Lenhart leads a mathematical biology activity at the SAMSA Teachers’ Workshop in Botswana.
Teachers from Southern African countries received specialized training in mathematical biology last week from NIMBioS Associate Director for Outreach and Education Suzanne Lenhart at the Southern Africa Mathematical Sciences Association (SAMSA) Annual Conference in Palapye, Botswana.
Lenhart taught lessons on using probability to measure biodiversity to about 60 high school teachers as a part of the conference’s Pre-University Mathematics Teachers’ Workshop. Materials from the measuring biodiversity lesson were published in article by co-author Lenhart in Mathematics Teacher in 2014 and are available on the NIMBioS website.
“The teachers actively participated in the activities and seemed positive about working on them,” Lenhart said.
Lenhart also gave a research talk on La Crosse virus modeling, participated in a SAMSA-Masaum research collaboration, and led a discussion at the two -day African Women in Mathematics Workshop as a part of the conference, which was held at Botswana International University of Science and Technology.
The SAMSA-Masamu program, based at Auburn University, serves to promote U.S.-Africa collaboration in mathematics research.
This is the second year that Lenhart has trained teachers as a part of the conference. Last year’s SAMSA Teachers’ Workshop, which was held in Tanzania, was organized by Lenhart.