2016 Mathcamp Orientation

July 17 - August 13, 2016

Time: Sunday July 17, 2016, 15:15-18:00

Place: Tsinghua Department of Mathematical Sc. Building, Rm 112

Who attend: Mathcampers, Coaches & Lecturers

The Mathcamp website provides information about:

  • updates and latest announcements.
  • Mathcamp personnel, including Lecturers, Coaches and administrative staf members.
  • When and where any Mathcamp event takes place, including special lectures and meetings
  • Mathcamp courses, lecture notes, homework assignments and research projects.
  • Mathcamp Forum using WeChat: you can post questions & answers, discuss anything Mathcamprelated issues online with fellow campers & teachers.

What Mathcampers are free to do during camp:

  • attend any and all lectures in the class that you have been assigned to.
  • try out daily homework assignment from each class; you will be asked to write up and hand in some of the homework problems on a regular basis; they will be checked by Coaches and returned to you.
  • explore any and all research problems posed in each course that you are taking.
  • ask your teachers any questions (in English if possible, or in Chinese if necessary with translator’s help).
  • contact teachers (easiest by email).
  • ask for meetings with them to discuss math, either individually or in small groups.
  • work with other campers on homework and projects, a practice we highly encouraged.

What Mathcampers should know:

  • Coaches and Lecturers do not have answers to all your questions; they are here instead to help you find your own answers.
  • Your curiosity will be your greatest asset for problem solving!
  • Be willing to speak up when you have questions, and to share ideas when you have answers. This is probably the most productive way for you to discover new things here at Mathcamp.
  • Resist any temptation to find answers in books or on the internet. Your best resources is your Mathcamp teachers and your classmates, and of course yourselves. Looking up answers elsewhere is probably not the smart thing to do, because it automatically takes away the opportunity for you to make your own discoveries.
  • Discovering solution to a problem yourself is like conquering the peak of Mt. Everest; solving the problem by looking up facts is like just seeing a photo of Mt. Everest.

Student presentations:

  • Campers working on a research project will have a chance to give a lecture about their findings, on the last day of camp.
  • Campers working on the same project can present diferent parts of their work.
  • They will also work with their Coaches to determine appropriate format and results to be presented, and how to prepare powerpoint for their lectures.

Safety:

  • your safety is the most important thing.
  • always let your parents know where you are at all time.
  • find some fellow campers to be your ‘safety partners’ – your partner should always know where you are.
  • walk in a group including during trips and on campus. Never go out alone, especially at night.

Mathcampers Q&A