Why NMC?
Math camps provide transformational experiences that deeply strengthen students’ mathematical knowledge and identity, forge lifelong relationships, and lead to career choices that push innovation in the STEM fields. Unfortunately, the combined capacity of existing Summer Math Camps falls far short of annual demand from qualified students. Most selective camps receive applications from 2-10x more eligible students than they can accommodate.
National Math Camps was formed to address this need by creating more opportunities for extraordinary mathematicians to connect with talented students in settings that foster learning, inspiration, friendship, and joy.
NMC was conceived as a joint effort by Carina Initiatives and the Polynera Fund, two philanthropic foundations focused on helping more students reach the frontiers of math and science. Through years of funding transformational math programs, they realized that adding more camp capacity each summer would require more than just incremental growth of existing camps. The mission required its own dedicated nonprofit organization, laser-focused on launching new camps that uphold the rigorous quality standards established by the existing summer math camps ecosystem. The effort would also require the buildout of an operational & programmatic support infrastructure that allows camp faculty and staff to focus on delivering the best possible experience to campers.
After a national search, John Murray was selected to lead the effort. John’s experience in leading transformational programs for top brands, developing growth strategies for the most trusted nonprofits, and launching & growing multiple businesses of his own have prepared him for the unique challenges of this effort. And he is a passionate believer in the transformational power of these camps, having witnessed it firsthand as the father of two mathy daughters who attended multiple camps. As a parent who attended camps alongside his kids, John also understands the impact of camp experiences for caregivers and the value of incorporating the parent experience into the planning and operations of camps. After operating as an Entrepreneur in Residence at Carina Initiatives for the second half of 2024, John launched National Math Camps as an independent nonprofit organization, hosting our inaugural camps in Summer 2025.
National TEAM
ADVISORS
(* = NMC Board Member)
Paul Sherman*
Paul is the Founder & President of The Polynera Fund. Paul has had a lifelong commitment to mathematics and science. After completing his undergraduate studies in math and physics, he later did graduate work in astrophysics and representation theory. This rigorous foundation led to a successful career as an investor, including as President of Weiss Asset Management. Throughout his career, Paul has remained actively engaged in math education, teaching at middle and high school levels, founding math circles, and instructing at math summer camps. Paul has also served on the boards of several organizations that support talent in mathematics. Now, as President of the Polynera Fund, Paul focuses on providing opportunities and resources for the next generation of mathematicians and scientists.
Jean Kim-Chin*
Jean is the Math Talent Programs Lead at Carina Initiatives and a Senior Advisor at the Polynera Fund. Carina and Polynera are philanthropic foundations with a mission to send more kids from more communities to the frontiers of science and technology. She brings to her work over 15 years of experience in management consulting, strategy, and operations in the education sector. In her role at Carina and Polynera, Jean helps set the foundations' strategies for grantmaking, identifies funding opportunities, and supports nonprofits to achieve their goals. Having immigrated to the U.S. in 5th grade for a better education, she deeply believes in the life-changing power of education to unlock one's potential and options. Jean has always loved math, but she often felt alone pursuing math as a girl, so she gets excited about NMC's work of bringing talented math students together and helping them gain confidence as mathematicians. Jean received her Bachelor’s degree in Economics and Mathematics at Yale University. Jean lives in Boston with her husband Matt and their many house plants. In her spare time, she loves cooking for others and going on nature walks/hikes.
Richard Rusczyk
Richard Rusczyk founded the Art of Problem Solving (AoPS) in 2003 to create interactive educational opportunities for avid math students, and expanded this work by founding the nonprofit Art of Problem Solving Initiative in 2004. AoPS now reaches hundreds of thousands of high-potential math students every year through its learning centers, online schools, books, websites, and online learning systems. The Art of Problem Solving Initiative now supports hundreds of advanced math students a year in underserved communities through its flagship program, Bridge to Enter Advanced Mathematics.
Rick Sommer
Rick is currently Lecturer in Mathematics and Philosophy at Stanford University, and is formerly Executive Director of Stanford Pre-Collegiate Studies. After completing his PhD at U.C. Berkeley, Dr. Sommer joined Stanford’s Department of Mathematics as Gabor Szego Assistant Professor. In 1995, Dr. Sommer co-founded the Stanford University Mathematics Camp, for which he served as Director for over 25 years. Also in the mid-90s, Rick took on a leadership role in developing online courses and residential summer programs for Stanford Pre-Collegiate Studies (SPCS), which served as the home to the Stanford Online High School as well as over a dozen summer and year-around pre-collegiate programs, many of which Dr. Sommer played a key role in designing, developing and leading. Dr. Sommer served as Executive Director of SPCS from 2015-2020. Dr. Sommer has a strong interest in educational outreach in math, science and technology, with a mission to inspire and develop the curiosity of young people of all backgrounds. Dr. Sommer is Co-Founder and Board Member of AI4ALL, working to increase diversity in the leadership of AI, and he is Treasurer and Board Member of the Gathering for Gardner Foundation, stimulating curiosity and the playful exchange of ideas in mathematics and related fields, in the spirit of Martin Gardner.
Dan Zaharopol
Daniel Zaharopol is the CEO of the Art of Problem Solving Initiative, Inc., where he founded and runs Bridge to Enter Advanced Mathematics (BEAM). BEAM creates pathways for students from low-income and historically marginalized communities to become mathematicians, scientists, engineers, and computer scientists. Its work provides a comprehensive pathway beginning in 6th grade and continuing through college graduation, including intensive academic summer programs, mentoring and advising, and membership in a community of people who love math. The goal is for BEAM's students to have the same opportunities for advanced study as their more privileged peers. Beginning with a small summer program for seventeen students held at Bard College, BEAM now runs summer programs for 420 students each year between New York City and Los Angeles, and provides year-round support and mentoring to hundreds of summer program completers. Its studies have shown that BEAM's students were 50% more likely to pursue a STEM degree than a comparison group. Prior to BEAM, he co-founded and served as the first CEO of Learning Unlimited, a national organization that mentors college students in starting educational outreach programs on their campuses. Dan is himself a product of STEM pathways; he received his undergraduate degree in math from MIT and masters' degrees in both mathematics and teaching mathematics from the University of Illinois.
Paul Zeitz
Paul Zeitz has been involved in mathematical outreach at every level, from starting math circles and camps for kids and teachers to training IMO teams, for about 40 years. He is one of the founders of Proof School, the only full-fledged secondary school in the US for math kids. He was a professor at the University of San Francisco for 30 years, and now devotes his time, when not doing math, to outdoor adventures with his wife and dog.
NMC's Mission is made possible by generous support from our partners:
