis And Safety Assessment Of Watercress Nasturtium Officinale: Antioxidant Capacity, Heavy Metal Profiling, And Toxicity Using Brine Shrimp Model, Qurrota A’Yunin, Chamini Kasun Hemachandra, Muhaimin Rifa’I, Yoga Dwi Jatmiko, Maftuch Maftuch, Rizky Fadilla Agustin Rangkuti, Cucun Herlina, Zulfa Mahdiatur Rasyida, Moh Dliyauddin

Karbala International Journal of Modern Science

Medicinal plants have attracted growing attention as sources of natural bioactive compounds for sustainable aquaculture and health. This study evaluated the phytochemical composition, antioxidant activity, heavy metal profile, and acute toxicity of watercress (Nasturtium officinale W.T. Aiton) methanol extract using maceration, qualitative and quantitative (TPC, TFC, antioxidant DPPH) phytochemical assay, XRF, and BSLA. Phytochemical screening of plant extracts showed the existence of flavonoids, alkaloids, phenols, tannins, triterpenoids, and saponins, but not steroidal. The TPC and TFC were 20.6 mg GAE/g and 10.8 mg QE/g, respectively. The extract displayed significant antioxidant activity (IC₅₀ = 64.78 µg/mL in DPPH assay). …

From Hesitation To Creation: Bookmaking, Language, And The Development Of Student Confidence In The Arts And Crafts, Kayla Rich

Theses and Dissertations

Many secondary students enter art classrooms believing that artistic ability is an innate talent rather than a skill that can be developed, often resulting in low confidence, perfectionist tendencies, and a reluctance to take creative risks. This action research study investigated how participation in a crafts-focused bookmaking curriculum affected students' engagement, divergent creativity, artmaking, and mindset in relation to success, failure, and creative risk-taking. Drawing on research in growth mindset, guided mastery, craft education, and artists' books, I designed and implemented a scaffolded curriculum that progressed from structured bookbinding techniques and process-based exploration to conceptually driven artists' books. The study …

Ethics Under Siege: The Conflict In Tigray Through The Lens Of Just War Theory, Daniela Widya Purba

Journal of Strategic and Global Studies

This research article explains the ethical principles of the conflict in Tigray based on the Just War Theory. By using the descriptive qualitative methodology, this research article draws data from secondary sources which includes; academic journals, news reports, as well as international legal instruments to analyze the moral trajectory of the conflict. This research begins with jus ad bellum, to assess Ethiopia’s government justification in declaring conflict within Tigray. While the government fulfilled the criteria of just cause and legitimate authority, the question stands on the ambiguous political intentions and the failure to enact peaceful alternatives before resulting in waging …

Ripples Of A Global Health Crisis: 2019’S Pandemic And Its Impact On Sharia-Compliant Equities In Oic Countries, Windiya Saputri, Nur Fatwa, Nurwahidin Nurwahidin

Journal of Strategic and Global Studies

The outbreak of COVID-19 marked not only a global health emergency but also a strategic shock with profound economic implications, particularly for developing economies. This study investigates how Sharia-compliant stock markets in selected OIC countries responded to the World Health Organization’s declaration of COVID-19 as a global pandemic on March 11, 2020. Using an event study approach, the analysis focuses on abnormal returns (AR) from six major Islamic indices representing Indonesia, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Pakistan, and Qatar. The results reveal that the pandemic announcement carried significant informational content, as reflected in the notable ARs across all …