Mathematics Awareness Month

Sample Press Release

[Organization] Announces Activities for Math Awareness Month in April: Mathematics, Statistics, and the Data Deluge

CITY, STATE, DATE, 2012 -- [School/organization name] will participate in the annual April observance of Math Awareness Month (MAM) through [a number of activities – give general statement of participation, to be elaborated on below]. MAM is sponsored by the Joint Policy Board for Mathematics (JPBM), which has selected “Mathematics, Statistics, and the Data Deluge” as the theme for MAM 2012.

Every day, massive amounts of data are collected, often from information we have provided to the services we use regularly. Scientific data are generated daily from sensor networks, astronomical numbers of instruments, biometric devices and other sources, in amounts we almost cannot fathom – and all that data need to be sorted out.

In addition, personal data from numerous sources, including Google searches, Facebook and Twitter activities, credit card purchases, and airline and hotel reservations, are being mined for information and insight. All of these data sets provide great opportunities for marketers and others, but they create potential dangers as well.

[Organization name] has scheduled the following [events/programs/lectures/etc.] to be held during the month:

Event, date: give a sentence or so about each item
ditto

Resources for this year's Mathematics Awareness Month are designed to show how mathematics and statistics provide the tools to understanding these data and to helping mitigate against their misuse. At www.mathaware.org, you can download these articles and essays, as well as an 8.5 x 11” copy of the 2012 poster, “What Would You Do with All This Data?” You also may order full-size copies of the poster by mail or online. Cost is $1 for each poster. Mail orders may be sent to: ASA Marketplace, American Statistical Association, 732 North Washington Street, Alexandria, VA 22314. Order online at:
https://www.amstat.org/eseries/scriptcontent/BEWeb/orders/ProductDetail.cfm?pc=MAMPOSTER

About Math Awareness Month and JPBM

Mathematics Awareness Month, held each year in April, was created to increase public understanding of and appreciation for mathematics. It began in 1986, when President Reagan issued a proclamation establishing National Mathematics Awareness Week. Activities for Mathematics Awareness Month generally are organized on local, state and regional levels by college and university departments, institutional public information offices, student groups, and related associations and interest groups.

The JPBM is a collaborative effort of the American Mathematical Society (AMS), the American Statistical Association (ASA), the Mathematical Association of America (MAA), and the Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics (SIAM).
###

For more information, contact:
[name, title]
[organization]
[phone]
[email]