AGAM Cryptography Camp
Interact with peers who share your love of math
Young women, and particularly women of color, are underrepresented in the mathematical sciences, especially among majors in STEM disciplines. We at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL) recognize the need to encourage and mentor young women in mathematics to pursue an undergraduate major in mathematics and to seek mathematical careers. We do this by hosting the AGAM: Discover Cryptography Camp, made possible with generous support from the Big Red Academic Camp, AMS Epsilon, Nebraska EPSCoR, and donations to the University of Nebraska Foundation. This camp for high school students provides role models, the opportunity to develop abilities and interest in mathematics with support from our undergraduate and graduate students and faculty, and a growing community of their peers interested in creating a supportive environment for young women in mathematics. Discover Cryptography camp is open to all high school students.
Summer 2024 Dates: June 9-14, in person and part of Big Red Camps
Deadline: The registration deadline for Big Red Camps is May 20. Early Bird Tuition rates end April 5 and the Late Tuition Rate goes into effect May 4.
The University of Nebraska does not discriminate based on race, color, ethnicity, national origin, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, disability, age, genetic information, veteran status, marital status, and/or political affiliation in its programs, activities, or employment.
Our history
In 1996, there were only three women in the department: Assistant Professor Wendy Hines; Assistant Professor Judy Walker, who joined the faculty that year; and Professor Sylvia Wiegand, a future president of the Association for Women in Mathematics. Eager to contribute to making mathematics a more attractive profession for women, Hines and Walker began discussing possible activities that would encourage high school girls to consider mathematics as a college major. Two ideas were central in developing the first All Girls/All Math (AGAM) Summer Camp: introducing new mathematical concepts at the high-school age and meeting new peers who also love mathematics.
In 1997, Hines and Walker applied for and received a grant from the Mathematical Association of America’s (MAA) Tensor program. Since then, AGAM also has been supported by the National Security Agency, the AMS’s Epsilon program, and NSF Nebraska EPSCoR.
Over 25 years, nearly 800 high school students have had the opportunity to learn challenging mathematics in this weeklong summer camp. A truly national camp, AGAM has recently served students from 35 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Africa, Brazil, and Canada, and nearly 70% of the students came from outside Nebraska. The pandemic created the opportunity to host the camp online in 2020 and 2021 and reach students for whom travel costs would have been a barrier.
Eligibility
High school students entering grades 10-12 in the fall are invited to apply for the camp. Candidates must have completed high school geometry. Special consideration is given to those entering their sophomore or junior year in the fall who have not yet taken Calculus.
Participants learn about the exciting mathematics of Codes, interact with peers who share an interest in mathematics, and work with mathematics graduate students and professors who earned their Ph.Ds. from Nebraska. The campers are chaperoned by mathematics graduate students and undergraduate students. AGAM is one of 18 Young Scholars Programs across the nation supported by the American Mathematical Society Epsilon Fund. AGAM has been included in the "Ultimate Guide to Summer Opportunities for Teens: 200 Programs That Prepare You For College Success" book as one of 200 of the best summer programs for teens across the nation.
Schedule
In 2024, campers will stay on UNL's East Campus and brought to City Campus for the Discovery Cryptography camp from 8:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. The camp schedule includes:
- Interesting mathematics sessions each morning
- Problem sessions following each class, facilitated by the instructor
- Networking activities and/or panels each afternoon
In the evenings, Big Red Camps will provide networking activities for the campers and allow time for homework.
See pictures from previous years! In 2020, we held our first virtual camp and repeated the experience in 2021 and 2022. Learn more about the past online experience!
How to apply
- The registration deadline for Big Red Camps is Monday, May 20.
- Early Bird Tuition rates end Friday, April 5.
- Regular Tuition rates end Friday, May 3. Late Tuition rates end May 20.
- No registrations will be accepted after May 20.
Because giving personal attention to each camper is a priority for professors and staff, only 15 students are accepted. Space is limited, and camps will fill on a first-come, first-serve basis. Each camp offered has a specific number of openings. A waitlist option will be available.
Sponsored by
- Nebraska EPSCoR
- The American Mathematical Society/Epsilon Program
- Department of Mathematics
- College of Arts and Sciences
Careers in Math
Read about the wide-ranging careers available to you with a degree in mathematics.
Check out this online guide from Maryville University, which includes a brief history of women and their achievements in mathematical careers. It's a great resource for women who are looking for inspiration or guidance on how to advance in their career or education. Maryville University blog
"I loved all the activities and guest speakers. The panels were great opportunities to learn more, and the tours and mini-course were a very unique experience. It felt really well organized and was overall an exceptional camp. The atmosphere was always super chill and all the chaperones were helpful and friendly. I learned a lot from cryptography class and found RSA Encryption to be much more interesting than I anticipated. It was great being able to meet a bunch of different students with similar interests and connecting with them throughout the week. Thank you to everyone again for dedicating your time and effort to this; I really appreciated it!"
2021 AGAM camper Amanda Guo
Support AGAM/Discover Cryptography Camp
AGAM/Discover Cryptography Camp provides a supportive environment for the study of mathematics and the exploration of careers in a variety of fields. Our faculty, from the Nebraska alumni community, share a strong commitment to high-quality teaching and outreach. We appreciate your interest in our program and hope you will consider making a donation so that the Department of Mathematics can sustain this camp after grant funding.