Author Archives: Piper

This Post will Self-Destruct

Posted on December 16, 2021 by Piper

I’ve been working on part two of my last post, but it’s been slow going and painful. I’ve been trying to understand things that have happened to me, understand how to situate current struggles within the longer narrative of my … Continue reading →

Posted in racism, social justice, social media | 1 Comment

I want to quit my job part 1

Posted on May 24, 2021 by Piper

I’ve sat on this post for a while, not sure what to do. It began as a letter to my students, but it didn’t read as one. It wasn’t exactly helpful to my students and would probably just bring them … Continue reading →

Posted in equity, inclusive pedagogy, mathematics experiences, mental health, racism, social justice, supporting students | 5 Comments

Oh my heart

Posted on January 15, 2021 by Piper

You’ve broken my heart for the last time. That’s what I want to tell white America, but I know it’s not true. My heart will be broken by you over and over and over again before I die. You’ve broken … Continue reading →

Posted in Black Lives Matter, equity, ethics, joint mathematics meetings, policing, racism, social justice | Comments Off on Oh my heart

Towards a Mathematics Beyond Police and Prisons

Posted on October 21, 2020 by Piper

Guest post by The Just Mathematics Collective The October 2020 issue of the Notices of the American Mathematical Society contained an open letter calling on the mathematics community to boycott collaborations with police and demanding, in particular, that we stop … Continue reading →

Posted in AMS Notices, Black Lives Matter, ethics, policing, racism, social justice | 5 Comments

Diversity-22

Posted on December 17, 2019 by Piper

I will make this brief. I have not read all of the things people are saying about diversity statements, and thus I don’t feel like I’m in any position to contribute to the conversation. That said, I did want to … Continue reading →

Posted in introduction | 3 Comments

Decolonize Academia #KūKiaʻiMauna

Posted on July 24, 2019 by Piper

If you follow me on social media, you will know that lately I’ve been posting almost exclusively about the Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT) project that is supposed to be built on/in Mauna Kea on the island of Hawaiʻi. I’ve never … Continue reading →

Posted in culture, ethics, social justice | 12 Comments

Challenge for JMM2020

Posted on April 30, 2019 by Piper

tl;dr I am challenging AMS and/or MAA to invite and promote a speaker and/or panel to a main stage to openly discuss the very real issues facing marginalized members of our community. For the past two years I have been … Continue reading →

Posted in conferences, joint mathematics meetings, racism, sexism, social justice, women in math | 9 Comments

Five Takes for the First Day

Posted on September 4, 2018 by Piper

Take 1 Welcome to Math Class, I am Professor I-Get-To-Have-A-Name. I will probably never learn your name, and that is okay. Who you are doesn’t matter. I may try to get you interested in math, but not actually you because … Continue reading →

Posted in inclusive pedagogy, math education, mathematics experiences, supporting students, teaching | 10 Comments

Should I Stay or Should I Go?

Posted on February 5, 2018 by Piper

Raise your hand if you were just rejected by the NSF! Fun times, right? I don’t know about you, but I like to celebrate such occasions with a full re-evaluation of all of my life choices. So of course, I … Continue reading →

Posted in mathematics experiences, minorities in math, participation, racism, sexism, women in math | 7 Comments

The Secret Lives of Mathematicians: Conversations with Students

Posted on October 17, 2017 by Piper

This keeps happening to me: Student: When did you decide to become a calculus teacher? Me: I didn’t, and I’m not. Student: … And then I laugh reassuringly and explain that they are at a research university and that their … Continue reading →

Posted in mathematics experiences, mentoring, supporting students | 7 Comments