An effort to encourage elementary and high school students to recognize how math is used in everyday life is the subject of a free public lecture Thursday by professor Veselin Jungic of Simon Fraser University.

The Math Catcher Outreach Program employs storytelling, pictures, models and hands-on activities to help dispel myths that math is boring and solely abstract.

Dr. Jungic, a 3M Teaching Fellow and winner of the Canadian Mathematical Society’s Excellence in Teaching Award, will present a brief history of the program along with a description of its components, at 11:30 a.m. in room 203, Toldo Health Education Centre.

His UWindsor appearance is sponsored by the Promoters of Experiential and Active, Research-based Learning (PEARL) as part of its distinguished speaker series.

He will also lead a one-hour seminar, entitled “Ramsey Theory: Where simple is difficult and where big means really big,” at 3 p.m. in room 3125, Erie Hall.