Erica Voolich congratulates Ashutosh Bhargo, Anmol Bhargo, Anmol Saini and Belal Sohel on winning Somerville Math Fund renewable scholarships for outstanding work in math and science. — Photo by Arthur Ingalls, Geskus Photography

By Rebecca Danvers

The Somerville Mathematics Fund recently announced the winners of their renewable mathematics scholarships for 2016. The Math Fund was founded to celebrate and encourage math achievement and these students deserve to be celebrated for their work in math and science while in high school.

Christina Bissereth will attend Boston University, Anmol Bhargo, Ashutosh Bhargo and Belal Sohel will attend Suffolk University and Anmol Saini will attend Wentworth Institute of Technology. Their scholarships of $1000 are renewable for up to a total of four years as long as they maintain a B average and take mathematics or courses that use mathematics.

One of the scholarships was given in the memory of an outstanding woman mathematician, the Dr. Alice T Schafer scholarship. Christina Bissereth won the Alice T Schafer Scholarship. She is planning to study engineering.

Erica Voolich congratulates Christina Bissereth on winning the Dr. Alice T Schafer Scholarship from the Somerville Math Fund for outstanding work in math and science.

Dr. Schafer (1915 – 1909) was orphaned as an infant and raised by two aunts. When she went to college at the University of Richmond of Virginia, women students weren’t allowed in the library and she was discouraged from majoring in mathematics. She won prizes, earned a PhD, taught at colleges (including Wellesley) and among the things she is known for is helping start the Association for Women in Mathematics (1971).

Less known about Dr. Schafer was her helping to start the Somerville Mathematics Fund in 2000, attending all of the planning meetings and contributing to their work as long as she was able. She is remembered for her passion and work to insure mathematical opportunities for women. Since Dr. Schafer was committed to the education and supporting women in mathematics, Bissereth’s study of engineering is a wonderful way to honor Dr. Schafer’s memory.

The Somerville Mathematics Fund was chartered in 2000 to celebrate and encourage achievement in mathematics in the city of Somerville, Massachusetts. It May 2011, it was recognized as the outstanding Dollars for Scholars Chapter in New England. Since it’s founding, it has awarded $260,000 in mathematics scholarships to outstanding Somerville students. Next fall, The Somerville Mathematics Fund will be seeking applications from teachers who teach in the city of Somerville who would like funding for classroom mathematics activities. In October, the Math Fund will also be seeking high school students to compete in the annual Scrapheap Showdown. For more information, to volunteer, or to make a tax-deductible contribution, please contact Erica Voolich (617-666-0666 or mathfund@gmail.com) or go to www.somervillemathematicsfund.org.