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Numbers and Figures: How Math Is Used to Communicate & Connect

Michole Washington is attending the University of Michigan to gain a doctoral degree in math education. She talks to me about math and its role in communication.

“I was just guessing at numbers and figures. Pulling your puzzles apart.”

– The Scientist, Coldplay

If you ever have the pleasure of meeting Michole Washington, she’ll probably make you laugh while simultaneously dropping knowledge on you. Who better to lead people toward a loving relationship with math? Currently pursuing a doctoral degree in math education at the University of Michigan, Michole previously received her bachelor’s degree from Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta, Georgia. She is the ninth African American woman to graduate from the university with a degree in applied mathematics. She sat down with me to discuss how her love for mathematics blossomed, the challenges she faced and how she encourages others to approach math in ways they may have never considered before.  

Through examples and practical advice, Michole highlights the human element of mathematics. She points to the importance of advocacy, acknowledgment and creative approaches—all concepts that come together to give those interested in the field of math and even those who find themselves challenged by the subject, confidence in their abilities.

Her genuine willingness to share knowledge and candor were two traits among many others I view as a real benefit to anyone out there who may be on a mathematics track. In the science, technology, engineering and mathematics fields, minorities are underrepresented, or as Michole calls it, “underestimated.” 

Women of color who succeed in the STEM field along with other fields of study and are vocal about their journeys—including their successes and their hardships—can serve as a beacon of hope for little girls and young women considering taking the educational road less traveled. There are more generations to come and more work to be done by the individuals with drive, powerful minds and a pure passion for math that could lead them to play an integral role in shaping our history in a similar manner to that of Katherine Johnson, Mary Jackson and Dorothy Vaughan whose work led to the success of the United State’s space program.

It is my hope that humble, honest, incredibly clever people like Michole will continue to be vocal, generous in their time and knowledge and never-failing in their pursuit of spreading the gospel of mathematics and its impact on us all. 

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