Math & Art INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION MATHEMATICS IN FOCUS

The first edition of the Math & Art INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION MATHEMATICS IN FOCUS took place in 2010. The event is organized by the University of Szczecin and the Maria Grzegorzewska Academy of Special Education in Warsaw. The project includes: a photo competition, scientific research in the field of media pedagogy, didactics, and mathematical culture, cognitive and didactic publications, conferences, exhibitions, open lectures, and workshops for students and teachers. Western Pomerania is a partner in the project. The aim of the project is to interest as many people as possible in the various aspects of mathematics through scientific, didactic, promotional, advertising, and popularization activities. The competition is aimed at people who can look at the Queen of Sciences through the eyes of their imagination and capture their thoughts in photography. Participation in the project and its integral part, the photo competition, is free and open to everyone. The idea is based on combining an image with the author's information about it. Therefore, not only the photos are important, but also the accompanying captions and descriptions. During previous editions of the competition, over 160,000 photographs from around the world have been collected, showing mathematical metaphors in art, architecture, or nature. In the 16th edition of the competition, we received over 14,000 photographs taken by authors from various countries, including France, Italy, Germany, Ukraine, Great Britain, and the USA. This is an increase of 75% compared to last year. The finalists' works will be presented in important galleries in Poland and abroad. For the second time, the competition allowed people using AI tools to participate. Over 1,500 graphics of this type were submitted this year. The international scientific and educational project "Mathematics in Focus" plays a special role in promoting science through art, as well as in research on the use of digital media in education. "Mathematics in Focus" was awarded the honorary patronage of the Minister of Science and Higher Education, the National Agency for Academic Exchange, the Mayor of Warsaw, and the Mayor of Szczecin.