Today, we send our congratulations to PMP mentee Travis Cunningham, who recently made available through arXiv his first solo paper. Travis is gearing up to apply to graduate school and has several papers coming up soon. Stay tuned!
Access: arxiv.org/abs/2602.20392
It's finally here! "Linear Optimization: A Geometric Inquiry Course" gives an inquiry based course in linear optimization supplemented by technology for intuition building. A great class for interests in either pure or applied math! Physical Copies now on sale: www.619wreath.com/store/p53/Li...
A pdf or html version may be found here: linopt.tienchih.org
A portion of the proceeds supports the Prison Math Project @prisonmathproject.bsky.social
We often view expertise as a solitary climb, but knowledge production only happens in community.
"It is not enough to read and understand... You must be able to do something of your own with it."
For Travis, building that community took a leap of faith.
www.prisonmathproject.org/blog/the-pri...
"I can't volunteer to help him in his GED prep class... That is a security risk."
Nathan Kimbrell writes about the hurdles of prison education, and the loophole that allows him to trade the chaos of the cell block for the chaplain's office.
www.prisonmathproject.org/blog/algebra...
Imagine discovering your life's passion but having absolutely no one to share it with. For years, Travis studied in isolation, fearing that the academic world wouldn’t accept him. But one day, he took a risk.
www.prisonmathproject.org/blog/the-pri...
Don’t forget to enter our raffle! Every ticket helps us expand our Math Circles and provide life-changing resources to incarcerated students.
Support the mission and grab your chance to win here: www.every.org/pmp/f/suppor...
Participant statement: The in-person math circles showcase what learning can be in a way that hasn't been seen inside since the demise of University Beyond Bars during COVID. That's a testament to the difference that brilliant faculty with a passion for ideas make, even without computers and internet and the usual institutional support, for creating the indispensable social context in which minds catch fire and real learning happens.
Participant Statement - Continuation: Allan Bloom thought that mathematics was the basis for the only true community because its truths were the only ones to be identically apprehended by each member of the community. Whether or not Bloom was right, Math Circles are proving an indispensable form of community today. - by Atif Rafay, PMP Participant
Led by mathematicians from nearby universities, these sessions empower incarcerated participants through collaborative problem-solving and critical thinking, foster meaningful engagement, and show that math can be a powerful bridge to personal growth.
PMP Wrapped graphic stating "7 ongoing math circles"
Mathematicians + intriguing problems + a supportive community = transformation.
This year, PMP organized seven Math Circles in correctional facilities in Canada, Florida, Illinois, North Dakota, and Washington.
PMP Wrapped graphic stating "350 active mentorships"
"To say that Chris has a wealth of knowledge is an understatement. It also fails to underscore his indelible patience. I ask a ton of questions. I insist on doing every single problem in the books I use. I can be pedantic, and I'm not the most consistent. Despite this, he never fails to fill his messages with insight and substance. Sometimes it's over my head, but the epiphanies are never-ending." -Nathan Kimbrell, PMP participant and prospective math graduate student, on his mentor.
Our work is centered on mentorship that goes beyond math and encompasses all that drives human flourishing. These relationships restore a positive outlook, strengthen skills, and enrich the lives of everyone involved.
PMP 2025 Wrapped cover image showing the PMP logo of triangles enclosed by a circle over a blue background with a white frame.
2025 was a year filled with new projects and growth for PMP. We are honored to continue this beautiful work in 2026! But first, let’s do a countdown to Christmas and recap what made our year special with our very own PMP Wrapped.
Make sure you email us your donation receipt to get tickets!
Check out the details below and here's a doc with all the raffle rules and fine print: bit.ly/3KTHVUT
Want to make an impact AND possibly win a Christmas gift?
Enter the PMP raffle with your donation receipt!
Since the PMP will start a book club next year, the raffle prize is: a brand new Kobo Clara Color eReader!
Image shows instructions for donors about different payment methods.
Ready to join us and #UnlockPotential together? Your support transforms lives! Check out this graphic for all the ways you can contribute to the PMP's fundraising campaign.
THANK YOU!
We have a matching gift!
With your help, we can #UnlockPotential and change the trajectory of a person's life. A $20 donation buys the first geometry set an incarcerated learner has ever had.
Today, your gift is worth DOUBLE.
prisonmathproject.org/donate
Image depicts a young man wearing a blue jacket and holding a puppy.
Mathematics can free minds in the tightest of constraints.
"Every time I opened a textbook or read a research paper, every day I stayed clean, every time I showed compassion to the people around me, I was fighting a system that wanted me to fail."
Read: www.prisonmathproject.org/blog/the-pri...
Zoomed in image of two calculators side by side.
"Prison sucks that out of you, if you let it. You'll give up on yourself and the world too."
Math can be a liberatory force, transform lives and enrichen the human spirit in the face of adversity.
Read more about Nathan and Smoke's journeys here:
www.prisonmathproject.org/blog/calcula...
CodePraxis app interface
How do you learn to code from a prison cell with no computer?
For one student, it started with sending JavaScript snippets via email. That simple hack led to PMP's CodePraxis.
Now, the mission is to bring this project to prisons across the country.
www.prisonmathproject.org/blog/trials-...
In "A Spark in the Dark", the second installment of our "Prison to PhD Pipeline" series, Travis Cunningham recounts his first steps towards becoming a math researcher:
www.prisonmathproject.org/blog/the-pri...
Illustration from Edmé-Gilles Guyot's Nouvelles Récréations Physiques et Mathématiques depicting a hidden magic projection on smoke apparatus.
"Things begin to change because you change the way you look at them."
Nathan Kimbrell, PMP participant, reflects upon the ways in which math and mentorship can rewire your thinking in "Phantasmagoria"
www.prisonmathproject.org/blog/phantas...
Image shows the Fall newsletter cover with a table of contents.
Do you know an incarcerated person with a keen interest in math? You can help them feel a part of the math community while they're inside prison.
Contact us with their mailing info and we'll send them a physical copy of our quarterly newsletter.
Screenshot of blog interview with Christopher Havens where he discusses the significance of the "Zopf" number
We asked Christopher what is his favorite number and this is what he told us.
Read more on continued fractions and the "Zopf" number here: bit.ly/3La0rs0
Photograph of Christopher Havens, PMP founder, smiling in front of a painted landscape background.
Big news: we are expanding our digital space with a new blog!
Expect to see insights on math education, stories from our participants, and reflections on justice and the carceral system.
For our first post, Christopher Havens joined us for an interview exploring his journey.
bit.ly/3La0rs0
Have you had the chance to read our Fall '25 Newsletter yet?
Delve into it and explore powerful insights on math, being and justice, as well as thought-provoking problems designed to challenge your intellect.
prisonmathproject.org/newsletter
Any amount helps - $3 can help support our mission to bring math and computer science inside prisons. :) Please considering giving today! If you share and repost, that helps too. :)
We recently secured approval for a pilot program in Australia's largest prison! This makes our coding app available for incarcerated people. Before, learning programming was functionally impossible: imagine learning how to code without being able to run and compile your code!
Graph of a real affine cubic surface with one compact component
I’ve been studying this blob recently:
A repeating 3D lattice of blue orbs against a black background. Looking closely into any one of the orbs reveals a distorted view of sea, sky and sand dunes. Each orb gives a slightly different perspective on the scene.
My artwork "Many Paths to the Beach" is currently on display at O'Hanlon Center for the Arts in Mill Valley CA. here's a math explainer thread: what are we looking at here?
Our biggest and more important holiday fundraiser yet!🎄❄️🕯️We have developed an app to allow incarcerated people to program on their tablets. This is part of our mission to allow incarcerated people everywhere to learn math and computer science.
www.every.org/pmp/f/help-b...
