harvard math education phd

Harvard Ph.D. Graduate Naomi Sweeting Awarded AWM Dissertation Prize

Naomi Sweeting, a '24 Harvard math Ph.D. graduate, is one of three chosen recipients of the ninth annual Association for Women in Mathematics (AWM) Dissertation... Read more

announcements

Ahlfors Lecture Series: Akshay Venkatesh

The Legacy of John Tate, and Beyond

Current Developments in Mathematics 2025

Upcoming events.

CMSA EVENTS: CMSA QUANTUM FIELD THEORY AND PHYSICAL MATHEMATICS SEMINAR

CMSA EVENTS: CMSA GENERAL RELATIVITY SEMINAR

SEMINARS: HARVARD-MIT ALGEBRAIC GEOMETRY

CMSA EVENTS: CMSA Geometry and Quantum Theory Seminar

CMSA EVENTS: CMSA NEW TECHNOLOGIES IN MATHEMATICS

CMSA EVENTS: CMSA Q&A Seminar

CMSA EVENTS: CMSA MATHEMATICAL PHYSICS AND ALGEBRAIC GEOMETRY SEMINAR

SEMINARS: INFORMAL SEMINAR ON DYNAMICS, GEOMETRY AND MODULI SPACES

CMSA EVENTS

SEMINARS: HARVARD-MIT COMBINATORICS

• Stationary reflection and the failure of SCH at $\aleph_{\omega_1}$ When:  December 5, 2024 5:00 pm - 6:00 pm Where:  Science Center 112 Speaker:  Dima Sinapova (Rutgers University)

Views Navigation

Calendar of events, 1 event, 28, cmsa mathematics and machine learning closing workshop, 4 events, 29, maulik-okounkov lie algebras and bps lie algebras, boundaries and duality for 3d gauge theories, insights on analysis meeting topology in quantum field theory, 5 events, 30, broad perspective on manifolds: all dimensions, all structures, classification and dynamics, faltings heights and the sub-leading terms of adjoint l-functions, stratifications of the spaces of momenta and masses in perturbative quantum field theories, 3 events, 31, the scaling limit of the colored asymmetric simple exclusion process, the ravenel-wilson hopf ring, dependent random choice, statistical physics, and the local rank of tensors, 0 events, 1, 0 events, 2, 0 events, 3, the mathematics of evolution, fourier transformation and the abel-jacobi section, 6 events, 6, what is argyres-douglas theory, is behavior cloning all you need understanding horizon in imitation learning, sachi hashimoto (brown university), 4 events, 7, bounds and dualities of type ii little string theories, proof of the wilson space hypothesis, mlc: past and present progress, 3 events, 8, representations of minimal w-algebras: unitarity and modular invariance., adhm spaces and their quantizations, some questions and theorems about closed 3 manifolds embedded in s^4, 0 events, 9, 0 events, 10, 0 events, 11, 3 events, 12, pp waves: quasinormal modes & hidden symmetries of black holes, characteristic classes of singular varieties, universal circuit set with s3 quantum double, 4 events, 13, nina zubrilina (harvard university), hecke eigensheaves for arthur parameters, 4 events, 14, (un)likely intersections, a glimpse of universality in critical planar lattice models, capacity threshold for the ising perceptron, 3 events, 15, quantum criticality in black hole scattering, braid positivity, taut foliations, and unknot detection, 0 events, 16, 0 events, 17, 2 events, 18, emergent non-invertible symmetries — the adjoint qcd example, 4 events, 19, the einstein-euler system with a physical vacuum boundary in spherical symmetry., a non-abelian version of deligne’s fixed part theorem, factorization algebras in tqft, 5 events, 20, thinking like transformers – a practical session, what is quantum complexity theory, a new construction of c = 1 conformal blocks, 3 events, 21, cmsa/tsinghua math-science literature lecture, skein valued curve counts for the topological vertex and knot conormals, corners with polynomial side length, 0 events, 22, 0 events, 23, 0 events, 24, 0 events, 25, 0 events, 26, 0 events, 27, 0 events, 28, 0 events, 29, 0 events, 30.

• There are no events on this day.

math education

Filter results.

How Federal Pandemic Aid Impacted Schools

A new study finds federal relief funds, which will expire this fall, helped with academic recovery, especially in low-income schools, but urges states to help students who still remain behind

Math, the Great (Potential) Equalizer

How current practices in math education around tracking and teaching can be dismantled to achieve the promise of equity in math classrooms

Making Math “Almost Fun”

Alum develops curriculum to entice reluctant math learners

Making Up the Difference in Math

Easy as 1, 2, 3

Comparison adds up.

What I Learned From Teaching Algebra on TikTok

Math Ain't That Hard, but Establishing Trust Is

How relationship-building supports the idea that math is more than numbers

Making Math a Family Thing

Strategies for parents and teachers on closing the math gap between home and school

Summer Learning Happens at Home

How to Solve for x Multiple Ways

How Algebra Is Taught Can Make a Difference

Summer Math Loss

Mathematics, Everywhere for Everyone

Bridging the gap between math in the classroom and math at home — for all families

Becoming a Math Person

Why students develop an aversion to mathematics — and how teachers can help change their minds

Multiple Methods

Adaptive ed tech, winter 2013 "ed." magazine is here.

Do the Math!

Adopting the Common Core Standards has meant a big change in how and when math is learned, and taught, in our public schools

Wendt, Precisely

Teachers Need Help, Too

Star study examines how algebra is taught in massachusetts public school districts, intellectual contribution/faculty tribute award recipient: nancy schoolcraft, mbe'09.

Developing Flexibility in Math Problem Solving

Everyday heroes: eric marcos, ed.m.'03.

How Math Knowledge Leads to Better Math Teaching

Mathematics

Share this page.

This program is designed for students looking to conduct original mathematical research with the aim of becoming a research mathematician . Students will be located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, one of the most active centers of mathematics in the world. Other universities in the area include Boston College, Boston University, Brandeis University, MIT, and Northeastern University.

Students will have access to a wide range of resources including the Center of Mathematical Sciences and Applications, which hosts conferences, seminars, and workshops bringing together researchers from an extensive variety of disciplines and institutions.

Most graduates of the program have been very successful at securing postdoctoral fellowships in academia. A number of recent graduates have won prestigious fellowships including the Clay Fellowship, the Simons Fellowship, and NSF Graduate Research Fellowship. Others have jobs in the industry. 

Additional information on the graduate program is available from the Department of Mathematics , and requirements for the degree are detailed in Policies .

Admissions Requirements

Please review the admissions requirements and other information before applying. You can find degree program-specific admissions requirements below and access additional guidance on applying from the Department of Mathematics .

Statement of Purpose

The statement of purpose should convince the admissions committee that the applicant is able to communicate effectively and with a deep understanding of mathematics. It is not intended to be a biographical sketch or a reflection on one’s decision to enter the field.

Personal Statement

Not Accepted

Standardized Tests

GRE General: Not Accepted GRE Subject: Required

Theses and Dissertations

Theses & Dissertations for Mathematics

See list of Mathematics faculty

APPLICATION DEADLINE

Questions about the program.

• How to Apply

All prospective graduate students to our Ph.D., M.E., S.M., and A.B./S.M. programs apply to the School of Engineering through the Harvard Kenneth C. Griffin  Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (GSAS) .

Students interested in the Master in Design Engineering with the Harvard Graduate School of Design will find information about applying to that program  here .

Students interested in the MS/MBA: Engineering Sciences program offered jointly with Harvard Business School will find information about applying to that program  here. Students with bachelor's degrees in the natural or quantitative sciences, mathematics, computer science, or engineering are invited to apply.

All students begin graduate study in the fall term only. 

What does the application require?

• Completed  application form  submitted by the appropriate application deadline (Dec.1st for masters applicants;  December 15th for Ph.D. applicants)
• Statement of Purpose: describe your future research interests, how they relate to your classroom and/or research experience, and which labs at SEAS you're most excited about.  Your statement should be no longer than 1,000 words.
• Personal Statement:Please share how your experiences or activities will advance our mission and commitment to sustain a welcoming, supportive, and inclusive environment  (full text of prompt can be found in the application).  No longer than 500 words.
• Three letters of recommendation submitted electronically
• Transcripts; please upload copies of all transcripts to the Academic Background section of the online application; unofficial copies are acceptable. 
• C.V. or Resume
• SEAS does not accept General GRE scores nor Subject Test GRE scores for applicants to our Ph.D. programs.  Applicants to these programs should not submit official or unofficial GRE scores to us nor mention them anywhere in their application materials.  
• SEAS does not accept General GRE scores nor Subject Test GRE scores for applicants to our masters degree programs in Computational Science & Engineering and Data Science.   Applicants to these programs should not submit official or unofficial GRE scores to us nor mention them anywhere in their application materials.  
• Either the GRE or GMAT is required for applicants applying to the Master of Design Engineering or the MS/MBA: Engineering Sciences programs.   The applications for these programs are available via the Graduate School of Design or Harvard Business School, respectively. 
• If required, an official  TOEFL  or  IELTS  score report. The school code to use to submit your TOEFL score is 3451.  *TOEFL or IELTS scores are required for applicants whose native language is other than English and who do not hold a Bachelor degree or its equivalent from an institution at which English is the language of instruction.  The score must be valid at the time of entry into the program.   Note that a masters degree from an English-speaking institution does not meet this requirement.   
• The application fee of $105.00. Should you want to request a fee waiver from Harvard Griffin Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, you may do so in the fee section of the application.

Please list only SEAS ladder faculty on the application.  "Affiliate faculty" cannot admit PhD students.  There are many SEAS ladder faculty with formal joint appointments in other Harvard Griffin GSAS departments, like Physics and Earth and Planetary Sciences.  These faculty can serve as primary research advisors to SEAS students.   A complete list of the SEAS ladder faculty can be found  here - filter for "primary graduate advisors" once you're on this page. 

We do not require an interview as part of the application process and we cannot offer applicants the opportunity for an in-person interview with the admissions staff.  Attending a Ph.D. or Masters Programs admissions information session is the best way to have your questions answered.   More information about our information sessions that will be held in the Fall can be found  here.

We require electronic submission of the entire application, including letters of recommendation and transcripts.  Please do not send us any hard copy materials.

Admissions Timeline for Ph.D., M.E., S.M., and A.B./S.M. Programs  (Note: The  Master in Design Engineering  and the  MS/MBA: Engineering Sciences  have different deadlines and timetables.) Please note:   The application deadline for applicants to our masters programs (S.M., M.E., and AB-SM) is earlier than the application deadline for applicants to our Ph.D. program.    Applicants to our S.M., M.E., and AB-SM masters programs must apply by December 1, 2024.  Applicants to our Ph.D. program   must apply by December 15, 2024 .   We do not accept late applications to any of our programs.

In Applied Mathematics

• First-Year Exploration
• Areas of Application
• AM & Economics
• How to Declare
• Who are my Advisors?
• Secondary Field
• Senior Thesis
• Research for Course Credit (AM 91R & AM 99R)
• AB/SM Information
• Peer Concentration Advisors (PCA) Program
• Student Organizations
• PhD Timeline
• PhD Model Program (Course Guidelines)
• Oral Qualifying Examination
• Committee Meetings
• Committee on Higher Degrees
• Research Interest Comparison
• Collaborations
• Cross-Harvard Engagement
• Clubs & Organizations
• Centers & Initiatives
• Alumni Stories
• Graduate student stories
• Undergraduate Student Stories