Since she started teaching in the Western New Mexico University Math and Computer Science Department in 2013, Tanya Rivers has worked to engage the whole community in math, working at the legislative level and empowering learners at the family level.
During a ceremony on Thursday, June 10, Rivers will be presented with an Air Force Research Laboratory New Mexico Tech Engagement Office award, meant to honor a New Mexican dedicated to fostering the love of STEM in local kids through meaningful interaction.
Rivers is being recognized for her dedication to fracturing stereotypes about math and improving access to education by introducing math and computer programming to young girls through Expanding Your Horizons workshops and leading events at Science Olympiad — both youth STEM education events at WNMU.
The award also demonstrates the region’s appreciation of Rivers’ efforts to facilitate successful Family Math Learning nights in conjunction with math and computer science department colleague Scott Smith and with support from Freeport McMoRan. That series saw elementary students and their parents exploring basic math through games.
With a bachelor’s in biomedical engineering and a master’s in mathematics, Rivers played intercollegiate basketball when she was an undergraduate at the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, and she now serves as a faculty advisor to women athletes at WNMU — another way of reaching out to students and helping them have an excellent college experience.
Since she started teaching in the WNMU math and computer science department, Tanya Rivers has worked to engage the whole community in math, working at the legislative level and empowering learners at the family level.
With this Air Force Research Laboratory – AFRL New Mexico Tech Engagement Office award, she is being recognized for fostering the love of STEM in local youth through meaningful interaction.
#FacultyFriday #WNMU #STEM #stemforkids #stemwomen #matheducator #mathlearning
Posted by Western New Mexico University on Friday, June 4, 2021