The Irish Mathematical Trust
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Award for Irish Teachers of Mathematics
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WINNER Irene Stone from St. Mark’s Community School, Tallaght, (right) and the RUNNER-UP Breda Disney from Patrician Secondary School, Newbridge, Co. Kildare, (left) received their awards from Michael Moynihan, CPD-coordinator of IMTA. Pictured in the centre with sponsor Frank Kenny of the Frank Kenny fund for the Community Foundation for Ireland. The 2017-2018 award is also generously supported by Science Foundation Ireland (SFI) through its SFI Discover programme #believeinscience.
Welcome Addresses: Prof. Stephen Buckley, MRIA, Prof. Finbarr O'Sullivan, Prof. Sean Dineen and Dr. Bernd Kreussler.
DIPLOMAS OF EXCELLENCE awarded to Linda Cusack, Edel-Ryder-Hanrahan, Niall Murphy, Kristin Troy and Sinead O'Donovan. Also awarded in absentia to Áine Devlin, Aoife Harrison, Edel McPhelim and Eoghan O'Leary.
Superb musical interludes by young award-winning musician - mathematicians:
Alison Riordan and Saoirse Lonergan, Cillian Williamson, Antonia Huang and Kevin Jansson.
Strong mathematics skills are a critical factor for the future development of the economy, and teachers are in the front-line of fostering such skills among the young. The Award for Irish Teachers of Mathematics mirrors a number of similar initiatives in other countries, in particular the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences’ Teachers Prize in mathematics and science, and the US -based Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching and the Rosenthal Prize for Innovation and Inspiration in Math Teaching. Professional expertise in the subject of Mathematics, effective teaching practices, care for students' development and contributions to the community have all been taken into consideration when deliberating for this award. The prize comes with awards of €10,000 for the winner and €2,000 for the runner-up who will be announced at the ceremony. The award is administered by the Irish Mathematical Trust. The Royal Irish Academy has nominated a member to the jury, to help ensure the integrity of the process.
With the support of the Department of Education and Skills and of the Royal Irish Academy, the Irish Mathematical Trust organises Ireland's participation in the International Mathematical Olympiad (IMO), the world's annual mathematics championship for school students. Ireland started participating in 1988 and has sent a team every year after that, bringing home a total of 10 medals and 41 honourable mentions. Of these, the most successful participation was also the most recent at the 58th International Mathematical Olympiad in Rio de Janeiro in 2017, which recorded 2 bronze medals and 4 honourable mentions for team Ireland, and the highest team score in 30 years. In recent years, a special effort has gone into encouraging young female students to develop their mathematical potential, through participation in events like the European Girls Mathematical Olympiad, where team Ireland earned 3 silver and 2 bronze medals since 2015. Generous funding from the SFI Discover programme and Smart Futures led to an increase in the numbers and a decrease in the age from which children become interested in mathematics and ready for mathematical Olympiad participation. Support by the Frank Kenny Fund at the Community Foundation for Ireland helps reward, motivate and train such students.
Former and current representatives of team Ireland at the International Mathematical Olympiad and the European Girls Mathematical Olympiad.