Math Club at UC Davis: A Space to Discuss Engineering and Problem-Solving

Math Club at UC Davis is open to all backgrounds and majors. It provides a space for people interested in or curious about mathematics to find a supportive community by engaging members in fun social activities and allowing members to express themselves and their love for mathematics. 

Math Club benefits engineering majors by offering them a space to talk about problem-solving. Math and engineering overlap in many ways, mainly because they are all about solving problems. While a common focus of the club is abstract problems, there are often direct applications that engineers can take advantage of. 

This past December, Math Club members took the annual Putnam exam, a 6-hour-long proof-based math exam for undergraduates. Study sessions for the exam, as well as seminars, socials, collaborations and other events, provided ample opportunities for members to network with peers, undergraduate students, graduate students and professors with varying research topics. 

"At first, they are essentially speaking in a different language, but as you talk to them more about their areas of study, you get to slowly figure out what the different words mean and what they actually study," said member Timothy Ng of recent interactions with math experts on campus. "There isn't a more rewarding feeling than math suddenly making sense."

Math Club is an inclusive and encouraging environment, even for those who do not love math. The club aims to destigmatize mathematics as a "boring" or "inapplicable" field only achievable by a small population. While math may not be easy, it can be fun, and Math Club at UC Davis helps demonstrate that.