A mathematician s livelihood consists of solving problems. It isn t a far stretch to translate this into efforts to help communities solve real-life problems. Students who took Mathematical Modeling and Differential Equations at Augsburg College split into two teams that partnered with a school district and an environmental organization to do a collaborative research project with the community. Students chose their projects after presentations by community members. Those working with the school district created more effective and efficient options for the school busing system. Those working with the environmental organization analyzed toxic data to show connections between toxicity and specific neighborhoods, information which was then used by the organization to push for changes in pollution controls.

From Service Matters 1998: Engaging Higher Education In the Renewal of America s Communities and American Democracy

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