Ruth has given her time to volunteer with the Trust since 2021, when she joined as a volunteer for the National Maths Summer School (NMSS). She will be participating in the role of an NMSS co-director this year.

In her own words:

“I first got involved as the pandemic restrictions were starting to be lifted. I had been through university studying maths and had very much enjoyed my time volunteering as a student at outreach opportunities such as maths circles, but had stepped back from this when things were moved online and I finished my degree. I’m very motivated by UKMT’s intentions to try to encourage those from disadvantaged backgrounds to see more mathematics than they may experience during school.

I was looking forward to being able to impart some of the cool concepts I’d learnt about to up-and-coming mathematicians, something which I can always work on! Slightly more selfishly, I myself was also keen to see some more maths and add some more strings to my problem-solving bow.

I think the first major challenge is that the majority of my teaching experience came from university-level courses, and so I needed to both alter my style of presentation and presumed knowledge. It certainly took me a while to get the right level, but I think I’ve got there now. The way I overcame this challenge was by speaking to my co-volunteers and attending their classes at the summer school; they are the perfect teachers.

In terms of highlights, there are too many to pick from really, but I would say that each summer school I’ve been to has been a gem. I’m always amazed by how quickly the juniors go from scared and not knowing anyone, to the firmest of friends by the end of the week.

My volunteering has taught me a lot more about my own students’ educational backgrounds, and hopefully makes me a better lecturer. I have found volunteering in the NMSS to be an incredibly valuable experience. It has been wonderful to be able to encourage the young students’ minds, and to be able to share some of the awesome mathematics I’ve run into over the years. It’s not only the students though, the other volunteers are all lovely and fascinating people, who I’m glad to have met and look forward to seeing at the next opportunity.

I think the NMSS is incredibly valuable. The fact that we don’t pick the same students from the same schools every year means that we can meet more and more students from different educational backgrounds. Hopefully, if they have a great time at the summer school (which they all seem to), they tell their friends and this means that the UKMT can reach more and more communities. Essentially, I think that maths and problem-solving skills are so essential to develop at this age, and UKMT is a way to reach more and more people.

For others who are considering volunteering with the UK Maths Trust, my main advice is to dive right in, volunteer for everything you have the time to take part in. If you don’t have a lot of experience with UKMT (either from your own schooling, or where you work now), it doesn’t matter. All you need is a love of mathematics, and a wish to communicate with and develop young minds!”.