Julia Robinson Math Festival

What is a Julia Robinson Math Festival?

Imagine a room full of kids, working together at tables on activities ranging from easy puzzles to super-challenging problems. Each table has a theme, and students have time to visit at least five or six activities. Each activity table is staffed by an expert, and upon reaching certain milestones in their understanding of the mathematics behind the activity, students are rewarded with raffle tickets for prize drawings.

Additional information can be found at the jrmf.org website.

Where and when

The 2022 festival was held on Sunday, October 23, 2022 from 1:00 – 4:00 pm in the Great Hall of the Carolina Student Union on the UNC campus. Check-in opened at 12:30.

Who can attend

The festival is for students in grades K – 12, with a separate quiet area suitable for younger students. Tables are arranged by topic and difficulty level, with maps to guide students towards activities that suit their level and interests.

Cost

Free to attend, with an optional $10 contribution to help support the cost of the festival.

Activities

Recent festivals have featured on-stage build activities such as a psychedelic hyperbolic plane.

Parents

Parents (or other responsible adults) should be available to supervise their kids, but the math activities themselves are intended for the kids.

Food and parking

Food may be available for purchase at Alpine Bagels in the Carolina Union nearby. Visitors are welcome to bring their own snacks and lunch. Visitor parking is available at Swain Lot across from Phillips Hall, the Morehead Planetarium lot, the Raleigh Road lot, and the Ram’s Head Parking Deck, plus public parking decks on Rosemary Street a few blocks away. Carpooling is encouraged.

Who was Julia Robinson?

Julia Robinson was the Berkeley mathematician who, among other important discoveries, made significant contributions to the solution of Hilbert’s Tenth Problem.