The Duke University Association for Women in Mathematics (AWM) student chapter has recently been recognized by the national AWM organization for hosting three virtual math competitions designed specifically for middle school girls. This initiative was inspired by mathematician Po-Shen Loh's visit to Duke, where he emphasized the importance of engaging young students with mathematics in ways that are joyful, accessible, and adaptable to their learning styles. Chapter members worked together to curate problems and invited participants from middle schools across the country, with the dual goal of encouraging girls to see mathematics as fun and empowering and increasing female representation in competition-math spaces where women have historically been underrepresented. Each event featured five problems followed by a guided walkthrough of the most challenging problem led by chapter members, fostering an environment centered on exploration and collaborative thinking. All three competitions saw strong turnout and enthusiastic engagement, with participants expressing excitement and a deeper interest in mathematics. The program has become one of the chapter's most impactful outreach efforts to date, and the chapter plans to continue running these competitions.
